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ppratz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lsparrow's review against another edition
2.0
I was just on the edge of liking/sympathizing or even being interested in many of the characters but never got there. A story of the connections, coincidences and circular nature of life which for me felt a bit flat. The politics and culture that fuelled so much of the plot felt 2 dimensional.
spacebee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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
mbeuley's review against another edition
3.0
Good storyline, but presented in a rather clunky arrangement. Waited patiently for everything to come full circle, but instead the ending felt very rushed.
jonpaczkowski's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.5
dale_in_va's review against another edition
3.0
I found the story interesting, but I had a tough time relating to the characters or really feeling empathy for them. The story was a little difficult to follow, bit again, fascinating premise.
elizasut's review against another edition
4.0
Sad and fascinating
This book delves into the effects of a small bomb in a market in India and it ripples outward. The best drawn character is the bomb (bombs).
This book delves into the effects of a small bomb in a market in India and it ripples outward. The best drawn character is the bomb (bombs).
dcliz's review against another edition
4.0
Another novel where I enjoyed the bulk of the story more than the final chapters. For the most part, I thought it was well-crafted, examining the reactions of different people connected to the bombing from their own perspectives (the parents of two brothers who had been killed, the brother's friend who had been injured, the bomber himself, an activist working for the rights of the people accused and imprisoned for the bombing).
I'm not sure how successful the author was in portraying the radicalization of one of the characters. Something to discuss at book club!
The final part of the novel describes the outcomes of the characters' lives, and I found this part to be unsatisfying. It's ironic, because usually I prefer novels with unambiguous endings, but in this case we learns the fates of all of the characters, and it fell flat for me.
I suspect this may have been the author's intent: there is no satisfying resolution. People will be driven to commit acts of terror, and people will be victimized, lives shattered on both sides, but nothing will change.
I'm not sure how successful the author was in portraying the radicalization of one of the characters. Something to discuss at book club!
The final part of the novel describes the outcomes of the characters' lives, and I found this part to be unsatisfying. It's ironic, because usually I prefer novels with unambiguous endings, but in this case we learns the fates of all of the characters, and it fell flat for me.
I suspect this may have been the author's intent: there is no satisfying resolution. People will be driven to commit acts of terror, and people will be victimized, lives shattered on both sides, but nothing will change.
growe16's review against another edition
1.75
Once again, read it for a class and found it incredibly depressing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death