Reviews tagging 'Murder'

At Night All Blood Is Black by David Diop

77 reviews

bookhoe1's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Murder

Minor: Rape

callanisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense fast-paced

• 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

3.0

Alfa, a Senegalese man from a small village, fights for France in World War I alongside his childhood friend. When his friend suffers a slow, agonizing death on the battlefield, Alfa grapples with impulses toward revenge, apology, and sadism. Diop centers an oft-overlooked band of soldiers in this disturbing novella that digs into the trauma of war. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and War

lakeus's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

SPOILERS AHEAD

I cannot piece together my thoughts on this book and I wonder whether it was the author’s intention to have that effect. 

The chapters about Alfa’s time in the trenches following Mademba’s death and slow spiral into madness are so well written and heartbreaking, especially when reflecting on the death of the ‘traitors’ and his murder of the young German soldier- over who he feels some guilt towards. I think it shows the catastrophic effects of war and brutal violence on the human psyche and what grief can do to a person.

However, in the last few chapters I became confused at the drastically different tone and subject- mainly Alfa’s background- and the twist in the final chapter. I have my own interpretations of what it means but it did catch me off guard and shifted the book’s tone to mystery/fantasy depending on how you read it. 
I will definitely need to reread the ending at some point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Death of parent

jesshadlow's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Racism and Sexual violence

Minor: Slavery

thayer_m's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

jouljet's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Violence, and Murder

alexhaydon's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content