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strugglecity'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
3.75
Graphic: War, Genocide, and Body horror
Moderate: Homophobia, Colonisation, and Violence
Minor: Torture, Police brutality, and Suicide
fivefeather'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Sexual content, Death, Hate crime, Police brutality, War, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Confinement, and Genocide
Minor: Car accident, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Drug use, Animal death, and Death of parent
allisonz6's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Violence, War, Murder, Suicide, Genocide, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Animal death, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Suicide attempt
regans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Death, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Child death, War, Genocide, Gore, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture, Drug use, and Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism
rosalind'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
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Murder, and War
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Child death, Colonisation, Grief, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Minor: Lesbophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Blood, and Genocide
margardenlady'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Sexual violence, and Genocide
dr_acula'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
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Homophobia, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Genocide, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Drug use, and Alcohol
sydneyrose18'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
4.0
Graphic: War, Suicide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Drug use, Genocide, Murder, Grief, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, and Colonisation
bluedijon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Gun violence, War, Blood, Homophobia, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Classism, Murder, Death, and Genocide
mybluebookshelf'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
4.0
We must all find pointless causes to live for, or why bother with breath?
Sri Lankan war photographer and playboy Maali Almeida wakes up dead. He doesn't remember how or where he died, but he does remember that he left behind a box of his photographs that can change the world. As a ghost, Maali resolves to find a way to publish the photos with the help of his lover and his best friend, over the course of his allotted seven days before crossing into the Light.
I picked this book because I wanted something different, and indeed it is something different. Is historical magical realism a thing? If so, this is it. I admit that I was confused for most of the book, though most of that is due to my lack of knowledge about this aspect of history. But regardless of my ignorance of the atrocities, events, and major players of the Sri Lankan civil war, I was sucked into Maali's story and the fate of both his photographs and his friends. The overall tone of the book is despairing and nihilistic, and yet there are beautiful moments too.
I do recommend this book if it sounds intriguing to you, but I recommend taking a few minutes to skim the Wikipedia entry on the Sri Lankan civil war first.
Graphic: Genocide, Kidnapping, War, Murder, Animal death, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Suicide