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sarahna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I see why this was long-listed for the women's prize of fiction. It's a deeply unsettling story that's written in a shockingly direct way and towards the end it even felt like a horror novel. Was Tara suffering from dementia or did she do so to torment and control her daughter Antara even more? The ending felt somewhat unsatisfying by not revealing an answer and the mention of some bodily fluid on every other page was unsettling.
Still, this story can be analyzed and discussed pretty easily since everyone's a morally grey character and while I did feel with Antara for most of the story even she was unlikable at times. Mixed feelings but overall a read that makes you reflect.
Graphic: Child abuse, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming
tieganljohnston's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Colonisation, Dementia, Eating disorder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
ntvenessa's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Dementia, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Rape
travelsbypaper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
kayleyhyde's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Dementia, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Body shaming
Minor: Fatphobia
amyvl93's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Burnt Sugar is the story of the deeply dysfunctional relationship between the narrator Antara, an artist living with her Indian-American husband in Pune, India, and her mother Tara. Her childhood was spent following the whims of her mother and now that Tara is suffering from early stages of dementia, Antara must reckon on their relationship.
The novel slowly reveals the difficult relationship between the two women, culminating (...of course) in a conflict over the same man. As a reader, I don't think we're supposed to like either woman, but this unlikability made it difficult for me to want to reach for the book as I just didn't really want to spend more time with Antara - who extends her contempt from her mother, to her husband, her friends, and especially servants. There was a real lack of reflection from Antara on...anything through the book - she dismisses the idea of therapy as she was 'asked too many questions' and really this book seems to show the impact of trauma on just shutting down an ability to understand the impact of that trauma on a life.
However, there were times when Doshi's writing was really powerful. There were times when her use of bathos didn't really work (e.g. dropping in casually the smell of specific bodily functions), but other times it worked well to reveal, for instance, the abuse experienced within the asham and at boarding school. At it's best there were moments when the writing reminded me of The Yellow Wallpaper, I really liked the slightly nightmarish final tableau. The novel's setting also felt really well drawn (though some reviewers have said it doesn't feel accurate, so perhaps one to note).
I'm not sure this is one I'd recommend, outside of being for reasons of completeness for book prizes!
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
penelopereads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
The storytelling is good though and you name it - the author went there. The writing also stopped me in my tracks a few times.
Still, I don’t really know what to think. Is it really bad or really good? Someone please tell me where I should land.
Minor: Fatphobia, Excrement, Pedophilia, Vomit, Incest, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Racism, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
empresstree's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse