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luise96's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Police brutality
dicefinity's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Blabber-review
The metaphors were a bit too over themselves, i loved them nonetheless. I really want to rate it less for its unreadibility but the way it's told, i cant.
I loved the disjointed story telling as it fit the way i read the book, irregularly.
Ok so, this books is about loss, greif, trauma, caste and politics. All these themes are equally prominent throughout. The loss of seperation, the grief of things that could never be, the trauma that follows the fear, the touchable angry people and how a glimpse of communism.
Another big theme showing the need for feminism; how divorce is viewed, and a window into the lives of women leading lives across different castes and generations.
The twins being the main characters of the book do not show seperable personalities, infact none at all. Possible because of the way the story was told, it wasn't ever about the twins but the events surrounding them.
Rahel's emptiness in the beginning was the saddest intersection of generational and seperation trauma that i saw. Of how she just drifted into marriage and life lead her.
Baby kochama obviously the villian here, there's a view into her mind too, of how her biases, prejudices and her own friends griefs influence her.
Tw: incest
I didn't see a particular reason for it to happen, didn't seem needed. For as much sense as she tried to make of it in the plot it was an offputting detail.
The metaphors were a bit too over themselves, i loved them nonetheless. I really want to rate it less for its unreadibility but the way it's told, i cant.
I loved the disjointed story telling as it fit the way i read the book, irregularly.
Ok so, this books is about loss, greif, trauma, caste and politics. All these themes are equally prominent throughout. The loss of seperation, the grief of things that could never be, the trauma that follows the fear, the touchable angry people and how a glimpse of communism.
Another big theme showing the need for feminism; how divorce is viewed, and a window into the lives of women leading lives across different castes and generations.
The twins being the main characters of the book do not show seperable personalities, infact none at all. Possible because of the way the story was told, it wasn't ever about the twins but the events surrounding them.
Rahel's emptiness in the beginning was the saddest intersection of generational and seperation trauma that i saw. Of how she just drifted into marriage and life lead her.
Baby kochama obviously the villian here, there's a view into her mind too, of how her biases, prejudices and her own friends griefs influence her.
Tw: incest
I didn't see a particular reason for it to happen, didn't seem needed. For as much sense as she tried to make of it in the plot it was an offputting detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Incest
alexanderh's review against another edition
It was honestly too triggering…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.75
A mesmerizing and distressing work, with a plot which nearly gives away its ending at the start but then reverses its way through a labyrinth of relationships and childhood impressions to reveal itself at last. Just a remarkable telling, with adversaries who are broken and real, silent personal histories which work themselves too powerfully, and the delusions we all share about ourselves and our potentials.
While Roy's early work has its occasional missteps (an awkward metaphor or seeming senseless aside rarely), her weaving of the smallest innocence (for instance, a refrain from Popeye the Sailor) into a more tragic signaling slowly trains readers to understand the nuances of perception working upon the tragic events which unfold. I have seldom read anything quite so unique and powerful in its originality.
While Roy's early work has its occasional missteps (an awkward metaphor or seeming senseless aside rarely), her weaving of the smallest innocence (for instance, a refrain from Popeye the Sailor) into a more tragic signaling slowly trains readers to understand the nuances of perception working upon the tragic events which unfold. I have seldom read anything quite so unique and powerful in its originality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Incest, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse
ireeeeeene's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Incest, Vomit, and Death of parent
moosash's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
- loved the pacing of this, first and foremost. it shifts to anecdotes from the past and present; the weight of these juxtapositions (among many others) or contexts will get heavier as the story and their milieu unravels.
- let me also just mention the metaphors... THE METAPHORS... personally, this book holds some of the most visceral images that it's crazy how it attempts to translate familiar, abstract feelings and thoughts into concrete Small Things we can hold in our palms. the abstract seemingly materialize as flesh-and-blood characters/apparitions in the book that hold physical weight, and loom with effect and purpose over the ayemenem household, and in the other spaces they occupy.
- the characters (in this case, the family members) were also relatable in a way, or at least represent a part of the human psyche or family dynamic that we most likely possess/are familiar with, but often sweep under the rug.
Ammu, their mother, described as possessing "the infinite tenderness of motherhood and the reckless rage of a suicide bomber"; the Unspoken Love Laws that lay down "who should be loved and how. And how much" + the pain and pleasure that comes with that rebellion; the heavy feeling of doom that lingers in the air after a young child unknowingly sprinkles salt in the wound of an adult, the feeling of being "loved a little less"; the small envy towards a cousin/family member that seems to be "Loved From The Very Beginning"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Grief, and Sexual harassment
alicerebekah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Sexual assault
jordan21's review against another edition
This was a weird, chaotic sometimes graphic book that just couldn’t grab my interest. It was a chore to read even 70 pages, and life is too short to spend on unenjoyable stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual harassment
md3732's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
in general i really liked this book! the pacing and mystery really worked for me. i was not a big fan of the incest plotline at the ending bc i felt like it cheapened estha and rahel's relationship/reduced their intimacy to the sexual...but i also think they were aware of that and that was a part of the sadness of the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Vomit
cheyneflynn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It was beautiful but sometimes I got lost in it. The writing style was great and it’s unlike any plot I’ve read. However it’s essence did resemble The Idiot, I’m still trying to grasp onto that nature of storytelling. I would reread, I think if I could sit with it for longer than the period I was given (ticking of my uni booklist) the rating would be higher. Parts of it made me sick, check the warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Classism