Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

11 reviews

paronomaniac's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Colonisation

Minor: Kidnapping, Murder, Confinement, and Blood

lefthandlou's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I loved this! I found the central mystery to be interesting, with a satisfying conclusion and nice twists. The historical aspects of life in 1920s Bombay and Calcutta were fascinating, and I adored Perveen’s character, especially. Looking forward to the other two in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, and Murder

caebrown's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Confinement, Murder, Bullying, Body shaming, Blood, and Child death

Minor: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Medical content

heather667's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Incest, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Grief

Minor: Lesbophobia, Rape, Suicide, and Homophobia

singalana's review against another edition

adventurous informative relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

Hurmaava kirja vie aikamatkalle 1920-luvun Bombayhyn, jossa erilaiset kulttuurit kohtaavat, joskus kohtalokkainkin seurauksin.

Perveen Mistry on Bombayn ensimmäinen naispuolinen lakimies. Hän saa tehtäväkseen hoitaa perinnön jaon menehtyneen muslimimiehen kolmen eristyksessä elävän vaimon ja näiden lapsien kesken. Kimurantiksi muuttuva tapaus herättää muistoja Perveenin omasta menneisyydestä.

Kirja kuvasi kiehtovalla tavalla Intialaisia kulttuureja ja naisen asemaa 1920-luvun Intiassa. Vaikka kirjassa vilisi kulttuureihin liittyviä termejä ja sanoja, oli sen tapahtumia silti helppo seurata, ja vieraat sanat antoivat tarinalle oman mausteensa. Perveen päähenkilönä oli mielenkiintoinen ja hahmo oli uskottava kaikkine puolineen.

Kuuntelin kirjan äänikirjana, ja aluksi minua hieman häiritsi se, että kirja kertoo nuoren intialaisnaisen elämästä, mutta lukijan ääni kuulostaa liian kypsältä hahmoon nähden. Mutta totuin siihen nopeasti, ja aloin pitämään lukijan rauhallisesta tyylistä. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Blood, Colonisation, Sexual content, Death, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Infertility

bessadams's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Murder, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Infertility, Blood, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

skudiklier's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I enjoyed this! I was very caught up in both timelines, and at every stage I wanted to know what would happen. The mystery wasn't too easy to figure out (for me at least), and i read the second half of the book in one day because I just needed to finish it. I'd definitely read more if this became a series! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Sexism, Bullying, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Grief, Violence, Death, Sexual content, Child death, Classism, Child abuse, Infertility, and Ableism

Minor: Pregnancy, Medical content, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Racism, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, and Colonisation

shea_proulx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

rosalie362819's review

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

3.25

Favourite quotes:
"A dying man does not feel obligated to observe social norms. He needs no one's permission to take what he needs."
 

"Looking into Cyrus's eyes, Perveen felt as if she were sinking into something deeper than water."

 
 

"She had travelled to Bandra fearful that Cyrus might take liberties. Now she reveled in them. She was taking her own liberties with him. Was this liberation? ... Cyrus was daring her to follow her heart-- to venture on her own journey just as their ancestors had, risking it all for a golden dream."  

 
 

"Perveen stared at her mother-in-law's loom and thought about the unseen threads that had spun around her, creating an unbreakable trap." 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child death, Colonisation, and Murder

henrismum's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

First in series-

Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)

Why I added this book to my TBR pile: I tried reading the book a few years ago, but I didn't get far. The title kept showing up as suggested reading, so I decided to try to audiobook. Even in audio form, it was a very slow story. I had to listen at 1.2 speed. 
The subject matter was quite intriguing, but I wonder how this work is accepted in 2020's India. I assume the writer did a great deal of research and attempted to present the facts accurately. Nonetheless, I wonder how Indians (and Indian-Americans and Indians who live in Britain and around the world) rate this representation of their culture 100 years ago. 
Will I read more of the series? Probably Not Maybe Likely Most Likely Definitely

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, and Confinement

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Bullying, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Sexism