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heatherjchin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Trafficking, War, Death of parent, Grief, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
not_dead_yet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The chaotic structure of the writing draws you in to the chaos of the forces driving the civil war. The chaos continues after death without missing a beat.
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Racism, Torture, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment, Genocide, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
caoimhemia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, War, Torture, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Genocide, Suicide, Murder, and Homophobia
mittensmcgee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: War, Death, Violence, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide, Gore, and Colonisation
thesvnthsense's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Hate crime, Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Police brutality, Homophobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual harassment and War
l_barasa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Murder, and Violence
andyourstruly's review against another edition
4.75
The best way of describing it is that genre of book where someone in the main character's life has just died, leaving behind a tangled web of mystery for the MC to unravel and resolve ... from the dead person's point of view.
The author does an amazing job painting the political landscape of Sri Lankan politics in the 70s-90s in all of its complexity and using it as a vehicle to reveal the story as opposed to allowing it to bog the story down. The main character is jaded and unlikeable, but the slow reveal throughout the book of what leads him to be like that and the dynamics involved was really impressively handled. I really loved the ending and the way that the author doesn't pretend to try to fix everything.
I read this book because a friend of a friend told me that her book club had read it and that everyone but her had said that, while they liked it, they would not recommend it as a book club book, a sentiment that she had disagreed with. Having now read it, I have to agree with my friend's friend: if these aren't the topics we discuss in a book club, then what are?
Graphic: Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Suicide, Violence, Car accident, Homophobia, and War
Moderate: Torture, Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Go into this book on your guard, my friend.cat_22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder, War, Violence, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Child death, Body horror, and Homophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
charlottelilac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Police brutality, Colonisation, Car accident, and War
mrlsdevos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Genocide, Car accident, Child death, Hate crime, Torture, Racism, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, War, Xenophobia, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Classism, Mental illness, Slavery, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicide, Colonisation, Car accident, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury