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rashmig's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Now, let’s talk about the women in this story and their independent working lives. The book beautifully portrays the way they navigate their careers, sharing experiences and providing support. What’s even more striking is how it delves into the shared traumatic experiences these women endure. The author’s writing truly hits home when it showcases these experiences as an unfortunate reality, highlighting societal issues like acid attacks, domestic abuse, and gender power imbalances.
I also want to mention the heartwarming snippets of the bond between Geeta and Bandit, her dog. Their relationship adds depth and warmth to the story, with Geeta being fiercely protective of her furry companion.
Throughout the novel, we see these women striving to live their lives on their own terms, but they face numerous challenges imposed by society or their circumstances. Geeta’s experience as a single woman with a complicated marital past and Saloni’s juggling act between family, work, and a seat in the village’s senate are just a few examples. The way they support each other through these struggles is a testament to the strength of female bonds.
Now, let’s touch on the theme of male entitlement and the prevalence of abusive behavior. The book doesn’t shy away from portraying the harsh reality that many women face, where most men are perpetrators of emotional, physical, mental, and sexual abuse. However, the story also highlights a few exceptions like Kareem and Sarah, who treat women with respect and empathy.
The novel briefly delves into the issue of caste, which might feel a bit tangential at first, but it soon merges seamlessly with the broader theme of women’s issues, offering a layered perspective on societal challenges.
Despite the heavy themes, Parini Shroff manages to infuse humor into her storytelling, making the book a breeze to read. I found myself chuckling in various places, and the climax of the novel even features some dark comedy at its finest.
In conclusion, “Bandit Queens” is a thought-provoking and brilliantly written book that seamlessly weaves together themes of female friendship, independent working women, vulnerability, shared trauma, humor, and societal challenges. It’s an impressive debut work from Parini Shroff that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking a compelling and impactful read. So, add it to your reading list—you won’t be disappointed!
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Alcohol
kirstinlwx'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cursing, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Blood, Gaslighting, and Classism
apple_atcha_reading's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, and Classism
danielle_sips_tea'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: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gun violence, and Suicide
runefactories's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Bullying
schnaucl's review
- 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
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.
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.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Rape, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
tashtasher's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Excrement, Vomit, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
wordlessthings's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
lucylou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
szraj16's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The only reason this was not a 5 for me was because I felt like I pieced together the many clues sprinkled in throughout a little more easily than I would’ve liked. It’s not that it was predictable, but maybe it’s just that a little too much was given away if you’re paying attention to the details, in a way that makes a couple moments later on a little less impactful and surprising.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Stories about India will always peak my interest and I’m so happy I read this one. Highly recommend for a murder/thriller book that touches on some really deep topics, and yet somehow stays fun and lighthearted.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Infertility
Minor: Animal cruelty and Religious bigotry