Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

20 reviews

momloves2read's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious slow-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Animal death, and Death of parent

simply_fran's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Death of parent, Rape, Sexism, Misogyny, Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia

lakea's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Gore, and Misogyny

livcashmere's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

Is the story cute and lighthearted?  Yes. Could I seperate that from the fact that the entire thing is told from a straight white male pretending to be an African woman perspective? No.

He also talks about how fat the main character is approximately 10000 times. Unnecessary and typical for a male writer. I literally know everything about the physical appearance of the female characters but all the male characters descriptions are like “African male”. Every character is incredibly simple and two-dimensional with clear reflections of colonialism throughout the text. 

The individual investigations were sweet but I won’t be reading any further books in this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Fatphobia, and Domestic abuse

koplomps's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Child death

Moderate: Death of parent

mgcalder's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Simply a joy to read. Whilst it may seem that this lady solves all of the mysteries far too easily, I believe it of her. The story is mostly lighthearted but does have sections of darkness but these only help you to love the main character even more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, and Death of parent

satsukiq's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Rape, and Stalking

seanml's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.75

This book makes me happy. : ) 9.75/10. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence

ailsaod's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I'm not sure what I think about this book. I was expecting more of a detective story and that isn't really what this is. I don't usually read books with such a slice of life/literary fiction style so I don't have much to say. It wasn't a good or bad experience, although I am unsure what to make of a white man writing a black woman in a story that is all about authentically capturing a certain place in a certain time, although he at least has been to Botswana so I feel unqualified to judge.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Rape

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Infertility, and Misogyny

wordswithjustine's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

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

4.0

Much of the first half of the book is taken up with Mma Ramotswe's history, including her some of her father's history, plus her childhood, teen years, and early 20's. I wasn't expecting that and didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the book, but I do think I would enjoy it now that I know Precious better and have seen her in more situations.

The author's love for Africa shines through Precious Ramotswe's eyes. She is someone I would like to be friends with.

Although serious topics are dealt with in this book, there also is a sense of light-heartedness, including one passage that was laugh-out-loud funny. I enjoyed this book and will read the next in the series.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Child death