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A review by ameliasbooks
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Usually I'm having difficulties with child characters in stories. Very often I find their thoughts and dialogues unbelievable, but this wasn't the case here. I really enjoyed reading about the daily life and the little adventures of Darling and her friends. Maybe I would have preferred one or two characters less, because not all of them were portrayed really memorable enough.
The author did a good job in letting the place and the experiences the protagonists made coming alive on the page.
Can't really say which part I enjoyed more, the one that takes place in Zimbabwe or the one in the US. Both are similar important to the story, so I had no preference.
The only criticism I have is that Bulawayo tries too hard to cover numerous themes and therefore can't really go into depth with most of them. This is a short book, so most of the covered topics stay quite on the surface and aren't explored enough. Which I would have been really interested in, because the story in general made me so.
The author did a good job in letting the place and the experiences the protagonists made coming alive on the page.
Can't really say which part I enjoyed more, the one that takes place in Zimbabwe or the one in the US. Both are similar important to the story, so I had no preference.
The only criticism I have is that Bulawayo tries too hard to cover numerous themes and therefore can't really go into depth with most of them. This is a short book, so most of the covered topics stay quite on the surface and aren't explored enough. Which I would have been really interested in, because the story in general made me so.
Moderate: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Dementia, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Body shaming, and Racism
Minor: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Animal death, War, and Death