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joti's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Bloody hell. Absolutely not a light read. While I think it can easily be read in a few hours (pretty fast-paced style), I took a bit longer because I didn't always have the mental energy to take this book on. It goes from bad to awful to worse. I usually hate when stories are too negative, but the writing worked really well for the story here, and I actually appreciated the novel (I would say 'enjoyed' but the topics are not actually that enjoyable). It's mostly a personal narrative, with some background on the country during turbulent times.
aylart's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
Wow. That was one of the fastest and bleekest downward spirals ever.
I selected this book to represent Zambia in the read the world challenge. I learnt a little bit about the country, but mostly about the sad sad life of Chichi. I paid attention mostly to the story and less to the writing. It hink this demonstrates that, to me, the writing was good (it never bothered me), but not exceptional (didn't make me stop to marvel at the words and sentences). It is probably also because the story is so fast-paced and contains so much suffering, that I was fully immersed and forgot I was reading at times.
A fast but very dark read.
I selected this book to represent Zambia in the read the world challenge. I learnt a little bit about the country, but mostly about the sad sad life of Chichi. I paid attention mostly to the story and less to the writing. It hink this demonstrates that, to me, the writing was good (it never bothered me), but not exceptional (didn't make me stop to marvel at the words and sentences). It is probably also because the story is so fast-paced and contains so much suffering, that I was fully immersed and forgot I was reading at times.
A fast but very dark read.
laurae27's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
A difficult read, I don't think anyone who has read this book will look at street children in the same way evee again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
gracepelican's review
5.0
A novel about survival. Chimuka, the narrator, is robbed of her stable childhood when her father, then mother die, leaving her and her brother on the streets of Lusaka, Zambia after fleeing abusive relatives. Chimuka eventually turns to sex work to survive. Her circumstances are dire and heartbreaking. The end, though, is optimistic. Chimuka’s resilience breaks a cycle of death she had felt was inevitable. This is a brutal story, written with real heart and striking details.
aaliyahlol's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Addiction, Pedophilia, Rape, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abortion, Suicide, Violence, Misogyny, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcohol and Blood
mmefish's review against another edition
dark
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? No
2.0
This book is in desperate need of editing and better character development. Terrible things kept happening one after another, until all the possible value of writing them in was lost. I felt completely detached from the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Terminal illness, Blood, Animal death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Excrement, Abortion, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Child death, Suicide, Drug use, Grief, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism and Physical abuse
gracerooney's review
5.0
A novel about survival. Chimuka, the narrator, is robbed of her stable childhood when her father, then mother die, leaving her and her brother on the streets of Lusaka, Zambia after fleeing abusive relatives. Chimuka eventually turns to sex work to survive. Her circumstances are dire and heartbreaking. The end, though, is optimistic. Chimuka’s resilience breaks a cycle of death she had felt was inevitable. This is a brutal story, written with real heart and striking details.
audreylee's review against another edition
4.0
Illness, abandonment, betrayal, and hope. All of these are intricately wrought into a complex web of relationships and heartwrenching situations. This is a concise story but it will wring you dry.
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