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rieviolet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I appreciated the rich historical and cultural elements that recreated the setting of 1920s Bombay. Like the previous books in the series, there is also an interesting exploration of themes such as colonialism, sexism, and religious differences.
I've grown fond of the main character Perveen, so I enjoyed following her story, how she started making a name for herself professionally, as well as taking steps in her private life. I'm very keen to keep reading her adventures.
Graphic: Death, Colonisation, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Suicide attempt, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Ableism, Pregnancy, Blood, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Vomit, Racial slurs, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Sexual assault
kloughlin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Sexism, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pregnancy, Child death, Rape, and Racial slurs
kimveach's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Minor: Bullying, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Murder
allisonwonderlandreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While the political heartbeat was steady and strong, the mystery meant to serve as the engine for this narrative fell a bit short for me. I continued to enjoy the legal details of the series. In this one, we accompany Perveen to a coroner's inquest, which was fascinating to see play out. However, I felt the mystery investigation stalled out in favor of broader commentary, and it lacked the punch of the previous two books in that regard.
From the character front, Perveen continues to be an inspiration and a complex, ambitious protagonist I love to cheer for. In terms of her personal life, I felt like the story in this book made little progress compared to its two predecessors. Her family and romantic relationships teetered onwards, stuck at various impasses due to the more pressing political concerns. While this was fair, I missed that more personal touch of involvement in Perveen's life. It did seem that the book was preparing us for future conflict with the potential for a love triangle. I look forward to seeing it play out, and I have my fingers crossed for a happy resolution for Perveen.
I'm deeply invested in this series. This just doesn't happen to be my favorite installment. To be fair, the first two books set an incredibly high bar. I still found the historical, sociopolitical commentary valuable and highly recommend the series.
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Colonisation, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt