Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

11 reviews

dannythestreet's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad

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

3.75

I find it interesting that we barely get to hear the main character's point of view, her thoughts or feelings. She is mostly just describing things as they are. I think it's characteristic of the way she was brought up, taught not to be a burden, to obey and do as told without complaining or thinking too hard about it. As a contrast we have Nyasha (the best character in the book) who is being endlessly abused by her father, yet she cannot keep quiet, refuses to be "good".  What's happening to her at the end is heartbreaking yet unfortunately not surprising, he is a victim of this system same as all of them are.

Overall, the book offers some helpful insight into life in Zimbabwe, blackness, womanhood, poverty, education, family relationship and more

It's not my favourite book but definitely worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death, Racism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Grief, Violence, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

agnela's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Pregnancy, Racism, Animal death, Infidelity, Self harm, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Misogyny, and Sexism

olivier_d_ace's review against another edition

reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

ruthmoog's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

5.0

I loved Tambudzai!!! This book deals with challenging themes yet it's heartening and enjoyable. Through the experience of women in Tambus life, and their relationships with men and  societies that favour men, Tambu narrates her aging and education from the late 60s onwards as a teen.
I thought it was just brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Eating disorder

Moderate: Colonisation, Classism, Racial slurs, Death, Racism, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Pregnancy

lushani's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, and Mental illness

Minor: Excrement, Slavery, and Pregnancy

melli's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Vomit, Violence, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Child abuse, Sexism, Self harm, Misogyny, Mental illness, Racism, and Pregnancy

lara_bk's review

challenging tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Racism, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Colonisation

emmazan's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

4.5

read for class. World Literature Written in English (fall 21)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexism

cantfindmybookmark's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

This was the last book I read for #TheReadingWomenChallenge2021. I had initially planned to read 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 for this prompt, and then realized it was the third book in this series. A lot of reviewers said it wasn’t necessary to read the first two books to enjoy Mournable Body, but I’m glad I chose to. 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 is the first book in the trilogy following 𝙏𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙪𝙙𝙯𝙖𝙞 (𝙏𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙪) 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙪𝙠𝙚 from a young girl to a grown woman. 

The first book focuses on Tambu as a young girl, 20 years before Zimbabwe won independence from white minority rule. At 14 Tambu is given the opportunity to attend school at a mission where her uncle is headmaster. She leaves behind her family’s homestead to pursue her education, but over the years learns that 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦. 

This book is perfect. It deftly explores themes of 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺, 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 while also being a beautiful coming of age tale. Tambu also has strong and diverse female role models in her life that represent different aspects of who she wants to be. Her traditional but headstrong mother. Her educated and demure aunt. Her rebellious cousin. Her wild and independent aunt. The women in her life represent the different aspects and struggles of black, African, womanhood. 

“‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯’ 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. ‘𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦? 𝘈𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯? 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥! 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.’”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Child abuse

ladymirtazapine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

Graphic: Child death, Vomit, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, and Colonisation

Minor: Racial slurs