Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

54 reviews

stabilesero's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Mengiste did this story justice; what a beautiful nod to her grandmother and those who fought in the Italian-Ethiopian war; particularly for those who went unrecognised.
I'm really keen to pick up Mengiste's other novels, The Shadow King was beautiful.
It wasn't perfect, I agree with other readers who also said there were a lot of side characters and names to keep up with, but I see why there were so many by the end of the book. A little bit of repetition regarding describing light and surroundings, but again, it didn't put me off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, War, Sexual assault, Child death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

stindex's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, War, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Violence, Death, Genocide, and Medical content

khakipantsofsex's review

challenging dark slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, and Racism

Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Slavery

chelsl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, and War

mistercrow's review

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and War

billie_visible's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, War, and Violence

Moderate: Antisemitism and Domestic abuse

kittyka0s's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Pedophilia, Torture, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Misogyny, Child abuse, Gun violence, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual violence, Confinement, Murder, Colonisation, Torture, War, Death, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent and Sexism

pleek6's review against another edition

Too much casual violence without a critical perspective. Very male gazy in a disgusting way. Very unpleasant read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, and Violence

impla77's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.5

Another very literary book that I didn’t particularly enjoy. For a book this long, I would expect to have some connection to the characters but the way the author writes, I felt unable to really see the characters as fully fleshed out. Everything is a little meandering and ponderous.. I wish I liked this one more

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Rape, and War