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sofii_825'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: Death and Racism
Moderate: War
leide13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Murder
iloponis's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
_marycappiello3'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: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
remery3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Physical abuse and Violence
megan_xn's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
4.5
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
sas_lk's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
1- The pacing was a bit off, I felt that we spent too much time with some scenes, and not enough with others.
2- The friendship of the characters never felt truly real to me; it felt more like telling than showing, so I never felt like I could truly "feel" the depth of their relationship. And that only worsened throughout the book to the point where in the 2nd half of the book, it felt like nothing anymore.
3- I was expecting it to be more mind-blowing in terms of the discussion of colonialism. Don't get me wrong, I think the writing was brilliant in terms of making you feel that constant dread that colonialism makes you feel when you slowly start understanding the reality of how things were. However, if you already have quite a good understanding of colonialism and its depth, then this book isn't so mind-blowing which is unfortunate.
I feel bad for saying this, but I think once more books like these (that discuss colonialism in fiction like this) get published, I think this book will go under a little bit.
Either way, I think my expectations were simply too high. However, I still enjoyed it.
Although now I want to study more languages in depth.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Islamophobia, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Toxic friendship and War
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
sophsdigitalbookdiary'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: Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
bwoo'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: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bookswithcuppatea'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
The four central characters, the cohort of students in a particular year, with their fierce and fragile friendships, drives the novel.
An insidious investigation to the power and pride and wilful blindness of colonisation, of using others for the benefit they offer at a cost to them and benefit only to power...
The tension builds slowly, and once events really started to escalate it was hard to look away!
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder