Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

En halv gul sol by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

42 reviews

nadia's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

I really liked this book! As someone who avoids reading the blurbs, I had no idea where it was going to take me, but I was drawn in from the opening pages, immediately transported to a 1960s Nigeria.

I struggled a little with the time jumps and what had already happened or not, and I also struggled to keep the politics straight, but I think the latter is on me a little! I've read two books back-to-back, unintentionally (but fortunately!) featuring the Biafran War and I already feel like I've learned a fair amount about it. I also felt like my intrigue dipped a little at some point in the middle, but it picked back up again.

The writing and character depictions were great!

I'm reading Adichie's novels in chronological order, so this is the second, and my current fave, over Purple Hibiscus! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Infertility, Rape, Violence, Gun violence, and War

smodderman's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Amazing. 

This book brought history to life pulling readers in for the ride. 

This is not the type of book you can read in one sitting. Chimamanda evoked so many emotions through her writing that it was necessary to put the book down to process it all. I don't think I've ever read a book that I never wanted to put down while also needing to put it down in order to process all of the emotions I was feeling. 

This book was somehow hopeful, moving, and heartbreaking all at once. 

while it did end quite abruptly, I think it made sense to end where it did. The characters were moving into another part of their lives. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

Minor: Islamophobia

raynatuina's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

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

I will come back to write this after I have sat with the story in its full for a while longer.

It’s too beautiful, heartbreaking, and unconcealed to rush a review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Rape, Gun violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

inpalemoonlight's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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? No

5.0

I just love Adichies writing. 

Her prose is beautiful, painful and at the same time I learned a lot about the Biafran/Nigerian history. 

I love how regarding to one of the protoganists (Richard, white writer) she also touches the topic on who has the power to tell a story, whose story it is to tell and how history is shaped by racist euro-centric power dynamics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Violence

lanid's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Police brutality, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Rape, Racism, Sexual violence, War, Violence, and Gore

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

I was lent this book, and I'm so happy because I loved it! While fiction, it was set amidst the Nigerian Civil War, which I did not know much about, an encouraged me to explore that history. On top of that, the wonderful, strong characters and their interpersonal story was gripping, sad, and real. Highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Genocide, Rape, Hate crime, Violence, Death, Xenophobia, Grief, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racism, Gun violence, and War

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Infidelity

rchristine11's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

I would not recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, War, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Gun violence, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Gore, Child death, Classism, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Infidelity

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Animal death and Abortion

wossyboy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Harrowing and beautifully told tales of a war I was never taught about. Adichie is so talented at writing complex, flawed, yet loveable characters and I fell completley in love with Olanna.

This is a book moved me immeasurably, and I know it will sit with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, War, Murder, and Violence

ellagewerwhite's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Genocide

Moderate: Domestic abuse, War, Hate crime, Infertility, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Child death

perfectphlaws's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It was a well written book, but reminded me why I don't usually stray too far from romance. So much rape. War is ugly indeed, maybe I'll just read about it in the news rather than rehashing past horrors. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexism, War, Vomit, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Infertility, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Blood, and Chronic illness