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clarisreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Gore, Sexual assault, Murder, and Rape
Lots of beastialitypassionyoungwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
My favorite character has to be the three hundred year old witch. Why? Because she would stop at nothing to find this boy. But, as with everyone else - she must have her secrets as well. Secrets that aren’t shared in this book. But, book 2 of the trilogy is hers.
🐺
This book has many topics, situations, and things that occur that I know many people wouldn’t want to read. However, it gives the story a push forward - a way to understand even the characters that aren’t the main focus.
With this being a fantasy, with African Mythology mixed within, I’d say this was a wonderful experience. It shows how power is limited, how truths are stretched,and excessive ambitions. Have I read anything like it before? No. But, I have read another novel by this author and it didn’t disappoint either.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Self harm, Animal death, Violence, Rape, and Murder
capybara5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, Gore, Death, Murder, Torture, Sexual violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Misogyny
bremblebee's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, Murder, Gore, and Rape
qog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Gore, Rape, Child abuse, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Torture, and Sexual content
mielenmaisemia's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Rape, Torture, Death, Gore, Child death, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
haddy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Having said that I have SO MANY feelings about how it ended !!?!?!
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gore, Rape, Misogyny, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
sapphire_mayo's review against another edition
Graphic: Excrement, Sexual content, Gore, Murder, Body horror, and Blood
emilyandthewhippet's review
Very graphic sex, murder, abuse and more. Not recommended.
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death, and Murder
magehydrate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Marlon James is clearly a talented writer, and also seemed to have done a lot of research into African (I believe specifically west african? could be wrong) legends and myths, but still this book was at times nearly impassable. Every type of extreme sexual violence is written about in great detail, including pedophelia, beastiality, sexual torture. The list goes on—I’ve actually seen a list going around of all the “triggers” in this book. The main characters are all foul people, even in the depths of their love or flaws, they reek. Tracker, the teller of the tale, may to be blame for that, for he is a man overcome with anger and nothingness and everything is through his eyes. Even when a violent act is not being done, the characters never have kind things to say, and often their dialogue is a threat, typically sexual in nature. Aside from the sheer amount of violence, James tries too hard to make the plot complex, and loses the thread for most of the book. What could have been a cool search party journey turns into something at times totally illegible because he’s trying so hard? The dialogue is almost exclusively nonsensical riddles, which at first is sort of engaging and requires close reading, but eventually one realizes that the riddles are not opening doors to greater meaning, but rather putting off meaning entirely. (Which might actually be on purpose? So much of the book is about stories and lies, the absence and construction of truth and story. What would a character who is without any meaning at all think of meaning?)Somehow, despite all that…I read the whole thing and was drawn into the world which was huge and imaginative. The monsters are interesting, and so are the enchantments and magics, though they’re all cruel and disgusting (but shouldn’t magic be kind of unpleasant??)and I did find myself invested. It is hard to say what kind of development happens for the characters—for instance , Tracker hates women and that is brought to his attention almost 80% of the way thru the book, but the resolution is two vague sentences about finally seeing his mom again and crying at her feet. In fact it makes one wonder if James himself hates women, because he does address how little choice and mobility women have, even in this fictional non western fantasy realm, but there isn’t a single woman in the book who isn’t conniving, selfish and evil… But again, Tracker sort of admits at the beginning of the book that he might be lying, and we are reminded that this entire tale is through his lens. Man. this is a crazy book. There is so much to say about it and I know I will be thinking about it for a long time. Not sure if I will read the others in this series. Might write another review after some time, when I’ve had more time to think about it.
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Rape, Trafficking, Transphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Excrement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture