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liamliayaum's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
elliez's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
This book gave me all the feels. Have tissues ready when you read this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Bullying, Infidelity, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Death, and Abortion
Moderate: Bullying and Mental illness
chloelj27's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
3.5
Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
What I like:
💜 The timeline from the 1990’s to the present.
💚 Representation of Ghana’s culture.
💜 Awareness of several important issues (mental health/postpartum, societal expectations, familial pressures, racism etc).
💚 Depth of the characters (especially Efe).
This book had me intrigued from reading the synopsis and it definitely kept me intrigued when reading it. It packed many sensitive and real topics in a powerful, emotional way that many people experience, but was interesting to see how those issues are handled within a different culture. I loved the highlighting key points with each year as a chapter, although at times it felt slow in places, so had to push through. Personally, the way the narrative was written, I wasn’t a fan and I didn’t always feel connected to the characters. This could have been resolved I think if less time was spent on flashbacks and more on the relationships and character developments. That being said, I still think Rootless is worth the read if you want a book that gets you to reflect on finding who you are as a person and pushing past familial and societal pressures.
Thank you Net Galley, Harper Collins and Krystle for accepting me as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Infidelity, Abortion, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Self harm
Minor: Vomit
mrsboomreads's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
2.0
I’m not sure I’ve ever DNF a book at 99% read.
I initially thought this was an impressive, and ambitious debut. There are so many interesting observations on marriage, cultural expectations, and the weight of expectations put on woman to be mothers, then on mothers to take on multiple roles often to loss of self.
I know that in life we do not always get happy endings but, this one felt particularly cruel. What had been an emotionally charged novel suddenly turned Grimm Fairy Tale, or perhaps a cautionary tale of what happens to women who do not bend to societal norms. It made my blood run cold and left me incredibly angry.
I initially thought this was an impressive, and ambitious debut. There are so many interesting observations on marriage, cultural expectations, and the weight of expectations put on woman to be mothers, then on mothers to take on multiple roles often to loss of self.
I know that in life we do not always get happy endings but, this one felt particularly cruel. What had been an emotionally charged novel suddenly turned Grimm Fairy Tale, or perhaps a cautionary tale of what happens to women who do not bend to societal norms. It made my blood run cold and left me incredibly angry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Bullying, Death, Abortion, Abandonment, and Mental illness
annie26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
A strong debut and a heartbreaking story that I will not forget in a hurry. What a painfully realistic portrayal of love and marriage and how families can come together and fall apart. I found this to be a really stark and necessary assessment of how marriage and motherhood are used to define a woman’s worth in African society. This was a tough read in a lot of ways but so addictive too. Such a strong debut!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, and Racism
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