Reviews

Poetic, dark, unapologetic. Diop’s writing style is repetitive but it adds to the torture that Alfa is experiencing and helps the reader to experience Alfa’s grief. This book gives a glimpse into Senegalese men fighting for the French in WWI and the dehumanising effects of war on young men ripped from their homes in the prime of their lives. I would recommend reading this book in one sitting so you can really settle into the feelings the author is evoking in the reader.

tillybh's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-paced

4.0

rammy's review

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challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.5

This book was disturbing in so many ways, and at times felt outright unpleasant to read - David Diop has a deeply fascinating way of writing and storytelling. This book challenged me, upset me, and disgusted me. Definitely NOT a relaxing read, but a very interesting and well-written one.
The book is very graphic with detailed descriptions, and the amount of them could sometimes feel a bit unneccessary.

oz2021's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

_lexie_'s review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

livfin's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

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