Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Promise by Damon Galgut

13 reviews

kerrence30's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

Extremely well written and strangely enjoyable despite the main theme of death. 
I particularly enjoyed the style of using the deaths of each character as a way of developing the plot. The character study of each member of the family is so well done, that despite some of them being particularly awful, the reader still finds them fascinating.
The description of the political situation in South Africa over time is necessary, particularly as someone from Britain born after Apartheid. The voices and opinions of the various characters from different backgrounds, owning differing political views, change over time and reflect the changing general opinions of those living in the country. 
Thoroughly enjoyed, and shows how there is no main character in life, we are all just play a part.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Racism

Moderate: Infertility, Gun violence, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Infidelity

Minor: Eating disorder

loveyourlibraries's review

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.75

I found the book overly depressing with no likeable characters. It was described as “moving fluidly between characters” but I found this technique confusing. One sentence would be describing the thoughts of one character and then the next sentence is another character’s thoughts without anything to let the reader know it had happened. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, and Incest

Minor: Eating disorder and Infertility

karol99's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Death of parent, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Abandonment, Suicide, Sexism, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Colonisation

manonh90's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

1.0

I... didn't like this book. The writing style (jumping between perspectives even within sentences, the lack of quotation marks... ) really annoyed me and the story wasn't my cup of tea either: small-minded, unlikable people I couldn't care less about, who somehow reflect historical societal issues. Would have DNF'ed if I hadn't been reading it for book club. I'm also beginning to realise capital L-literary fiction might not be for me, not the Booker Prize winners in any case. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, War, Medical content, Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Dementia, Eating disorder, and Vomit

Minor: Self harm and Sexual content

hgallagher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Murder, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Classism, and Alcoholism

Minor: Chronic illness

thebowandthebook's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.5

Very interesting read, it hopped around a good bit. Writing style was different then my normal reads but enjoyed it. Bit crude,unfiltered examination of people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Classism, Death of parent, Suicide, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Racism, Cursing, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

Minor: Eating disorder, Incest, and Infertility

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging sad

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Police brutality

candournat's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Liked it but didn’t love it.

It’s beautifully written and full of metaphor but there was just something missing for me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Death of parent, Murder, Racism, War, Religious bigotry, Classism, Death, Slavery, and Colonisation

Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicide, and Alcoholism

sib_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Excrement, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, and Gore

Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, and Vomit

Minor: Dementia, Self harm, and Sexual content

victoria_catherine_shaw's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Racism

Minor: Infertility and Infidelity