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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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:
Yes
A multi layered novel that challenges the reader to reflect on colonialism and racism by putting us in the head of a Frenchman who thinks he is different from the others but is actually complicit.
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
challenging
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
I'm just not gripped by this story and the writing doesn't help either. I know it is a story about colonialism, which is an important one, but I can't really see what it is adding to the conversation. Some plot points are also not convincingly enough drafted for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Colonisation
This book brought me to a time and places I have not visited in story, and for this I stayed glued to the book.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This book was beautifully translated. It tells the story of a French botanist who travels to Senegal and meets a Senegalese woman who narrowly escaped becoming a slave. While it was a compelling story, it was curious to have it all told from the POV of the botanist. I think it may have been more interesting the other way round albeit a very different book. The last chapter, which I found refreshing, confirmed that.