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solaria's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Child abuse, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Bullying
nordstina's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
After reading Nicole Dennis-Benn's more recent book Patsy, I wanted to go back and read her debut novel, and this one was not an easy read due to its subject matter and characters' actions. We first meet Margot, a woman in her 30's who works at a hotel which caters to mostly tourists in Jamaica. She works hard, saving money towards her younger sister Thandi's private education. She still lives with Thandi and their mother Delores in a hard hit area of the island. Delores spends her time selling her wares for small amounts of money to tourists. Both Margot and Delores say they are working towards to Thandi's advancement. They expect her to behave well, get excellent test scores, and become a doctor. Meanwhile, while Thandi does well at school, her passion is art, and she also struggles with comparing her looks with other women on the island. The reader can sympathize with all three family members, and I was quite engaged with the book. As it progresses, more information about Delores' actions in the past, and Margot's ambition moving forward come to light, making each of them deeply unsympathetic in many ways. I found myself struggling as the novel came to a conclusion, but Dennis-Benn is a fantastic writer, building an immersive cast of characters in Jamaica. I look forward to her future work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse
carolinemwatson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcohol and Animal cruelty
cheesepuppy's review against another edition
4.5
Multigenerational
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Rape, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
doreneemi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Rape and Racism
ooo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Outing
onewoman_bookclub's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Rape
Moderate: Racism and Child abuse
abbie_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
The bright cover and jaunty title did not prepare me for the contents of this book (I’m not one for reading or remembering synopses). I think this is one of the saddest books I’ve ever read, with cycles of violence and self-hatred that never end, spurred on by misogyny and homophobia, not to mention greed. A devastating exploration of the tourism industry in Jamaica, alongside female queerness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.5
Here Comes the Sun was a fabulous read, but one that was full of flawed characters and really tough topics. Don’t let that jaunty cover fool you- there are trigger warnings aplenty in this book. It’s set in Jamaica and really shows the darker, sadder side of the country - poverty, homophobia, classism, prostitution and trafficking, corruption, sexual abuse, racism, colorism, and more. At its heart is Margot, her sister Thandi, their mother Delores, and the complicated threads which tie their family together. Delores makes a little money selling cheap trinkets to tourists. Margot works at the front desk of a tourist resort, but struggles to gain the promotion she deserves and has to resort to other means to gain the money they need to send Thandi to private school, to ensure she has a better future and can help raise the family out of poverty. Thandi meanwhile has no interest in becoming a doctor as her sister and mother wish; rather she wants to be an artist and spend time with the boy next door. The second half of this book was much heavier than the first as it became clear what the different women had suffered, but also the harm they did to others. It was really difficult not to judge, and I needed to remind myself to imagine the hurt and suffering which underpinned their actions. What I did feel free to judge was the tourism industry as a whole, they way it grew and made profits by effectively stealing land from the locals, offering them only low paid wages, and sometimes exploiting them in more horrific ways. It felt like the only sun in this book was in the title. The ending especially left me profoundly sad and hollow. Despite the terrible things she had done, the image of Margot surrounded by the material comforts she had long desired but estranged from all those she loved was a haunting one. And that surely is testament to the writing, which is outstanding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Racism
tuma's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault