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thomasdj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, Police brutality, Excrement, Colonisation, and Murder
mirandahedvik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Death, Murder, Violence, Rape, War, Genocide, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, and Alcohol
Minor: Excrement, Infidelity, Death of parent, Classism, Vomit, Sexual content, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Infertility
florenceassetto'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Genocide, Animal death, Death, Grief, Rape, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Sexual violence, War, and Child death
Moderate: Blood and Colonisation
howardbatey'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Rape, Death of parent, Islamophobia, Murder, Child death, Genocide, Gun violence, and Death
fionafsw'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? Yes
5.0
There's not much more I can say about this powerful novel except that Adichie manages to weave humour throughout to help the reader get through the horrors of war and to present something so alien to readers like me who have had the dumb luck of knowing nothing but peacetime through an individual, human lens rather than statistics or political or military manoeuvres. And for readers like me who had no idea about Nigeria, her fantastic writing brought to life every smell, taste, and sensory input.
But where the book really excels, I think, is in describing tension between individuals in the most subtle way that still makes it obvious. Tension (sexual and otherwise) that you could cut with a knife, as if you were there, in the room, as the protagonist. As Richard might say, it's really quite fantastic.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Infidelity, Colonisation, Genocide, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Blood, Murder, Police brutality, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Classism and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
arayo'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
2.75
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, War, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Rape, Alcohol, Death, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Body horror, Infertility, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Blood, and Excrement
dianaale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Infertility, Rape, War, Genocide, and Alcoholism
danidanseuse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, War, Alcoholism, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
andeulea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
War is undeniably devastating, people in first-world countries (like me) may struggle to comprehend the impact on every individual affected by such atrocities. Adichie skillfully avoids confining characters into these "victim" stereotypes, portraying each one as uniquely human, with inherent flaws and individuality, both within and beyond the context of war. It prompted my reflection on the consciousness of every individual, highlighting shared dreams and desires.
Adichie also weaves three distinct narratives, each representing a unique perspective of the war and family – Olanna, Ugwu, and Richard. These perspectives collectively contribute to a rich and comprehensive portrayal of the war and its impact on their lives, families, and community.
I'm grateful to be exposed to narratives that we don't hear about in our history classes. Would recommend this if you're interested in historical fiction and curious about the Nigerian Civil War.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Blood, Violence, War, and Murder
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Genocide, Vomit, Sexual assault, Rape, War, Murder, Infidelity, and Infertility