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sineadcstories's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't actually finish as it was not hooking me at all. It seemed to ramble a lot. Other reviews seem pretty positive though so I may get back to it in the new year.
dhall58's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lianne_rooney's review against another edition
Putting this aside for now at 4.5 hours in. I'm not getting on with the characters at all and for me the slow pace is not best suited to audio format. That is not to take away from Indira Varma's narration at all, she is excellent, I'm just struggling to stay engaged.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Mental illness
burrowsi1's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
carlamaeshep's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
mazza57's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and am grateful for the chance to review the book. Durga returns to her childhood home and her grandmother. An accident sees her grandmother in hospital. The ensuing narrative changes between now and then following the lives of Durga's grandmother and mother. Things are not always as they seem and in this case it seems that Mary (Durga's grandma and parent) has lived a life creating a truth different from the actual truth. I wanted to enjoy this book but it felt fragmented, it felt difficult to create an apparent storyline. The book was narrative driven but that drive felt anything but straight forward.
Mary had a difficult life and it appears that she tried to wrap this into alternative histories for herself and her granddaughter. However I cannot decide which is real and which is Mary's fairytales. The characterisation is painted too thinly to aid the interpretation of the narrative. I feel this book could have been a masterpiece But just failed to cross the gap that would take it to that level
Mary had a difficult life and it appears that she tried to wrap this into alternative histories for herself and her granddaughter. However I cannot decide which is real and which is Mary's fairytales. The characterisation is painted too thinly to aid the interpretation of the narrative. I feel this book could have been a masterpiece But just failed to cross the gap that would take it to that level
deepakchecks's review against another edition
3.0
Fragile monsters didn't really excite me; I din't mind it either. It felt as though the work was of a personal nature to the author, who has used the person revisiting her past demons after returning to her birth place trope to incorporate nuggests of her personal journey.
Durga, a mathematician, who had moved to Canada for work, has now returned to Malaysia and is working as a lecturer at Kuala Lumpur. Around Diwali time, she goes to her childhood home at Kuala Lipis to visit her granny Mary and gets engulfed in a fire accident that leads to Mary being hospitalized.
Durga explores her childhood home, where her mother Francesca had supposedly died during child birth. She also remembers her childhood friend Peony who had died in a banyan swamp at Kampung Ulu after playing a game of truth-and-dare, for which she blames herself. Durga's search yields additional information about Francesca, which makes her doubt Mary's stories. After Mary's discharge, Durga attempts to go back to office, but flood and roadblocks turn her back which provides her more oppurtunity to learn about her mother for which she visits the house of Agnes, a convent mother, where she uncovers a secret.
While Durga's present day life is depicted, the author goes to the past in every alternative chapter to tell Mary's story. Mary's story involves her troubled relationship with her parents, her intimate friendship with Cecilia and Rajan and also her brother Anil who cannot speak. The story then jumps to the world war and the emergency period in Malaya - between 1948 and 1958, when war ended and fight for independency was ongoing. This was the time of Mary's marriage with Rajan, Francesca's birth and further more tragedies surrounding Anil and Rajan, with Mary emerging strong but emotionally affected, the reverberations appears have been passed onto Durga as well.
Pleasant and readable.
Durga, a mathematician, who had moved to Canada for work, has now returned to Malaysia and is working as a lecturer at Kuala Lumpur. Around Diwali time, she goes to her childhood home at Kuala Lipis to visit her granny Mary and gets engulfed in a fire accident that leads to Mary being hospitalized.
Durga explores her childhood home, where her mother Francesca had supposedly died during child birth. She also remembers her childhood friend Peony who had died in a banyan swamp at Kampung Ulu after playing a game of truth-and-dare, for which she blames herself. Durga's search yields additional information about Francesca, which makes her doubt Mary's stories. After Mary's discharge, Durga attempts to go back to office, but flood and roadblocks turn her back which provides her more oppurtunity to learn about her mother for which she visits the house of Agnes, a convent mother, where she uncovers a secret.
While Durga's present day life is depicted, the author goes to the past in every alternative chapter to tell Mary's story. Mary's story involves her troubled relationship with her parents, her intimate friendship with Cecilia and Rajan and also her brother Anil who cannot speak. The story then jumps to the world war and the emergency period in Malaya - between 1948 and 1958, when war ended and fight for independency was ongoing. This was the time of Mary's marriage with Rajan, Francesca's birth and further more tragedies surrounding Anil and Rajan, with Mary emerging strong but emotionally affected, the reverberations appears have been passed onto Durga as well.
Pleasant and readable.
sally_ann_t's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
booksbecreads's review against another edition
3.0
"Table manners, like languages, rarely travel well"
Worth reading for the historical context
Worth reading for the historical context