Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

In Flammen by Megha Majumdar

10 reviews

dowleyrachel's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I was hoping that this would take a twist, or create a hero from an unexpected place. But it seems like it's supposed to read like a tragedy, where the desire to escape poverty and live a modern middle class lifestyle will cause all to blur lines of justice and remove themselves from accountability of the neighbor. Would be curious to know more about where the author drew inspiration from and the real life stories they are trying to echo.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Rape, Islamophobia, Murder, Police brutality, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Confinement

there's a moment where a group of people at a political rally form a mob and kill 3 daughters, rape their mother, and kill the father of a Muslim family over a supposed rumor that he butchered a cow. The scene was not long but the details were still very vivid.

nehaanna's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Xenophobia, Transphobia, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Classism, Police brutality, Racism, and Colonisation

kelseak96's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Islamophobia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Transphobia, Violence, Classism, and Confinement

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

challenging sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

This book touches on a lot of socio-political topics in India (and really could apply to many other places as well). I think overall a very well done book. There were some parts I felt slowed down the pace a little bit but the characters were interesting and waiting to find out how Jivan's trial will go kept the story going. A bit heartbreaking as well.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

skudiklier's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was deeply upsetting. Well-written, with some beautiful prose at times, but wow. My heart is heavy and angry and sad and frustrated. A really intricate and thoughtful tale of corruption. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Murder, Xenophobia, and Police brutality

Moderate: Sexual assault and Chronic illness

nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

Such a fast-paced read with an intense plot and captivating characters (Lovely was everything). The shifting of perspectives felt fresh and rewarding. The ending is something that will stick with me for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Islamophobia, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Xenophobia

Minor: Death

I wanted the ending to be hopeful, but as I got closer and closer to the end, I felt it couldn't be, and I was right. I really felt like Jivan had to die for the themes of injustice and political manipulation to really ring true.

emsavors's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

I want to be mad about the ending, but I also feel like I can’t be mad about the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Islamophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia

amandaclaire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.5

A Burning is a tense, fast-paced, and deeply political novel about three characters whose lives begin to impact one another after the wrongful imprisonment of a young, Muslim woman. This book was not at all what I was expecting it to be, but I found it to be an interesting approach to examine how people use tragedy for their own ascension to power. I do wish there was a more human connection made between the characters, particularly between Jivan and her mother, as they sometimes felt like political chess pieces moving across a board. I really enjoyed Lovely's chapters — she was a lively, engaging, fresh voice that added some much needed levity between heavier chapters. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Death, Rape, Medical trauma, and Xenophobia

princess_oatmilk's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia

sarah984's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

5.0

This was a tough read (and I can't really say I "enjoyed" it in the traditional sense) but it was timely and well-written. Each character’s perspective feels unique and alive, and their actions are believable even when they're terrible. I felt like the demonstration of a person being seduced into doing increasingly awful things on behalf of a right-wing political party was realistic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Medical content, Murder, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child death, Excrement, Fatphobia, Police brutality, Racism, and Rape

Minor: Suicide

There is a description of a terrorist attack on a train.

A character is executed by hanging.