Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

232 reviews

jesslinkletter's review against another edition

dark funny medium-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

3.75

A group of murdering wives getting revenge on the injustices they face from men will always catch my attention. I didn't love most of the main characters, and found the casual inclusion of so much abuse a little jarring, but overall enjoyed most of this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

jtpgdavey's review against another edition

dark funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Grief

rashmig's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• 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

First and foremost, what struck me was the way it captures the complexity of female friendships. Geeta and Saloni, our central characters, have a childhood friendship that’s evolved into something different in adulthood. This dynamic is intriguingly contrasted with Geeta’s relationships with her other women friends, like Farah, Priya, Preeti, and Khushi. The vulnerability that Geeta can share with Saloni is unique and heartwarming, but she fulfills other needs with her adult friendships that bring their own special qualities.

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!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Alcohol

lela's review against another edition

funny hopeful mysterious fast-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

Despite some of the dark topics this book touched on it was actually a really fun read. A little corny at times but it was funny with twists and turns and heartfelt and serious when it needed to be. I had a great time reading it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Pedophilia

kirstinlwx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, and Classism

foxreadsbooks's review against another edition

slow-paced

4.0

While this one too me a while to get into, Geeta and her loan group eventually had me hooked. While this does deal with serious subject matter, especially domestic violence, there is a dark humour underlying the novel. There were a few sections I needed less of, and places I wanted more, like how everyone else’s stories wrap up. 
Please check trigger warnings before you read this. Also, Bandit is ok at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Domestic abuse

bugaboobear's review against another edition

dark funny 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

4.5

I loved the interactions between the women and the way the relationships were portrayed. No one was perfect, they were all flawed and interesting. The story was interesting, but less so than the setting and characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

planreadrepeat's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective 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? Yes

4.5

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the first part of the book. It was a little slow but also reflective. Geeta isolated herself and it wasn’t until the group started uniting that it became more interesting. Hard to review without spoilers but it had lots of twists and many parts of humor even though it touched on some very heavy topics that impact India. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder

Minor: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, and Islamophobia

ynit_g's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

For what it's worth this is a pretty good book for me. Its heavy as the trigger warnings will tell you but I don't think the topics were handled disrespectfully.
There's also a lot of twists in the book which is what eventually got me hooked as I was hesitant to continue reading at first.
Not related to the book itself but also not unrelated I am going to look how accurate people feel at the representation of India and all of that throughout the book so I'm interested in doing that dive after reading this book and how that may change how I see it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, and Rape