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sophiesometimesreads'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
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Homophobia, and War
Moderate: Racial slurs, Murder, Car accident, Drug use, Death of parent, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Torture, Racism, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, and Sexual content
sorcha's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Murder, War, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Kidnapping, Torture, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Minor: Suicide, Addiction, Car accident, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, and Death of parent
aristarcodisamo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Death, Child death, Gore, Violence, Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, War, Child abuse, Torture, Car accident, Death of parent, Homophobia, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Classism, Colonisation, Animal death, Kidnapping, Grief, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Cursing, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cancer, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Addiction
rieviolet'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
4.5
I quite enjoyed the writing style and the elements of magical realism. The narrative was challenging and even brutal at times, but very much captivating.
I have to admit that I generally struggle with unlikeable characters (especially if they are the main characters) but this is a rare case in which I actually appreciated all of these flawed and at times even unpleasant people, they felt very real and well-rounded in their portrayal.
I also liked that the story is deeply grounded in Sri Lankan history but the narration is not weighed down with long-winded explanatory paragraphs (which I really do not like in fiction as they stand out too much and interrupt the narrative flow), the reader has to pick up pieces of historical information as the narration progresses and/or do further reasearch by themself.
I also want to mention that the final revelation of Maali's fate left me completely stunned, I was speechless, floored, I still cannot believe it, it was truly a plot twist that I did not see coming and it landed like a punch to the stomach.
Some episodes/sections left me a bit perplexed
Because, on reflection, once you have seen your own face and recognized the color of your eyes, tasted the air and smelled the soil, drunk from the purest fountains and the dirtiest wells, that is the kindest thing you can say abut life. It's not nothing.
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, War, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Hate crime, Death, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Police brutality, and Suicide
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Classism, Child death, Infidelity, Blood, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Confinement, Colonisation, Drug use, Alcohol, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Excrement, Abandonment, Abortion, Outing, Fatphobia, Slavery, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Rape, Car accident, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Cancer
knhall14'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
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Grief, War, Torture, Kidnapping, Suicide, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident and Child death
Minor: Drug use and Cancer