Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

2 reviews

yuyuv's review

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

kantrim's review

challenging dark emotional slow-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

2.5

2.5 stars

Welcome to a small Indian village, where women are worthless and men are pigs. 

Meet Geeta — an outcast, and freedom fighter. Presumed to have “disposed” of her rotten husband, Geeta isn’t the villages prized pony. Until she is cohered into helping murder not one but TWO other husbands by scared wives. Don’t get me wrong — these men are absolutely terrible. One is a horrible drunk, another is a rapist but this story was nothing like I imagined. 

This is a very slow burn and dives deep into Indian culture, casteism, and how truly worthless women are viewed in this time set of India. I think the author did a very good job of showing the hidden strengths of these women who are often beaten, raped, and even burned alive as described in this book. It has a great developing feminist tone and I appreciated watching the character growth as some of these women really began to add fuel to their own fire and discover their self worth.

The reason I rated this story so low is it truly was way too slow for me. The authors voice was also very confusing for me to follow and all of the deep layers that she began to make seemed to unravel. I especially did not like the ending at all. It seemed so rushed and just very out of character for the way this book was headed but not in a good way for me. 


This book definitely invoked emotion which I applaud the author for. I am not sure if this is meant to represent past or present day Indian culture but it definitely makes you think about how different women were and are viewed today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Rape