Scan barcode
embug's review against another edition
4.0
Okay. Here we go.
I adore the idea of this book. The justification of a murder by the mother, explaining what Apartheid has done to her son? Sign me up.
The adaptation is a solid 2 stars, if that.
First of all, this book was not about the son. That was absolutely falsely advertised. I probably would have liked it more had the back said something like, 'The mother of a murderer explains what Apartheid has done to the people around her through her own story' or something, but she didn't do any justifying. Her son was barely in this book. Which is fine, but then don't tell me it's about him.
Second of all, holy crap, had I not had to read this book for a class I'm taking, I would have DNF'd it. It was:
-slow-paced
-massively overwritten
and
-crying for an editor.
Why were there so many characters? Why was one side-plot eighteen pages long and another was mentioned on the side? Why, why, why?
I'm sorry, but if someone uses a whole paragraph to describe one's knees, I'm done.
Something that makes me sad is that for many in my class, this will the only connection with Apartheid that they make in their life, and the memory of it is boring. (That is not an assumption, I've had several people complain about it to me.)
Why the four-star rating? Because it had a good message, and I like the concept as well as the ending. I don't really know, it's probably closer to three stars if I think about it.
I adore the idea of this book. The justification of a murder by the mother, explaining what Apartheid has done to her son? Sign me up.
The adaptation is a solid 2 stars, if that.
First of all, this book was not about the son. That was absolutely falsely advertised. I probably would have liked it more had the back said something like, 'The mother of a murderer explains what Apartheid has done to the people around her through her own story' or something, but she didn't do any justifying. Her son was barely in this book. Which is fine, but then don't tell me it's about him.
Second of all, holy crap, had I not had to read this book for a class I'm taking, I would have DNF'd it. It was:
-slow-paced
-massively overwritten
and
-crying for an editor.
Why were there so many characters? Why was one side-plot eighteen pages long and another was mentioned on the side? Why, why, why?
I'm sorry, but if someone uses a whole paragraph to describe one's knees, I'm done.
Something that makes me sad is that for many in my class, this will the only connection with Apartheid that they make in their life, and the memory of it is boring. (That is not an assumption, I've had several people complain about it to me.)
Why the four-star rating? Because it had a good message, and I like the concept as well as the ending. I don't really know, it's probably closer to three stars if I think about it.
viridaalice's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
marla's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sadz1207's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
studyinghisword's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
internationalreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Grief, Child death, Murder, Pregnancy, Classism, Police brutality, Racism, and Violence
frankahilde's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.0
vangluss's review against another edition
3.0
An uncompromising "based on true events" novel that looks into the complex background of race relations at their absolute worst level of mutual antagonism, and the people caught between the cross fire. While the writing had its melodramatic moments or pacing issues, the emotional beats never skipped at all.
moon_grisha's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-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
appelmoes's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0