Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

13 reviews

shugentobler's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Another win by Faridah in my opinion! When opening, this book was immediately VIBES. Dark academia, autumn, mean girls. I loved it! 
And who was my favorite? Definitely Persephone. Giving Prudence from CAOS, girl slayed me when she said for Halloween she wouldn't be

going to a party, but watching all the Halloweentown movies

girl after my own heart! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Islamophobia and Racism

lovelikethiswillendintragedy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Absolutely wonderful :0
I was worried for a bit that a trope that I *despise* (

A male love interest that’s covered in red flags but still ends up with the main character

) would happen, but nope!

The guy is actually a creep, and way worse than what she thought.

I feel kind of bad for being relieved, because the outcome was way worse for the characters that were involved, but I am just so damn tired of the alternative where

the guy is really such a good guy and everything’s fine with him.

 
But enough about that. The characters are wonderful, I thought it was interesting that the iconic popular girl trio wasn’t mean like I was preparing for them to be. They’re actually really sweet and it reminds me a lot of my school!
I loved Baz’s reactions to things, he managed to be the lighthearted “funny character” while still being down to earth and bringing the focus back to Elizabeth when necessary. Absolutely wonderful chaotic good boyo and I love him with my entire heart.
All in all, this book wasn’t what I expected. (Don’t get me wrong, I expected to love it, just not for it to play out the way it did.) The themes the author intended were strong throughout the book, and I read it in like a week, it was so good. 10/10, Baz can steal my soul if he wants, he deserves it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Drug use, Death, Cursing, Rape, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Mental illness

bookishbette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Outstanding. Somehow even better than her debut when I truly thought it was impossible to top.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Suicide, Death, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Drug use, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Stalking, and Addiction

emzhay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.75

Its book is very well written and compelling but the pacing is so slow that it feels like nothing actually happens until you’re halfway through. Then the last 20% is breakneck speed where everything is happening. I was really absorbed into to the story, but the way it wrapped up left me disappointed, not in the way that everything resolved but rather the delivery. I definitely enjoyed this book overall and thought that while the subject matter was dark, it was an important story to tell. I like dark academia that actually addresses the ways in which educational institutions fail their students. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug use and Suicide

Minor: Racism and Child abuse

librarian087's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A fabulous mystery with layers that kept me second guessing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Misogyny, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism

hugobluue's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Racism

lucy__342's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

Where sleeping girls lie is a slow-paced mystery compared to Ace of spades being a fast-paced thriller. Sade is definitely one of my favourite MC to ever read about. I loved that the author subtly incorporated the mental health representation throughout without making it seem overwhelming. I thought the mystery was intriguing and the very, very slow-burn romance was just perfect. My only complaint would be that I think the book could have been condensed into probably 400pgs instead of the almost 600pgs. However, because I loved the characters so much I was happy to read the extra 100pgs. I will read everything this author writes. And I hope there is a sequel! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia

noceur'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Death, and Rape

Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Murder, and Death of parent

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Animal death

bookishholly's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Child death, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Bullying, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Racism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Animal cruelty

natsbookshelves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I actually have words to describe this book, it is simply just WOW. So much happens, so much tension and mystery and secrets. I loved all of it. The characters? Fantastic and well rounded. The plot? Mysterious and flows so well, the way everything wraps up and things make so much sense! I won’t talk about the ending because I don’t think I can without spoiling, but just !!!!!!!!! - if you read it you will understand that!

I think that everything really pick up more in the last 250ish pages, but the first part os definitely not slow at all, there is so many secrets that come out, so much mystery. Everyone is hiding something but I couldn’t guess any of it and was constantly shocked, but it made sense - nothing was pulled out of thin air, it just fit.

Sade starts attending the Alfred Noble Academy and then her roommate goes missing. With trying to find her with new friends, Sade uncovers a whole massive can of worms shall we say, but it’s more than anyone would’ve thought. Every character has their secrets. Trust no character, but definitely love them (or hate some of them.) I think that all the characters are well developed, but don’t give you more than you need to know, which personally I think added more to the whole mystery and tension that is present throughout the book.

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is such a brilliant author, I loved Ace of Spades, and I don’t know if I love Where Sleeping Girls Lie more or not, both are such inportant books that tackle serious issues with sensitivity. Faridah’s creativity is absolutely amazing. Where Sleeping Girls Lie deals with many sensitive topics such as grief, sexual assault, sexism and racism. It really shows with how grief changes a person, how experiences change a person and what it may lead them to do. Please check trigger warnings before reading.

I know this review is not the most informative, but I have literally just finished the book and I am still comprehending that ending. I am giving Where Sleeping Girls Lie 5 stars, and I can’t wait to see what Faridah writes next, I’m sure I will be pulled straight in! I read Where Sleeping Girls Lie in 2 sittings, after sitting down thinking ‘oh let me read 50 pages’. 280 pages later I had to go sleep, but I would have carried on if I could.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual assault, Murder, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Suicide