Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo

19 reviews

olivialambert97's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

 Powerful and poetically written

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, War, and Rape

differentsisters's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

 I see what the author was trying to do. Once I got use to the inclusion of Zimbabwean dialect, the book was readable. What became tiring was the heavy heavy use of repetition (a whole page of just the word take). I could see why some uses of repetition was used, but it became tiresome and felt like an editor needed to cut at least a hundred pages of repetition. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, Classism, Blood, War, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Gore, and Colonisation

rhi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Police brutality, Gun violence, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Body horror, Animal death, Death, Violence, Colonisation, Sexism, Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Genocide

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Homophobia

qqjj's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, War, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Death, Grief, Rape, Genocide, and Colonisation

jayisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

3.75

I really enjoyed Bulawayo’s previous novel, We Need New Names, and had high expectations for Glory. She certainly delivered with unique storytelling (I actually read the book alongside the audiobook, which really made a difference) and interesting characters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as taken to the plot as I thought I would be, mostly due to pacing and repetitiveness. However, this book is clever, especially the way she expanded on George Orwell’s Animal Farm to satirize the Zimbabwean coup d’état in 2017, as well as to provide other commentary on other topics such as colonialism and racism. On that note, I wish I knew more about this to further appreciate what Bulawayo wrote, though I certainly could see elements of this book taking place in other oppressive countries. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, Genocide, Death, Rape, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: War, Racism, Homophobia, and Misogyny

Minor: Gore

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

 Like Animal Farm, Glory is an animal allegory, but based on recent political events in Zimbabwe, including the 2017 overthrow of Robert Mugabe and its aftermath. And while the comparisons are inevitable Glory makes it clear right from the start that it is not another Animal Farm. I’d say it is much richer and more immersive, and it’s animals are less animal like - no living in barns or interacting with farmers - but used in a metaphorical way.

Satire can be a bit hit and miss for me, but I was totally on board with this book. The skewering of corrupt, egotistical, self-serving political and religious leaders was spot on - although sadly it was hard to tell what was exaggeration, comedy, irony or farce and what was purely based on fact. However, this book doesn’t just highlight and poke fun at such behaviour but places it in its historical and international context - factors like colonialism and economic exploitation by foreign firms- and shows the very real cost to ordinary citizens who were the victims of state sanctioned beatings, murder and genocide, and whose standard of living was deliberately degraded so leaders could live lavishly. It also highlights resistance by the population and some of my favourite sections were snippets of overheard conversations from ordinary mals or social media exchanges. The role played by femals in confronting and resisting abuses of power and human rights violations, and the importance of international support were highlighted in this tale.

This is a distinctly Zimbabwean story, not only in the basis for its plot, but also in its language and style which I loved. The playfulness of some metaphors, the repetition of words and phrases - some for paragraphs at a time, others just regular refrains - added a sense of unity and power, as well as linking to an oral storytelling tradition. However you don’t need to have knowledge of Zimbabwe’s history to appreciate Glory, for it’s themes and messages, like political corruption itself, are universal.

An entertaining read with an important read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Colonisation, Police brutality, and Rape

hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, War, and Violence

kayschwe's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Cursing, Rape, Suicide, Gun violence, Violence, War, Racism, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, and Xenophobia