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bookishmillennial'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
I promise I'm not trying to be funny, but I fear I am not smart enough for this book. Was it gorgeously written? Yes, absolutely. I highlighted a lot because the sentences were woven together so beautifully. However, with so many characters to follow, I found myself getting lost. I don't think this is a "bad" book; I just struggle with what it really was. It was the most genre-bending, atmospheric, eerie book, and maybe I need to re-read, but my head hurts.
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Moderate: Murder, Rape, Incest, Eating disorder, Sexual content, War, and Animal cruelty
punched_out_mirror's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: War, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Racism, Death, and Body horror
takemetomilos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Also this book was straight up difficult to read, but it was worth it in the end. I’m a big DNF kinda guy, and the multiple time periods and points and views and endless characters in what is a genuinely complex story should have made me want to stop, but the writing itself was just to lyrical to give up. And then in the last third of the book you can’t help but being swept away. Trust the process w this one. Def not a quick read and I feel like I need a book club to unpack everything but I loved it.
Deserves a revisit. I LOVE REVENGE STORIES❤️
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Rape, War, Slavery, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, and Misogyny
Moderate: Pregnancy, Incest, and Drug use
Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, and Animal cruelty
mmefish's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
How could I explain the way time seemed to slip from my fingers, the way I became incrementally more detached, more unable to reach out a hand to take anything I wanted?
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, and Drug use
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Pedophilia, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Eating disorder, War, Incest, and Rape
djpizza's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, War, Gore, and Excrement
Moderate: Animal cruelty
sorcha's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Blood, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Eating disorder, War, Addiction, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
minkler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Moderate: Gore, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Incest, Violence, War, Eating disorder, and Injury/Injury detail
savvylit's review
- 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
4.0
As a whole, this book is a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam, both past and present. Some of the most interesting portions of the book were Winnie's observations of modern ex-pat culture in Saigon. It was no surprise to learn that Kupersmith herself was also an ESL teacher like Winnie. Kupersmith's intimacy with specific stereotypical ex-pats shines through in her written caricatures of Winnie's coworkers.
Ultimately, my only criticisms of this novel would be its length (400 pages) and organization. The timeline jumps so often that it disrupts the flow of the greater story. There are also several characters that readers only briefly get to know. I think that their portions could have been cut back or woven into another character's perspective to keep the book at a more manageable length.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Murder, Classism, War, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Body horror, and Xenophobia
ka_cam'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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Incest, and War
kyahs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Some great insight into Vietnamese food, culture and history.
Graphic: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape
Minor: War, Death, and Violence