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kj94's review
2.0
Struggled to read and gave up. Found the blurb of the book really exciting but struggled with the fact it’s written in verses. It didn’t keep me interested unfortunatly
lar_iiious's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's a fast, flowing, and entertaining read. I like the way it's written in verse, I liked the humour. It's not as profound or great as "Girl, woman, other" but the quick easy read I needed.
booklywookly's review against another edition
5.0
211 AD. Londonium. 11 year old Zuleika, born to Sudanese immigrants, has been married off to a wealthy, much older Roman business man. Despite her luxurious life, Zuleika craves excitement and passion, which she finds in an affair with the Roman Emperor, Septimius Severus. Is this gonna be a happily ever after story? Or will it turn out to be a Greek tragedy of Shakespearean proportion? (It turns out to be a tragedy of course).
It’s a simple story, told in verses. Stylistic choice, though I admittedly have a difficulty in reading novels in verse, especially like this one, where sentences are broken haphazardly, and things don’t rhyme. But I was still able to enjoy the book fully.
HOWEVER, what sets this book apart is the Afrocentric narrative that crushes all the expectations one could have when imagining early era London (raise your hand if it’s extremely white). Evaristo has spent time studying books by historians, learning that Africans had lived in Britain during the Roman occupation nearly eighteen hundred years ago. By focusing on a black protagonist and her community, Evaristo subverts Eurocentric narratives that often marginalize or erase the presence of Africans in ancient history. This subversion is a form of resistance against the dominant historical discourse, offering an alternative perspective that celebrates diversity and inclusivity.
We have strong ambitious and promiscuous young women with radical ideas and yearnings living in a man’s world. The language used is so contemporary and modern that you would be forgiven not have remembered it being set in 2nd century Europe. It reminded me a lot of The Future Future (which I only read and reviewed last month and could well be my book of the year)
This is my second Bernardine Evaristo book so far and I am already a fan.
ashley_kelmore's review
2.0
Best for:
Fans of the author’s previous work. People who want to have to work really hard to understand what they are reading.
In a nutshell:
Zuleika is a Sudanese woman living in Londinium in 211. She is married as a pre-teen, then eventually starts an affair with the Roman emperor.
Worth quoting:
“She moaned she had no time to herself now. I moaned that was all I had.”
Why I chose it:
It was part of a subscription box.
Review:
I want to challenge myself as a reader, to learn more, to experience different styles of writing, to get inside the lives of others. But I also want to enjoy what I read. When I flipped open this book and saw it was written in verse, my first thought was ‘but why?’ My second thought was ‘I’ve got to at least give it a go.’
Life is short, and I kind of wish I’d gone with my gut on this one.
You likely have heard of author Evaristo - her book “Girl, Woman, Other” was everywhere in 2019 and 2020. My mother in law even recommended it to me, but when I flipped through it and saw it was written in verse, I declined to pick it up. I do not have a literary background, so freely admit that this book was likely just over my head. The plot was pretty loose, and given how few words are on any page when one writes in verse, I was surprised at how long it took me to finish it.
This is not a bad book. It is also not a book I enjoyed at all; I think I’m not sophisticated enough to follow it. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the plot had it been presented as a novella or short story, but for me, it just doesn’t work here.
Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
Fans of the author’s previous work. People who want to have to work really hard to understand what they are reading.
In a nutshell:
Zuleika is a Sudanese woman living in Londinium in 211. She is married as a pre-teen, then eventually starts an affair with the Roman emperor.
Worth quoting:
“She moaned she had no time to herself now. I moaned that was all I had.”
Why I chose it:
It was part of a subscription box.
Review:
I want to challenge myself as a reader, to learn more, to experience different styles of writing, to get inside the lives of others. But I also want to enjoy what I read. When I flipped open this book and saw it was written in verse, my first thought was ‘but why?’ My second thought was ‘I’ve got to at least give it a go.’
Life is short, and I kind of wish I’d gone with my gut on this one.
You likely have heard of author Evaristo - her book “Girl, Woman, Other” was everywhere in 2019 and 2020. My mother in law even recommended it to me, but when I flipped through it and saw it was written in verse, I declined to pick it up. I do not have a literary background, so freely admit that this book was likely just over my head. The plot was pretty loose, and given how few words are on any page when one writes in verse, I was surprised at how long it took me to finish it.
This is not a bad book. It is also not a book I enjoyed at all; I think I’m not sophisticated enough to follow it. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the plot had it been presented as a novella or short story, but for me, it just doesn’t work here.
Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
aabi_w's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this! I loved the stylistic experimentation/stream of consciousness style told in verse. I think the balance between historical context and contemporary humour was perfect, and I haven't read anything like it prior to this. Evaristo is clearly very skilled in that respect. The coming-of-age aspect of this novel was also very well-executed; I could empathise with Zuleika's narrative while recognising its reality rooted in the archaic expectations of the novel's set time period. 4.5 stars.
bobinsbooknook's review against another edition
challenging
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Having finished this in a day, I think it’s safe to say that the audio book is the way to go.
The writing style is very poetic in places and the humour is captured very well by the narrator. Even with the poetic prose, the storyline is easy to follow as love how the character of Zuleika develops throughout from child to young bride to socialite and consort.
I will say something that took me out of the story a bit is the clash and contrast of the historic story setting and a lot of the modern day dialogue which I think is clearly the style of the author. Whilst this did provide some light humour, I don’t think it’s my preference in this context.
The writing style is very poetic in places and the humour is captured very well by the narrator. Even with the poetic prose, the storyline is easy to follow as love how the character of Zuleika develops throughout from child to young bride to socialite and consort.
I will say something that took me out of the story a bit is the clash and contrast of the historic story setting and a lot of the modern day dialogue which I think is clearly the style of the author. Whilst this did provide some light humour, I don’t think it’s my preference in this context.
belle_reads_books's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
bookswithboo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0