Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Lagos Wife by Vanessa Walters

8 reviews

unmistakablyphoenix's review against another edition

challenging tense slow-paced

3.75

This is one of those books that is well written with an important story to tell, but it’s not for me. As in, it literally was not written for me.

I’m glad I read it, I feel I gained something from learning about such interesting cultures and perspectives so far removed from my own. It was difficult for me to read at points, but I still felt compelled to see how the story ends and it didn’t disappoint.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Infidelity, Misogyny, Colonisation, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Self harm, Rape, Pedophilia, and Murder

Minor: Drug abuse

irie_e's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Misogyny and Toxic relationship

Minor: Self harm, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

liter_aly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, and Sexism

Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexism, Murder, Slavery, and Domestic abuse

amberinpieces's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Self harm, Slavery, Grief, Death, Rape, Blood, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

anarmandameg's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Child death, Colonisation, Infidelity, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, and Murder

Minor: Medical content, Abandonment, Self harm, Sexual content, and Classism

heather667's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Excrement, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Murder, and Rape

Minor: Deportation, Kidnapping, and Vomit

mysterymom40's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Violence, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Infidelity, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Self harm, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Murder, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Body shaming, Child death, and Death of parent

Minor: Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, and Vomit

starrysteph's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

An uneasy dive into familial pressures, hierarchies, and trauma that highlights cultural isolation - and a slow-burn mystery. 

Claudine’s niece Nicole has disappeared, and she’s determined to uncover the truth. So she steps into Nicole’s seemingly-perfect life in Nigeria, with a wealthy family, two young kids, and a mansion overlooking beautiful waters. But the deeper she digs - combating the detached family of Nicole’s husband and the tight lips of those who surround them - the more disturbing elements come to light.

Claudine’s current day search is woven side-by-side with Nicole’s timeline from the past. We watch Nicole slowly unravel amidst her difficult marriage and complicated friendships (many with fellow ‘Nigerwives’, foreign women who moved to Lagos after their marriage), and the two stories slowly come together as past secrets are revealed.

I wouldn’t quite call it “twisty and electrifying” per the blurb, but it held my attention with a slowly-mounting sense of dread. The cultural elements were detailed & fascinating (from the fabrics to the food to the strict hierarchies and pressures around social images), but occasionally the dialogue & writing in general were a bit too meandering and dry for my taste.

I could really feel Claudine’s frustration & guilt, and although some ‘twists’ were predictable, I still thought the reveals were well-executed. It was less about the surprise element and more about seeing the reveal through the eyes of the person narrating at the time.

It was also not my favorite type of ending - but there was at least some resolve and satisfaction.

CW: violence, death (incl. child death), murder, sexism, misogyny, rape, pedophilia, domestic abuse, toxic relationship, self harm, animal death, addiction, body shaming, classism, colorism, racism, slavery (discussed), infidelity

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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Body shaming, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Classism, Infidelity, Murder, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault