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dwellordream's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
clara_k's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Racism
Minor: Death
sha66areads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
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
3.75
I had no idea what to expect going into this book but so glad it was the book club’s pick for January. It was so different from the usual books I read. Much more dense and emotionally expressive in a deeeep, real human, way.
I had some trouble with the writing. Certain words being joined into one and I was also not used to reading a denser book. But! Overall I really enjoyed (maybe not the right word) this. Love the way Arundhati Roy tied things back together and how realistic the twins’ perspective was. All of them were so human with their flaws; no one was perfect.
Some favourite quotes:
“Chacko laid his ear against it and listened with wonder at the rumblings from within. Messages being sent from here to there. New organs getting used to each other. A new government setting up its systems. Organizing the division of labor, deciding who would do what”
“The twins were too young to know that these were only history’s henchmen. Sent to square the books and collect the dues from those who broke its laws. Impelled by feelings that were primal yet paradoxically wholly impersonal. Feelings of contempt born of inchoate, unacknowledged fear-civilization’s fear of nature, men’s fear of women, power’s fear of powerlessness.
Man’s subliminal urge to destroy what he could neither subdue nor deify.
Men’s Needs.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Incest
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Murder and Vomit
esmegrace's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
one of my new favourite books! the writing is just incredible, so evocative, poetic, visceral, beautiful whilst never being dense or inaccessible. i loved the complex and intricate changing of time period and shifts in perspective. the build-up that occurs throughout the novel is handled in a very unpredictable way but makes it incredibly readable. i will definitely return to this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child death
Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Incest, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Racism
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