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embee007's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
I am a little girl. I am a monster.
This is an uncomfortable & unsettling read in multiple ways. The rules keep changing, the oppression & misogyny are stifling. You're constantly questioning if you misread something (you didn't), misunderstood something (again, no), or if things are really happening (time will tell...). You may pause to reflect on it, or let it settle, you may even reread a sentence or two, or a few pages. But then you're (hopefully) shrugging & moving on, right back into the murk. Push thru the uncomfortable & unsettling feelings - this book is absolutely worth it.
"The women always have to fall because of a man."
Is this book similar to A Handmaid's Tale? Yes, but that's putting it extremely simply. Becoming scientifically reborn/placed into a new body after each death means an unending Handmaid's Tale (nightmare).
“What is the point of immortality if you can’t fucking remember your past?”
I almost wish this were two separate books? Or a series of short stories. The concepts introduced were so ginormous, so dense, & so heavy. Before we get all the answers to our original (albiet small) questions, & we're moved on problems & questions that are so big in comparison that there's really no logical scale - we're comparing grains of sand to a planet. & then when we have planet-sized issues on hand, we're supposed to go back to caring about a singular human, & those grains of sand too? I want more expansion on so much, to give us smaller information bites to chew on & digest & appreciate, but I love how it was done regardless, & this book will haunt me for some time to come.
"It’s funny when something irrefutably terrible happens, and people say, “How can such a thing happen?” But evil flows where it flows. Through gaps and loopholes and human beings. Indifferent to legislation and policies."
The dialogue is phenomenal - I have so many quotes saved. This was by far my favorite part. I felt like I didn't understand where the plot was going for a short while, but it all came together.
"Why must we always die in order to be seen?"
I don't know who, if anyone, I can reccomend this to. Check the Content Warnings!!! I cannot stress that enough. I had been looking forward to this book for months & I finally got it from the library this month, but it was not the best timing for me - I pushed thru regardless. I do not recommend this tactic for everyone.
"Everything is easily rigged once you understand the system."
Representation: disabled amputee MC, MC with fertility issues, nonbinary or agender MC, mostly Black (Botswana) characters. Motswana MC (own voices)
“This is a very networked hell.”
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Body horror, Car accident, Death, Gore, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Infertility
Moderate: Incest, Medical content, Racism, Ableism, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, and Pedophilia
peachani's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Trafficking, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual content, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Body horror, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Trafficking, Cannibalism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Rape, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Deportation, Kidnapping, Vomit, Child death, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Cancer, Confinement, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Transphobia
caidyn's review
Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
falenkizzy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, and Death
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual assault, Rape, and Miscarriage
Minor: Trafficking, Sexual violence, and Incest
roytoo's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
That line from the book description echoes my reactions:
This story clawed into me with its vivid descriptions of mundane, good, bad and evil deeds set in a future Botswana (and world) where very long lives are possible.
But what is the true cigar if those long lives, especially for everyone who isn't a cis male?
Please see the content warnings.
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Miscarriage
Minor: Incest, Trafficking, and Sexual violence
kelsokake's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In our city, it is unwise to trust reality.
I have been betrayed by reality, betrayed by my subconscious, shipwrecked from reality.
Now every thought must be deceased from my mind before its birth.
While it took me a while to get invested, once I was in it, I was in it. The last quarter of the book had me constantly gasping in surprise and while the metaphor/allegory got a little heavy-handed towards the end, I still found myself wanting to know what was going to happen. I would definitely check out other books by Tlotlo Tsamaase
Graphic: Sexism, Infertility, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Colonisation, Car accident, Body horror, Child death, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage
Minor: Racism and Sexual violence
poisoned_icecream's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Car accident, and Gore
Moderate: Pregnancy, Incest, and Miscarriage
careinthelibrary's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Drug use, Alcohol, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Body horror, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
rorikae's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Nelah lives in a world where people's consciousness can be transferred into new bodies, allowing for far longer lifespans. She has been moved into a new body but one that is carefully monitored thanks to the microchip embedded within it. Despite this, she is successful, married, and looking to start a family. But more is brewing under the surface. She seeks pleasure outside of marriage and on a night out with the man she is having an affair with, a terrible accident occurs. Reeling from the events of that night, Nelah begins to see the ghost of the woman they wronged. Fleeing from what happened, she starts to unravel the truth of her city and what lies beneath.
Tsamaase has created a cast of deeply flawed characters that aren't always the easiest to root for. Despite this, the futuristic world and the mysteries that surround it kept me engaged throughout. This is a fascinating and terrifying society, as you learn more about it. Tsamaase touches on a number of subjects from pregnancy and criminality to misogyny and autonomy. There are so many aspects to this book that it can be overwhelming at times. I think the author may have tried to cram a bit too much in (in themes and in plot points) but overall, I was engaged and interested to see what happens. I believe this is a debut and I cannot wait to see what this author does next. Their world building and themes are fascinating and I'm interested to see how this is developed further in future works.
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Body horror, Misogyny, Car accident, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Death, Murder, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Rape
planet_taffy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It terms of the sci-fi elements, Tsamaase's future Botswana is also full of layers from artificial immortality through "body-hopping" to the many tools of surveillance and control giving us the dynamic of second class citizens through "microchipped people". Xe is pretty good about explaining new technologies each time they come up so that, by the time they're super important to the plot, you're quite familiar with them.
All in all it's a rewarding read, even if the verbiage is a bit hard to get through on the first pass. Nothing in the book is a throwaway, making the ending one of the most satisfying I've read. My only complaint is that I wish less scenes had taken place in the car.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Misogyny, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death, Sexism, Death of parent, Violence, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Miscarriage, and Child death
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
These are pulled from the frontmatter of the book. Sensitive topics are used with purpose, but there is quite a bit of gore & body horror.