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chris_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
Minor: Biphobia, Body shaming, Gore, Racial slurs, Self harm, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Alcohol
parissummerreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, and Cannibalism
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
kjurewicz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Overall, this book had a lot of potential to be an awesome modern day Gothic novel, but missed the mark in a lot of ways.
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Cannibalism
thehannahclaire's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Body horror and Cannibalism
Moderate: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Islamophobia, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
samanthaleereads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Drug use, Islamophobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Gore
wildcitrus'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
4.25
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, and Cannibalism
lizzym126's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Islamophobia, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, and Cultural appropriation
btaylorb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I thought the use of different languages throughout, in particular Urdu, the MC's first language, was really well executed. I listened to the audio version where the Urdu dialogue is read by the narrator, but as far as I can tell they're not always translated for the listener. Apparently, these sections are also not delineated by italics in the physical or ebook editions. I think this is such a clever way to create a sense of intimacy with the characters and reinforce some of what the book is exploring around language and communication. I don't feel at all like I lost anything by not understanding those few sections. In the final section of the audiobook, the author gives an interview where she talks about the idea that if you don't understand something, it might just not be meant for you, and that's okay - and this is sometimes a central point of the story.
Also noteworthy: There's one passage toward the end where a racial slur gets bleeped in the narration of the audio. I'm going to glance at the physical copy at my library, because I'm curious if it's similarly censored in some way in the text. I would love to know if this was an authorial choice or an editorial one for the audio edition; I'm hopeful it's the former because, given the premise, I think that's an interesting and powerful detail.
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Body horror, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, and Classism
Minor: Gore, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Islamophobia
jessy4550's review
- 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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Grief, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
Moderate: Vomit and Alcohol
melanieripple's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Minor: Gore and Racial slurs