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This was an eye-opening and emotional read; I laughed, gasped, cried, and pondered throughout the whole book. Each character was unique and whole, and each aspect of the plot (the personal and the wider political) was interesting and engrossing.
I was occasionally a little lost in trying to follow where Maali was and build the scenery as he travelled. However, all in all, this book was absorbing, immersive, and captivating. I instantly believed and was wrapped up the magical realism aspect.
Some of the sections - and the philosophising they brought on - will stay with me forever.
“I've watched your kind. Both as beast and as ghost. I can’t understand why humans destroy when they can create.”
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, War
Moderate: Homophobia, Torture
Minor: Animal death, Genocide, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Torture, Murder, War
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Torture, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, War
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Torture
If you're going into this book wanting something politically charged, this is not the book for it. Partisan violence is treated as an unsolvable issue and the ending reinforces the fact that this book is about finding enjoyment in the little beauties in life - not about civil war, or changing the status quo. I understand that setting a book during a war that would continue for another two decades presents its own difficulties in finding an ending, but I was ultimately left a little disenchanted as I had hoped that the political plot lines would amount to more - maybe that's on me for not getting the message sooner.
Overall I would recommend!
Graphic: Confinement, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, Murder, War
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
It was a really interesting book, which mixed murder mystery with self-reflection, politics, philosophy and religion.
Graphic: Homophobia, Torture, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, War
Minor: Rape
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Maali was… not a good person but he tried to do right by his family in the end, and i really liked him becoming a helper. DD… I’ll be honest he pissed me off. The entire time he’s being skeptical & unhelpful while Jaki risks her life for their friend/lover… his dad literally had his bf murdered and he just ate it up & got a WHITE boyfriend weeks later… their relationship was awful but still YIKES.
Sena… what a bitch boy.
The ending was a bit sad but hopeful, I need to think on it more.
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment