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innastholiel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, War, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Excrement and Colonisation
bealmg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It touches on issues such as colonialism, racism and identity through the eyes of Alfa Ndiaye, who has just witnessed the death of his great friend, 'more-than-brother' Mademba Diop. Triggered by this event, his mind spirals downwards. Facing the horrors and dull repetitiveness of the trenches, Ndiaye goes mad. He becomes what his white captain wants black soldiers to become - savages, to instill fear in the minds of the German soldiers on the other side.
The writing style, although exhausting for its repetitiveness, is what shines in this short novel. Its repetitiveness mirrors both the daily life in the trenches and Ndiaye's mind. Traumatised by Diop's death, Ndiaye's mind cannot move on from that horrifying event and the author perfectly portrayed this state-of-mind, in my opinion.
However, I was not a fan of how the author portrayed women in this novel. There were way too many metaphors involving women's genitalia (I still don't know why he chose to compare the trenches to a woman's genitalia and womb?) and the two female characters were nothing but sexual objects for the narrator. This actually upset me more than the images of violence and blood.
Overall, it's an interesting novel, although I was expecting more.
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, War, Murder, Violence, Sexual violence, Death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
nadas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
this was so boring and repetitive and tedious to read despite such an interesting premise and title. the execution was so bad it's unbelievable.
Also the writing sucks I'm sorry there's nothing poetic about the lines "the brazen rumour ended up with her legs spread,her ass in the air"
and this is just one example of such stupid sexual imagery that add nothing to the plot or scene and makes this book even harder to read.
genuinely upset I thought I was going to love this.
Graphic: War, Gun violence, Torture, and Body horror
Moderate: Rape and Sexual content
breazatoth's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Torture, War, Sexism, Blood, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
sneha_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Death, Gore, Grief, War, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Colonisation
sydneylive's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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: Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Torture, Abandonment, Death, Colonisation, Gore, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, and War
emmelinelc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Violence, War, Death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Colonisation, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Slavery
ryster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Murder, Death, and Sexual content
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: War, Sexual content, and Death
daniellekat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault