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bowbeforeloki's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
This book was so emotionally driven. I couldn't put it down but it broke my heart
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Gore, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Addiction, Classism, Mental illness, Racism, Trafficking, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Medical content, Rape, War, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
heatherd's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.25
I was really impressed with this novel and almost couldn't believe it was a debut. The characters are richly drawn and nuanced, and the focus on four separate characters in the same family, all experiencing the war in different ways, really gives the reader a feel for just how destructive and devastating this part of history was for the people of Malaysia. Trigger warnings are everywhere in this book, there is SO much difficult and depressing content, but it's worth the pain if you can get through it. At its core is a historical story that I haven't seen yet in fiction, with a family that you just want to root for, despite some awful decision making and heart-wrenching outcomes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
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