Reviews tagging 'War'

Mønsteret rakner by Chinua Achebe

41 reviews

bolgenhaar's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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'Things Fall Apart' - Since I finished this work, those words have not stop echoing through my mind.

Things are not sundered in epic fashion, they are not torn apart by some malicious actor. They just stop being at some point.

When did things fall apart for the people in this book? 

When did things stop making sense for Okonkwo? For Nwoye? For any of the wives he regularly abuses? Even for the missionaries. 

At the mercy of an indifferent world is all purpose beyond sheer survival just an illusion? A white lie we tell ourselves so that we can keep going?

Things Fall Apart not only manages to be a potent commentary on colonial writings about Africa, but it also examines the weaknesses of Igbo culture, and tells a very human tale of suffering and senselessness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Colonisation

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, War

Minor: Slavery

victri's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War

razzyreads's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Colonisation

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Torture, Blood, Grief, Cultural appropriation, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Slavery

lief_'s review against another edition

5.0

emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation

Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, War

Minor: Slavery

ashar_reads's review against another edition

4.75

challenging informative sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is stunning writing. The more I think about this book the more my rating goes up. We follow a deeply unsympathetic man to his eventual undoing, which should feel deserved but that clean cut ending, that want to think each person is solely responsible for their own destruction, that this would not have happened if not for his own actions and unwavering ego, is ripped away by the pure evil that brought about that undoing. This happened to everyone regardless of how they lived their lives, it could not have been prevented so it can't feel deserved. You are left in deep mourning for all the characters surrounding him, instead of feeling justice for them. You feel the tragedy of all those he hurt happen along with him. There's triumph in most stories when the person who caused those around him pain is "defeated," but these characters are not safer or happier now in any way. They get the same, if not a worse fate. Nothing about this is fair. You feel the loss of control. You feel the fear of destruction. The loss of family. I do feel the author set up themes that were left largely unexplored, especially when it comes to sexism, which got briefly touched upon and then abandoned. I find myself wanting more, which is what keeps this from being a 5 star, but damn, incredible book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Colonisation

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Slavery, Suicide, War

pikkumarja's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark medium-paced

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Kaikki hajoaa on hieno kirja. Se ei ole säälivä eikä rypevä, vaan tietyllä tavalla arkinen kertomus klaanista ja myöhemmin myös kolonialismista. Ymmärrän todella klassikkoaseman.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Colonisation

Moderate: Torture, War

lukereads17's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Gore, Suicide, War

There is a description of the mutilation of a dead infant. It’s short, but it took me by surprise and was disturbing.

bites_of_books's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Things Fall Apart is fiction but truly read like nonfiction at times, in a good way. I felt like all the characters were real and that made me feel even more for them as the story went on. Okonkwo is a complex character, a strong-willed man, proud of his heritage, and willing to do anything to protect all he cares about. The ending saddened me deeply, I have no words for that but I will say that it will stay with me for a long time.

I highly recommend, do take care and check content warnings though, not an easy read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

achi1's review against another edition

4.25

dark inspiring medium-paced

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The book started a bit slow but I started to really enjoy it halfway through. Very interesting plot that reads like oral history from an elder. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Suicide, Violence, War

rica014's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War