Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah

6 reviews

abbeyyyrosee's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

A well-written story with a unique perspective. Slow-paced with very few dramatic punches; simply, a story that recounts the lives of a few at a specific moment in time. Gurnah weaves together the often invisible stories of everyday individuals living through the horrors of war and colonialism. Individuals who were living under duress and yet still being expected to live their lives: go to work, celebrate new life, confront loss, find love. 

I believe Gurnah achieved the story he was wanting to tell; it was reflective and informational, and it demonstrated the lived experience and nuance of attitudes toward both the German and British colonizers. It makes me think about self and the morality of the individual and how it ties into our singular position in a living, breathing society that will persist with or without us. Societies built by many to benefit the few, and yet impact us all. Published in 2020, it seems to make an indirect comparison to the times we're living in now: many of us bystanders to the wars around the world and the hatred at home. A society rife with racism, homophobia, and all other forms of discrimination that we're expected to move through. It is difficult to live when you must first survive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Colonisation, Slavery, Child abuse, War, and Racism

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

Minor: Bullying

brotlord's review against another edition

emotional informative slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, War, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment, Cancer, and Pregnancy

nialiversuch's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Slavery, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Xenophobia

luananki's review

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

i‘m very torn on how to rate afterlives. the story was great, very interesting and i’m glad i picked it up as i learned a lot about german colonialism in east africa.

i just had a hard time getting into it due to the first half feeling a bit detached, emotionless and not very clear on where its going.

either way, it’s an impactful book with impactful characters and truly deserving of its nobel prize.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, and Grief

ladymirtazapine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, War, and Violence

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

4.0

 Afterlives is a very different book. It’s compelling look at the devastating impact of colonialism. In this case the area is modern day Tanzania, the colonial power is Germany and the focus is the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, especially World War I. The story centres on four main characters - Khalifa, Ilyas, Afiya and Hamza - and we witness their ordinary lives unfold in the context of extraordinary times.The racism, emotional and physical abuse and the utter contempt with which some Africans were treated was gut-wrenching, especially those who ended up fighting for the German army in a conflict that had nothing to do with them. Less obvious, but none the less impactful was the upheaval of traditional social structures. The story as well as the storytelling is compelling and the writing while understated is nevertheless impactful.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Racism