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atuin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
I wish that instead of seeing Vivek/Nnembi from everyone's points of view, we got more from her inner world and how she felt in those final months. Especially with all the gender fluidity and sexual identity that could have been explored through her lens. My biggest complain is the incest like WHAT THE FUCK? they could have been childhood friends and that would have made this so much more enjoyable, but making them cousins... I hated every second of it. Also, why is everyone fucking everyone without their partners' knowing? WHY ARE YOU CHEATING AND SAYING YOU LOVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND???? I DONT GET IT.
After so much transphobic comments from his parents, I am glad that his mom accepted him, even though it was too late and her reactions at first hurt so much to read.
The grandma was my favourite character. She rules even after death, she would have loved Vivek/Nnembi so much.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Incest, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Transphobia
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, Death, Blood, Incest, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Grief
stephmcoakley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Deadnaming, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Death, Blood, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Outing, Sexual content, Transphobia, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, and Injury/Injury detail
kasarin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Incest, Transphobia, Death, Homophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Rape, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Hate crime, Miscarriage, and Animal death
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Potentially spoilers!!
‘Some people can't see softness without wanting to hurt it.’
‘if you didn't tell other people, was it real or was it just something the two of you were telling yourselves?’
‘“I’m not sure my belief matters," he says. "If it is, it is, whether I believe it or not."’
‘ No one else could feel that lifetime of loss. No one else had lost him more than she had, yet they cried in front of her as if it meant something. They're still children, Kavita tried to tell herself, not mature enough to do her the courtesy of keeping their tears in their bedrooms, among their own complete families. But still she thought of them as selfish brats without home training or compassion or empathy, and this in turn made her angry at these girls she knew she still loved, somewhere under the rage and pain and the grief that she felt belonged to her and only her.’
‘“We can't keep insisting he was who we thought he was, when he wanted to be someone else and he died being that person, Chika. We failed, don't you see We didn't see him and we failed."’
‘when you've stood on ground and known your child's bones are rotting beneath you, rage and ego fade like dust in a strong wind.’
Graphic: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Vomit, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, Homophobia, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, and Violence
30something_reads's review against another edition
5.0
3 for 3 on the ugly crying. This one probably tops all the others. I'm literally crying right now as I write this. Everything was so beautiful and devastating all at once.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Dysphoria, Grief, and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Incest, and Homophobia
Minor: Rape, Bullying, and Blood
taratearex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I loved how this book was sort of told backwards as you get what happened in the beginning (and in the title) and then jump around in time getting vignettes and snapshots of this family's life in Nigeria. As the story unfolds we learn more and more about Vivek and every moment with Vivek felt too brief, which is even more heartbreaking as you know how his story ends, and the why just pushes the story forward.
As much as I liked all the different characters and perspectives, I did find it a bit hard to follow, this is often how I am with a lot of characters/shifting POV though, and I just kept wanting more of Vivek's story- Emezi just created such a dynamic character that shines though so strongly even through brief moments. I have to say I did struggle with the fact that there is a relationship between cousins here, I can appreciate the story as it is, but it did sort of keep me at arms length with the emotional connection to them. Overall, it's a stunning and memorable book. The audiobook is really good.
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, and Incest
bookish_afrolatina's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, and Domestic abuse
scinaps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Minor: Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Incest