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motherofladybirds's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the characters and descriptions of food, and landscape and the language of Trinidad. I felt I could have done with some trigger warnings for self harm and domestic violence. The end was very shocking and I felt the lack of resolution. I mostly enjoyed this read.
booksandbabble's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Infidelity, Hate crime, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcoholism
tessyoung's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book despite some initial scepticism. A definite case of you shouldn't judge a book by the cover, or necessarily the title, both of which gave rise to doubts. I could not have been more wrong. It's beautifully written, the characters draw you in and you want to spend time with them. The narrative is broad and wide ranging but takes you with it every step of the way and you feel enriched by sharing in the story. I'm not one for spoilers so I don't want to detail all the richness of plot and the issues covered but there such range and depth. The language, both vocabulary and rhythm, not only builds the characters but helps immerse you in their worlds and experience. I'll say again, I loved it!
blackloreuk's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.25
nenye_sage's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
thandi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
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? Yes
4.0
ranti's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
gayspacealien's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
drianturner's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful book, told from the perspective of the three main characters. The literary style was not conventional, including a Caribbean vernacular, but this was not off-putting. And the themes eg domestic violence, homophobia, self-harm etc were a real draw to this reviewer but handled with care and sensitivity.
To be honest, though, the book was beginning to drag for me by the end and I was becoming less interested in some of the characters. Chetan was my favourite character and I would have happily read a story just about him! So I was gutted when he died, but perhaps this was an incident that was needed to revive my waning interest? (Maybe a prequel - there can't be a sequel - all about him?) It's a five for me, since GoodReads only uses 5/5, but not a 10/10.
To be honest, though, the book was beginning to drag for me by the end and I was becoming less interested in some of the characters. Chetan was my favourite character and I would have happily read a story just about him! So I was gutted when he died, but perhaps this was an incident that was needed to revive my waning interest? (Maybe a prequel - there can't be a sequel - all about him?) It's a five for me, since GoodReads only uses 5/5, but not a 10/10.