Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

234 reviews

cirrenamarie's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

2.75

I really wanted to like this book but I hated the first half. It was a bit slow and felt like it was trying to hard to be funny. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty and Classism

itsredandread's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

just_justine's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gore, and Gun violence

burnedstory's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

I loved it. Shroff has acquired the feat of telling such a heavy story, portraying such heavy issues in such a humours but impactful way. A real page turner. Often when talked about India casteism is not talked about, it's like an unspoken devil in the nation but the way it was written in the story, I applaud it (Here I understand my privelige of being an upper caste person and not knowing even the tip of discrimination). The humour in the story in my opinion is commendable, shows the strength and courage of these women. Shroff says, she wanted to honour the Bandit Queen, Phoolan Mallah and I think she acheived that in a wonderful way. One of the major takeaways for me from the book was the power of female friendship, how these women stood behind each other warmed my heart. As we talk about feminism in the modern world, somewhere we forget about women like Geeta, Saloni, Farah and co. So I am very grateful to get to read their story. One where they are not put on pedestals, one where they are human and make wrong decisions and face the consequences of it. It's beautiful to read.
If "I support women's rights and women's wrongs" could be a book this very well might be it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Murder, and Gaslighting

kimpossible's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Classism

tayloramazing's review against another edition

funny 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

3.5

Campy, predictable 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse and Classism

ajenkies4's review

dark funny fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

sskinner155's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-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

5.0

Idiots trying to get away with murder. The type of feminism where you hate women but hate men more. If someone says they have a dark sense of humor have them read this book. Absolutely loved, made me laugh out loud.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Torture

bookishevy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

"We can't just knock off everyone we don't like. This isn't Indian Idol." 

Friends, I intended to travel to Puerto Rico through the #readtheworld challenge, but since it's Asian American Pacific Islander Month, I decided to travel to a remote village in India, where we meet Geeta, a woman whose abusive husband disappeared five years ago, and no matter how much she denies it, villagers believe she killed and disposed of him. Now that she has a reputation for getting rid of her abusive man, other women in the village are coming to her for help eliminating their own no-good husbands. Hilarity ensues. 

This is the funniest book I've read this year so far. Chapter 14 alone deserves an award. The back and forth between Geeta, her ex-bestfriend Saloni, and twins Preity and Priya as they try to convince Geeta to kill yet another brute is comedy gold. That this coversation is taking place during Karwa Chauth, when Hindu women fast and pray for their men's longevity, makes it even funnier. 

All jokes aside, this is messed up. These women are stuck in their abusive marriages. Throughout the story, there are examples of how village customs do not favor women. Villagers turn a blind eye to obvious signs of abuse because "that's marriage." Divorce is out of the question, so murder is the obvious option.

Other themes explored are casteism, particularly how poorly Dalits are treated, the isolation women endure while in abusive relationships and when they become widows, and "the joys of motherhood," which Geeta is not buying when her friends try to make her feel like she's missing out on something by not having children. I love how Shroff weaves Indian lore into the story to show how men create narratives to paint women unfavorably so that they can continue to put up with their bullshit. The underlying message is how platonic love should be nurtured as much as romantic love, if not more. Underneath all the secrets, lies, blackmail and extortion, these women have one another's backs.

I can't recommend this read enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Sexism and Xenophobia

mozumozumozu's review against another edition

dark funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty