Scan barcode
lauraportalupi's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
This reminds me of why I’d rather read books by women. After finishing the book and feeling disappointed, I looked for reviews and analyses that would help me see what I had missed in my own reading. The positive reviews I read in the NYT and The Guardian didn’t change my perspective, just confused me.
I felt nothing but disgust for the main character, who it seems the author is trying to compel readers to feel empathy for. He is just another man behaving badly.
The last chapter was disjointed and simplistic.
I felt nothing but disgust for the main character, who it seems the author is trying to compel readers to feel empathy for. He is just another man behaving badly.
The last chapter was disjointed and simplistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Sexual assault
anseq's review
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual assault, and Colonisation
mt_gilley's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A beguiling, evocative book from the author of At Night All Blood is Black. The story is wrapped in a few layers, and takes a while to come into focus, but when it does it has a feverish sensuality, and a horrible sense of inevitability. It impressively feels like it finds a unique perspective on colonialism in 18th century Africa, and cleverly sites it in a story that is otherwise romantic and epic - power corrupts all relationships, it kills hope and promise, and rots even those who benefit from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Sexism
bjmcinnarney's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Incest
More...