Scan barcode
arejaytay's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Animal cruelty, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, and Vomit
whoa_is_me's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Animal death, Child death, Classism, Death, Suicide, Violence, Sexual assault, and Blood
mmccombs's review
5.0
This was kind of unexpected because I read it on a whim without knowing anything about it, but I think this could become a favorite of all time.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Grief, Violence, Child death, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity and Rape
melliedm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Excrement, Bullying, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Classism
emzireads's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Grief, and Child death
carriepond's review
- 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
4.0
This book was great. Hosein created such complex, memorable characters and his writing was so beautiful in parts of this book that I was amazed he is a debut author. I got such a sense of place from his writing and was invested almost immediately, and although the plot unfolds slowly, it feels methodical-- and there is a sense of unease from the first page. I wasn't quite sure what had or would go wrong, but I knew immediately that something was going down, and I felt compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen. I also really loved how Hosein began each chapter focusing on a character's past to give us context for how they fit into the big picture of the story-- I thought it was really effective in creating those complex characters without bogging down the story.
I highly recommend this for lovers of historical fiction, but I also recommend it to anyone looking for a slow-burn mystery in a setting that we don't see as often (in historical fiction, especially). This was great, and I was glad I read it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Animal death, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Classism, Bullying, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit