Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

76 reviews

colorstream's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Colonisation

Minor: Child death

ashar_allaire's review against another edition

challenging informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is stunning writing. The more I think about this book the more my rating goes up. We follow a deeply unsympathetic man to his eventual undoing, which should feel deserved but that clean cut ending, that want to think each person is solely responsible for their own destruction, that this would not have happened if not for his own actions and unwavering ego, is ripped away by the pure evil that brought about that undoing. This happened to everyone regardless of how they lived their lives, it could not have been prevented so it can't feel deserved. You are left in deep mourning for all the characters surrounding him, instead of feeling justice for them. You feel the tragedy of all those he hurt happen along with him. There's triumph in most stories when the person who caused those around him pain is "defeated," but these characters are not safer or happier now in any way. They get the same, if not a worse fate. Nothing about this is fair. You feel the loss of control. You feel the fear of destruction. The loss of family. I do feel the author set up themes that were left largely unexplored, especially when it comes to sexism, which got briefly touched upon and then abandoned. I find myself wanting more, which is what keeps this from being a 5 star, but damn, incredible book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Slavery, Suicide, and War

lukereads17's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Gore, Suicide, and War

There is a description of the mutilation of a dead infant. It’s short, but it took me by surprise and was disturbing.

doiread's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Colonisation

Moderate: Suicide, Xenophobia, and Murder

bites_of_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

Things Fall Apart is fiction but truly read like nonfiction at times, in a good way. I felt like all the characters were real and that made me feel even more for them as the story went on. Okonkwo is a complex character, a strong-willed man, proud of his heritage, and willing to do anything to protect all he cares about. The ending saddened me deeply, I have no words for that but I will say that it will stay with me for a long time.

I highly recommend, do take care and check content warnings though, not an easy read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

antidietleah's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation

albearcamus's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Okonkwo is an agressive, toxic masculine character that seeks wealth, fame and to prove himself through aggression. The narrator, potentially through Okonkwo’s perspective, is incredibly sexist and misogynistic. A man who is effeminate is worthy of being outcast from the village.
Written in 1957, I found it surprising how misogynistic it was. 
I expected a book on the coming and the horrors of colonialism, but that doesn’t really happen.

The white man only really comes in the last ~50 pages and the oppression of colonialism isn’t really examined or discussed.

Interesting tales of Nigerian life and customs. But ultimately very disappointed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Child death and Violence

Minor: Suicide

ale_roselyn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, and Colonisation

achi1's review against another edition

dark inspiring medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The book started a bit slow but I started to really enjoy it halfway through. Very interesting plot that reads like oral history from an elder. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Suicide, Violence, and War

clare072's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail