Reviews tagging 'Violence'

De schaduwkoning by Maaza Mengiste

55 reviews

frankieclc's review against another edition

as beautiful as the writing is, (i’m listening to the audio book), i couldn’t get through some of the scenes (had to skip) and the subject matter isn’t something i can currently comfortably listen to

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, and War

rainkatzanddogs's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

fatimazahrah's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

highpulpoj's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence

booksjessreads's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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? No

4.0

This book took me ages to read but this was such a rewarding novel and honestly stick with it if you are struggling. This book is centred around military history, but demonstrating how war in Ethiopia against the Italians in 1935 was not strictly masculine territory. Mengiste's work demonstrates women fighting for their place to be amongst their fellow men on the battlefield, following the story of Hirut and her master Kidane. 

I liked how this book showed you how no character was 100% good or bad and that each person had their own good and bad qualities. It demonstrates that the oppressed can also be the oppressor and provokes mixed feelings for each character throughout the novel. 

I really loved the writing style too, beautiful prose. I found the lack of speech marks hard at first, but like with Girl, Woman, Other, you get there when you get into the flow of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Blood, Murder, and War

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, and Antisemitism

wngwendy's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

4.25

review to come

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Xenophobia and Antisemitism

vaniavela's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent

athenaia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

The book is very challenging to read but beautifully written. However it is also not a book that is for light reading. The topics that are discussed were sometimes hard to deal with and I would recommend anyone who wants to read it to do it slowly and stop if it is too much for one day. In my opinion the book is a fantastic litterary work even though I needed half a year to finish it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

siendesmet's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

blessing_aj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Violence, and War