Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud

24 reviews

absolute_bookery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.0

Gah this was sad! I've never read any books from Trinidad but I really enjoyed it. It was quite long and felt like it could have been shorter but a good book that touched on some sad topics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Murder, Death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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

4.75

Crying

‘You can't force understanding.’

A bit little life-y
Was caught v off guard

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Alcoholism

millieg24's review

emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Self harm

nicoleisalwaysreading's review

challenging emotional funny reflective tense fast-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? Yes

2.25

I loved Trinidad & Tobago as a setting. This was my first book set there, and it was lush and detailed - the descriptions of food made my mouth water, the use of Trini Creole added such distinction to the characters’ dialogue and personalities, and Ingrid Persuad did not shy away from including the problems of the islands, such as crime and deeply embedded homophobia, so I could tell how much she loves and cares for her home.
I loved Mr. Cheyna and Betty’s perspective. Solo as a character fell flat for me- his unwillingness to hear his mother’s story was incredibly frustrating, and it didn’t seem to make sense with the way he had been raised by her. The years of distance between Solo and both is mother and Cheyna were devastating. Solo’s story felt hopelessly sad for a good while, and as the book progressed, I was worried there would not be any sort of healing for him.

The big plot twist felt so cruel :/ I think it needed to happen with the way the story was moving but the way it did….WOW. Incredibly hard to read. The ending was also sad, but with a final move that to me, indicated a shared journey of healing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Hate crime, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Deportation

lucyatoz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Meet the Ramdin-Chetan family: forged through loneliness, broken by secrets, saved by love.

The story of Betty Ramdin, her son Solo and their lodger Mr Chetan, is one big hot mess of a story about different forms of love. The unbounding love that is between a Mother and Son, following the death of Husband and Father, who was an abusive alcoholic, and Solo's flight from Trinidad to live with his Uncle and his family in New York. The platonic love that grows between Betty and Mr Chetan, contrasted with his hot, passionate loving of men. The second father relationship of respect and affection between Solo and Mr Chetan, which helps them both as they try to understand their places in two very different societies. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Blood, and Grief

pkc's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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? Yes

4.5

This was a really unique take on a “kitchen sink” style family drama, predominantly set in Trinidad. Even though the country didn’t form an obvious backbone of the story, it did factor in as a character in itself, lending a colour and culture that elevated the tension and levity all at once. Please be warned that this book is so dark in places, but like any good family unit, the darkness is accompanied and sometimes even complemented by truth and the occasional wry observation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, Self harm, Cursing, Death of parent, Violence, Addiction, Misogyny, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, and Hate crime

merrynthomas's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Body horror, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcohol

This book deals heavily with family trauma brought on by domestic abuse, particularly the mother/child relationship

mscalls's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Outing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Blood, Child abuse, and Death of parent

hannahrhian's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Grief, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Hate crime, Bullying, Blood, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Alcohol

zzaakkiiyyaa's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

If you’ve ever suffered despair, grief, heartbreak, and the like you’ll adore this book (just check content warnings first). No double you’ll fall in love with Mr Chetan. He is simply wonderful. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Self harm, Homophobia, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death