Reviews

Wow, my heart is heavy after reading this. Every page is absolutely compelling and painful. Too bad those who should be reading this book, how profits (fossil fuels ) rape the land and poison generations, probably won’t.

bigbookbaby's review against another edition

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4.0

this is a fictional story with extremely realistic parallels to ongoing colonization across Africa + the Middle East. at so many points, this book was gut wrenching, and i think the author did an exceptional job conveying the depth of the character's history, culture, community, and individual stories. this book seamlessly tackled many themes, thoughtfully weaving critique of capitalism, climate change, and white supremacy throughout the story. this is an important book and i am glad to have read it! two pieces that were challenging for me about this read. 1) it's long and slow paced with multiple narrators across multiple time + place settings. sometimes it was hard to follow and stay engaged. 2)

Thule being assaulted did not add anything to the plot and I don't like when authors include such violent realities without the proper care and contextualization.

alxanski's review against another edition

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dark hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

dreispatzenmachenpieps's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

paytonmckenna's review against another edition

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4.0

i found the multiple perspectives and nonlinear storytelling to work really well. they really created a sense of the village collectively piecing together and preserving its history. one thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is the inclusion of the ritual scene with thula. it feels gratuitous? the novel already communicates in other ways the gender dynamics between the five and her, and the consequences of the ritual never seem to serve a purpose in the rest of the narrative. overall, a devastating read.

moi_stephanie's review against another edition

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5.0

What a colorful picture this book is, telling a story through multiple eyes while time continues to pass. Could be a quick read because it's very dynamic, but you almost don't want it to be over.

Definitely the best book I've read this year.

neevregan's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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