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fpcat99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Cannibalism, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Sexism, Toxic relationship, War, Animal death, Death, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Vomit
amsswim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You follow 4 daughters, their Mother, and Baptist Pastor Father deep into the Congo on their Fathers' mission to convert the people living there to Western Christianity. While the family goes through culture shock regarding that and their new realities, the country is self is trying to shed itself of Belgian colonialism. Despite it taking place in the 1960s, the story and the real world events occuring now still echo the exact same. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a more modern classic.
My favorite quote: "I found ... I had now wings ... I had lost my wings. Don't ask me how I gained them back, the story is too unbearable. I believed too long in false reassurances; believing as we all want to, when men speak of the national interests that it is also ours. In the end, my lot was cast with The Congo. Poor Congo; barefoot bride of men who took her jewels and promised the kingdom"
Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Ableism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Racism, Misogyny, Animal death, Colonisation, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, Genocide, and Medical content
navayiota's review against another edition
- 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
I frequently felt too dumb to truly a preciate this book. A masterclass in writing strong, unique characters realistically, characters who will stick with you as you move on from this book. And in my experience, a step by step guide to comprehend your complicity in the world's tragedies, and a game plan to process, move on, and do something about it. Reading this book made me truly see the forest for the first time in my life. I have yet to understand the extent of what I've learned. I look forward to finding out.
It also pains me to imagine the kind of grief author experienced to understand grief this well, and to be able to put it to words so efficiently. It pains me more to know that there are people in this world who have experienced suffering double, triple, quadruple the size of this and had nobody to write their story down. At the end of the day, I know how good my life is.
If I could only keep one piece of knowledge from this book, it would be that now, I have the choice to not take my life for granted anymore. I will always be grateful for that.
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, War, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Medical content, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Ableism, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Cancer
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, War, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Racism, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Child death, Gore, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Vomit, Cursing, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury
thebearnest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Colonisation, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Violence, Animal death, Child death, Ableism, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Murder
Minor: Infertility, Vomit, Cannibalism, Genocide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Torture
jessthanthree's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Child death, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Racism, Ableism, and Medical content
Minor: Genocide and Death of parent
sjanke2's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Ableism, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence