Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

115 reviews

schnaucl's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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

4.5

This was a well told story about a woman whose husband left her but the village thinks she murdered him. Consequently she's been socially isolated.  But then women trapped in their own abusive marriages come to her for advice on getting rid of their husbands.  

The characters were compelling and the setting vivid.   

Shroff does a good job of showing how abusers work, systematically isolating people from their support network. 

And how easy it is to fall back into old patterns without realizing it.  She also does a good job showing how things can be self reinforcing.   Geeta is socially isolated by the villagers at first but reinforces it herself in later years.  Patterns of all kinds are hard to break.

I could have done without the focus on a Solani's weight at the beginning and throughout though.

She also does a good job showing that when people want to play savior, the consequences of trying to change the system often fall on the very people they're trying to save.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, Misogyny, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Rape, and Religious bigotry

tashtasher's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Death, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Alcohol, Infertility, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Classism, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Cancer, Excrement, Vomit, Miscarriage, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

hath's review against another edition

dark funny informative reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

Wow. This book is punchy, dramatic and funny! I've never read so fast. The exploration of female friendships and feminine issues made this book rich while its humour made it balanced. Amazing read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Sexism, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, and Racism

Minor: Gun violence and Animal cruelty

selenatothemax's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny inspiring medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia and Child abuse

itsradsmads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Classism, and Gun violence

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense 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

4.25

This book is a great dark comedy. If anything, I wanted even more chapters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

There is evidence of all of these triggers but essentially all of it gets avenged or is discussed regarding how unfair it is. No characters performing these triggers fully gets away with anything. That said, our core group of characters also do plenty of awful things. It’s a dark comedy with murders. Brace yourself.

ladykatka's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I hope I can be half as sassy as these women if my life is ever threatened.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape

yuyuv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infertility, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense medium-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

5.0

this book was just downright fun. despite the heavy topics (check content warnings!!!), this book is full of interesting characters and humor. i very rarely find a book that is just a really good time so this was such a good find! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Physical abuse, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Violence

kers_tin's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Rape, Police brutality, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Ableism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, and Pedophilia