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urnee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, and Cannibalism
sabrinalefebvre's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
2.5 ⭐️
I dont recommend the audiobook, especially if you tend to zone out sometimes, The Center has a tendency to jump from one thing to another very quickly. I had a hard time keeping up. And when I finally thought we were getting somewhere with the ending, it ended abruptly, with little to no resolution.
All in all, I wanted a better ending and for The titular Center to have more of a presence in the story.
I dont recommend the audiobook, especially if you tend to zone out sometimes, The Center has a tendency to jump from one thing to another very quickly. I had a hard time keeping up. And when I finally thought we were getting somewhere with the ending, it ended abruptly, with little to no resolution.
All in all, I wanted a better ending and for The titular Center to have more of a presence in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Cannibalism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexism
karina19_'s review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
"Invite only" the part where she is driven out to the centre, the taxi cab driver really shared how difficult it is to be a minority in a country that constantly looks down on the color of your skin. I cried during those parts, they were so relatable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Racism
lizzym126's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Cannibalism, Body horror, Racial slurs, Death, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Confinement, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Gore, Medical content, Vomit, Sexual content, and Cultural appropriation
btaylorb's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this, it's incredibly dark and has a leisurely, lush tone that contrasts well with the sense of high tension every time the main character goes to The Center. As always in a good horror novel, this story uses those glimpses at the monster behind the curtain to shed light on things that are truly horrific: racism (particularly through the supremacy of the Western canon and Western European language), classism, and sexism. Meanwhile the body horror, when it's revealed is more subdued. There's also a really good red herring early on that I would occasionally remember throughout the story and then gradually forget about. I loved how flawed and earnest the main character is: She is by turns introspective and aware of her privilege as she delves into why she's so unhappy, but also often blind and uncaring toward other characters.
I thought the use of different languages throughout, in particular Urdu, the MC's first language, was really well executed. I listened to the audio version where the Urdu dialogue is read by the narrator, but as far as I can tell they're not always translated for the listener. Apparently, these sections are also not delineated by italics in the physical or ebook editions. I think this is such a clever way to create a sense of intimacy with the characters and reinforce some of what the book is exploring around language and communication. I don't feel at all like I lost anything by not understanding those few sections. In the final section of the audiobook, the author gives an interview where she talks about the idea that if you don't understand something, it might just not be meant for you, and that's okay - and this is sometimes a central point of the story.
Also noteworthy: There's one passage toward the end where a racial slur gets bleeped in the narration of the audio. I'm going to glance at the physical copy at my library, because I'm curious if it's similarly censored in some way in the text. I would love to know if this was an authorial choice or an editorial one for the audio edition; I'm hopeful it's the former because, given the premise, I think that's an interesting and powerful detail.
I thought the use of different languages throughout, in particular Urdu, the MC's first language, was really well executed. I listened to the audio version where the Urdu dialogue is read by the narrator, but as far as I can tell they're not always translated for the listener. Apparently, these sections are also not delineated by italics in the physical or ebook editions. I think this is such a clever way to create a sense of intimacy with the characters and reinforce some of what the book is exploring around language and communication. I don't feel at all like I lost anything by not understanding those few sections. In the final section of the audiobook, the author gives an interview where she talks about the idea that if you don't understand something, it might just not be meant for you, and that's okay - and this is sometimes a central point of the story.
Also noteworthy: There's one passage toward the end where a racial slur gets bleeped in the narration of the audio. I'm going to glance at the physical copy at my library, because I'm curious if it's similarly censored in some way in the text. I would love to know if this was an authorial choice or an editorial one for the audio edition; I'm hopeful it's the former because, given the premise, I think that's an interesting and powerful detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Body horror, Classism, Xenophobia, and Cannibalism
Minor: Islamophobia, Sexual content, Racial slurs, and Gore
jessy4550's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Grief, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Classism, Drug use, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol and Vomit
aileron's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Sexual assault
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Death and Animal death
melanieripple's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Classism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Death, and Islamophobia
Minor: Gore and Racial slurs
kt_jams's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
courtney_scott1025's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really enjoyed this book. I had it on hold for ever at the library, so I just bought it instead. As a debut, this was great! I enjoyed the writing, the interesting world of literary translation, of which I knew nothing. My only gripe is that, I wish the book would have gone more into Anisa translating these famous works. I wanted to see more of the workings of that. It was a huge feat for her, and we really didn't get to share in that reward I guess? We were just told she translated it and that it was a hit. I cannot wait for other novels by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Trafficking, Racism, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, and Classism