Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Promise by Damon Galgut

44 reviews

gslangdon's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

An amazing tapestry weaved through the modern history of South Africa and the trauma that life there can inflict on us. A truly moving read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Death

Minor: Racism

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

kajasversion's review

challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.75

Truly a masterfully written story, the narrative transitioned from one character to another seamlessly and it was amazing to witness. The characters are all flawed, the burden of family and societal values destroying their relationships. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence and Racism

Minor: Eating disorder

jess_vitale's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

Between 3 to 3.5 stars, and generally undecided how I feel about this book. At first the writing style was confusing and annoying - particularly the lack of quotation marks around dialogue and flitting between the points of view of different characters within the same scene. Eventually I didn't mind the different POVs and found that made it more interesting since the story wasnt very engrossing. I think ultimately this book just wasn't what I expected because

the "promise" seemed to have very little impact on the story other than the estrangement of Amor & her single-track conversations with her family, and we barely see anything of Salome or why Amor cares other than the principle that a promise was made.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Murder

hannahwooster's review

challenging reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

james1star's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Grief, Death, and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent, Infertility, Suicide, Eating disorder, Murder, Antisemitism, Sexual content, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Alcoholism

luise96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide, Murder, and Death

claalaaa's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Alcoholism

Minor: Self harm

ginnydw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Suicide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Death, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, and Mental illness

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