Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

64 reviews

kshy's review against another edition

dark informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Child death, Animal death, Physical abuse, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

bookish_bry's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was pretty dark in a lot of places often in a pretty casual ways. Okonkwo was not a very sympathetic character, but I think that actually served the message of the book well. Even though I wasn't a fan of the main character, I still sympathized with him in the end.

Even though this was a book very much concerned with the clash of cultures, I think that the generational divide between Okonkwo and his father and then Okonkwo and his son is something we see everywhere. Both Okonkwo's strengths and weaknesses were in direct reaction to his father's life and likewise Nwoye's were a result of Okonkwo's.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Slavery, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Suicide, War, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Torture, and Blood

mia_martini's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Suicide, Sexism, and Colonisation

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.25

I read this for a post-colonial literature class, and I'm glad I read it. It was refreshing to read this after reading Heart of Darkness. It's consumable in its vocabulary and narrative form. 
Split into three parts, Things Fall Apart tells the life story of Okonkwo. It starts with his rise of Okonkwo, from being the son of a disgraced, effeminate, untitled man to being one of the strongest and most respected me of Umuofia. Parts II and III track a the stagnation of that rising trajectory as the novel confronts the disgrace and stagnation of Okonkwo’s life and legacy, and finally the fall of Okonkwo in his inability to adapt to the changes brought about by colonial occupation. Telling the story of colonization as one of atrocities committed against a community working to preserve their heritage, Achebe inverts the false narrative often taught in Western schools about colonization as progress towards enlightenment. The characters are not always likable, but they portray a reality that has been suppressed by the dominant narrative for the better part of two centuries.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Gore, Suicide, Death, Violence, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Child death, and Colonisation

witchythey's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is an excellent narrative, beautifully woven. it tells the story of a man whose life is fueled by anger and power, but who is clearly tamping down some very tender emotions. his relationship with his daughter ezinma was one of my favorite dynamics in the book; the gender roles within their family are so interesting and complicated. achebe beautifully illustrates the village's rich cultural and religious traditions, as well as okonkwo's place within those systems. the book grapples with many serious topics and the elders often offer timeless wisdom. this was a very enjoyable and thought provoking read, if a bit dark

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicide, War, Racism, Violence, Child death, Colonisation, Gun violence, Infertility, and Murder

leahcatching's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, Death, Colonisation, and Miscarriage

izzyf16's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Child death

ajcanread's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Colonisation, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, and Hate crime

dank_pikachu's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Infertility, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Suicide, Sexism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, and Child abuse

alexandra_skl's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Really deep exploration of the impact of colonization. Heartbreaking but an important read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicide, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Sexism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Racism