Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

360 reviews

snazzy_suze's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Animal cruelty

awebofstories's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Murder

jotee76's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

I liked that issues relating to the caste system were highlighted as well as honour based violence and treatment of women in India.  However,  I get a sense that the author was writing this with view to being made into a film, with elements of the narrative becoming farcical, bordering on slapstick,  which was a bit distracting.  Overall, I enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Death, Rape, Blood, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infertility, and Racial slurs

baguettekelly's review against another edition

dark funny

3.75

A violent, stirring, brutal, and curiously funny revenge story with great female characters and an immersive setting in an Indian village.  Not an easy read but worth the challenge.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Murder

kirana786's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

Badass FMCs fighting the patriarchy, what more could you want? They weren’t exactly all lovable, but I definitely rooted for them. Never underestimate female rage.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Domestic abuse

emg3's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

2.75

The blurb was the best bit of this book. There was quite a lot of tactlessness and, though I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, it just felt offensive and insensitive sometimes. Maybe I missed something crucial while reading, but it really felt like the most important parts of this book were given the fewest words. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder, Classism, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Islamophobia

maddelpop's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Violence, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Bullying, and Colonisation

dewo0019's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful reflective 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

3.75

This book was a rollercoaster. I really liked it at first, then wasn't fond of the Indian stereotypes and relationships between the women, but am glad I stuck with it because I ended up enjoying the character development and message of female friendships. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Bullying, Physical abuse, Murder, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Classism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, and Rape

athenas99's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book has so much heart. The pacing was a bit odd, especially in the middle of the book

when Geeta is dealing with the falllout of her first murder and ends up being at odds with her accomplice, Farah

. However, I really enjoyed the woman-centered plot line and the feminist themes. Geeta, like many women in her community and around the world, is a survivor of abuse and it was really wonderful to watch her grow into a feminist mindset and wake up to all kinds of injustice. I loved watching her and her childhood best friend Saloni find their way back to each other after men and the demands of marriage pulled them apart. Despite dealing nimbly with difficult subject matter like sexual assault, domestic violence and caste discrimination, the book remains humorous and lighthearted. A wonderful read for women’s history month.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Domestic abuse

dale_in_va's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

Not for the weak minded... this book is disturbing, but in a good way.  A really entertaining book about a really complicated set of issues.   This is a dark comedy is a way to make you smile through "darkness and absurdity of life" (author's quote).  I find the words of the author's note sums it up "“Fiction is when research meets compassion.  I believe that this is why facts don’t change people’s minds, but stories do”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Rape, and Blood

Minor: Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Kidnapping

This book is a "fantasy" about female empowerment in a patriarchal society. Readers need to have the sophistication to understand that the absurdity presented here is a way to grant people agency in a society that doesn't value them. It can leave the reader with an existential discomfort with the issues that it raises.