Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Wahala by Nikki May

9 reviews

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

• 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

3.0

Simi daftly reconnects with her former childhood best friend–her alobam–and brings her into the fold. It was obvious from the beginning that Isobel was a weirdo and that a friend group established from being mixed race was already a shaky foundation, so the chaos she cooked up was light work. The way Boo & Simi downrated Ronke was infuriating, because she was truly the most likeable character. She was the only one satisfied with her life but suffered the most. I liked the first half of the book, but the plot got more unbelievable as it went on. I didn’t like the ending at all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Racism, and Body shaming

Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Violence, Stalking, Domestic abuse, and Infertility

edhyndman's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Domestic abuse

lauraorourke's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

I like to go into my books knowing next to nothing, and that is what I did going into this one. I think it was the right choice. I didn't even know what genre it supposedly is in (and I'm glad I didn't). In fact, I still don't know what genre I would consider this to be, but I do know that it is a great book to read if you like Liane Moriarty: Contemporary literary fiction with complex characters and something insidious brewing below the surface. I started feeling similar vibes as soon as I felt something may be off in what seemed like an ordinary book about friendship drama.

This was a great debut and would make a great book club book. Beyond the surface-level story, I'd love to dive into the themes of racism and identity deeper in conversation.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Violence

christinabijou's review against another edition

challenging slow-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

This book took quite a lot of time to build up, but the twist at the end was good! I wish the author had spent a little less time building up the plot/drama, and paid more attention to the ending. The ending felt rushed and abrupt. 

Most of the main characters are unlikeable, oblivious, and childish. I can appreciate when authors develop a few unlikeable characters because—hey, that’s life. You won’t like everyone and not everyone is good intentioned—but good God. These women were insufferable at some points. At times, I was left wondering whether any of them were actually friends with one another considering how they talked to and treated each other (and their other family/friends). Oddly, the most redeemable character seemed to get the shortest stick at the end. 

However, I will credit the author for placing so much attention on the characters’ flaws. I was too busy ranting and raving over them to see the twist at the end coming. Maybe that was her plan all along, who knows. But +1 for the surprise. 

One final note—throughout the book, the women made a number of colorist, racist, and xenophobic comments that I wish the author would have addressed. The anti-Blackness was teeming from them in almost every chapter. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Murder

Minor: Domestic abuse

yolie's review

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

The book spends a lot of time building up the tension to this “tragic event” forboded in the synopsis and introduced early on into the book. However, when the incident occurs it is dealt with rather swiftly and makes the ending seem rushed and unsatisfactory.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Violence, Fatphobia, Racism, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Death, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship

jennikreads's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse

sarahbuckley's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

Ronke was easily the most lovable, and I struggled to sympathize much with Boo. I get that she was maybe depressed, or having a quarter-life crisis.

But in the end, it seemed like she didn’t really have to face much in terms of consequences. Like, things were just fine with Didier? Even though she was a pretty shit partner?

I just felt like Simi and Ronke were much more compelling as main characters!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Stalking

womanwill's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Stalking and Domestic abuse

cookreadrepeat's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad tense fast-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

4.5

Review to come. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abortion, Chronic illness, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, and Stalking