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bookwormcat'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? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Body shaming, Cancer, Bullying, Abandonment, Grief, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
amarreth'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
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage, War, Infertility, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Infidelity
The racism is mostly colorism, but that is not a tag. Additionally, the kidnapping is actually abduction of an adult minor character.amberinpieces'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
4.5
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Medical content, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, War, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Car accident, Body shaming, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Bullying, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Blood, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
wordsofclover'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? No
3.5
I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator did a beautiful job bringing the many Uganda folklore tales to life with her words, and in terms of a lyrical, lovely book to listen to, this was certainly the one. I will say I think it took me a while to understand where we were going at first because there was so much talk about Kirabo's 'second self' I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to go down some kind of magical realism route or stay strictly historical fiction.
I enjoyed the middle part of the book a lot as Kirabo grows a bit older and goes to the city to live with her father and his family, and onward to school where she is protected from the Uganda–Tanzania War that happens during this time.
The emphasis on what it means to be a woman in this book from a woman with sexual needs and looks that can bring men to her feet but also as a sister, daughter and friend is explored thoroughly and we see that Kirabo also has a slightly unusual upbringing in many ways as her father and grandfather are very proud to educate her fully and want her to succeed in a third-level education and career rather than becoming a homemaker. I loved Kirabo's relationship with her grandfather which was very sweet.
There were some elements to the story that felt a bit unfinished or not explored enough for me - Kirabo's feelings about her absentee mother is something that is very big at the start, disappears in the middle and comes back in a not so nice way at the end and the way this all worked out was kind of sad to read. I think there were strong themes in this book and I loved learning more about Ugandan culture, history and politics but there were parts of Kirabo's story that I just wanted more on - her friendships and school life more so than her relationship with a local boy for example.
I did like the author's way of writing though, and I think I will eventually read her other book which I think is a kind of companion novel to this one (or vice versa).
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, and War
mikaclapson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Colonisation, Body shaming, Miscarriage, War, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
zara89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Infidelity, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Minor: Infertility and War
my_plant_library'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
4.75
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infidelity and Miscarriage
Minor: Rape
hayleyholliday's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent and Miscarriage
swansea_casserole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Minor: Abortion, Cancer, Car accident, and Miscarriage
achingallover'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
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Racism, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, War, and Violence