Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris

21 reviews

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and War

rachel101's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Hate crime, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Grief, Medical trauma, and War

jennikreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

notthatcosta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Despite the plot being relentlessly grim for much of the book, I was really impressed by Priscilla Morris' capacity to introduce moments of levity and simple joy amidst the crushing reality of what was faced by the people of Sarajevo. 

I was also impressed to learn that much of the plot was inspired by real life stories from Morris' family members and research subjects, which makes sense considering how grounded and lived in the characters felt. 

Also certainly not an uplifting read, it's a book I thoroughly enjoyed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

apthompson's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

heidiho's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book. Although of course a poignant subject matter, it was also so lovingly written that I didn't want it to end. I was truly invested in the characters. It was a real page turner.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and War

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

astronautin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and War

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Genocide, Rape, and Religious bigotry

minniepauline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I couldn’t put this novel down. Set at the beginning of the war in Sarajevo in the Spring of 1992, it’s propulsive in a way that the war feels to the characters. One day it’s unbelievable and then suddenly you’re in the midst and bombs are falling. It’s claustrophobic at times, at times hopeful. There is beauty and pathos. The novel is written in a very close third person, present-tense, and I felt as though I was in the action, experiencing everything that Zora did. Given what is going on in the world today, this feels like a necessary book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Islamophobia and Religious bigotry

kirstym25's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and War

Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury

amyford's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Excrement, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail