Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Banyan Moon by Thao Thai

22 reviews

siobhanward's review

emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

I love a multi-generational family drama and Thai created a beautiful narrative in this book. I really enjoyed the interactions between Ann and Huo'ng, and Minh's reflections. The book was definitely heartbreaking but I loved it anyway. None of the sadness was superfluous, but it felt honest. I definitely wish that Thai had leaned more into Banyan House as a setting, as it felt like more of a background piece than the Gothic setting it could have been, but it was still a solid read nonetheless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Pregnancy

Moderate: Murder and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage

littlebluebike's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder

hi_its_micah's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Infidelity, Death, and Violence

Minor: Toxic relationship and War

jbro12's review

dark mysterious reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Moderate: War

tdesy20's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Minor: Murder

daniellel's review

emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Murder

annamay1021's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Racism

oceanwriter's review

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-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

3.75

I’m almost always up for a book centered on family drama. Banyan Moon brings this to the table with the extra layers of generational struggles and the differences brought on by being raised in different cultures. 

 

When Minh passes away, her daughter Huong and granddaughter Ann come together to mourn their losses. For Huong, her mourning feels doubled, envious of the good relationship Ann had with Minh that she could never achieve. For Ann, she’s also mourning the seemingly perfect life she’d built that began to grumble simultaneously. Together, Ann and Huong strive to mend their own complicated relationship all while uncovering long-kept secrets that had been hiding in Minh’s house all along. 

 

I found the book to be a slower pace than I like to read with my eyes. I think I would have gotten more out of it had I listened to the audiobook. Having already purchased the hardcover and long waits at the library I pushed through. Minh was definitely the most interesting part of the story for me. I also very much enjoyed the complicated relationships between the three women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Infertility, Murder, and Child abuse

mtnest's review

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Grief, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Violence

brynpemery's review

emotional reflective sad 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

3.25

A good debut, but it was a bit underwhelming. I felt like the characters’ lack of communication throughout was unrealistic and there only as a plot device. I also found most of the twists pretty predictable. It was compelling reading though, and I enjoyed the exploration of mother/daughter relationships and generational secrets

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

Minor: Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Infertility