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wanabees's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War, Death of parent, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Child death
rionstorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Infidelity, War, Misogyny, Outing, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Miscarriage
kari_f's review against another edition
4.0
“I suppose it’s the way we are, humans that we are. Always finding it easier to make ourselves the victim in someone else’s tragedy. Though it is true, too, that sometimes it is hard to know to whom the tragedy really belongs.”
I have been struggling with how to write this review, because the book was so well written but is also something I have no intention of ever rereading. I wish I’d known going into it how deep the levels of trauma and tragedy would be so I could prepare myself a bit for it.
There is war, civic unrest, grief, abandonment, religious trauma, poverty, homophobia, sexism, ethnicism, hate crime, depression, repeated sexual assault, and more… and it’s heavy to handle it all. There were several times I had to put the book down because the content was too heavy to continue with it.
That all being said, there are stories in this book that needed to be told and the author told them beautifully. The writing was well done, and each heartbreak the protagonist endured was a heartbreak for the reader as well.
I have read several books set in Nigeria this year, and this one definitely had a setting and perspective they were different from anything I’ve previously read. It also led me to do some research on topics, events, and laws I didn’t really know much (or anything) about, and I always appreciate when a novels spurs me to learn more about the real world. So all in all, I’m glad I read it, but I won’t likely read it again in the future.
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Hate crime, Grief, and War
oliii_24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, War, Suicide, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident, Hate crime, Sexism, and Blood
katiehoneydew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Hate crime and War
Minor: Domestic abuse
onceandfuturereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Miscarriage, and War
Moderate: Misogyny and Abandonment
dfrancis's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, War, Death, Hate crime, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
lindiwe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Homophobia, War, Body shaming, Death, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Sexual content, and Violence
saintsaens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Graphic: Bullying and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, War, Violence, Murder, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Rape, and Miscarriage
midnightmarauder's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Under the Udala Trees tells the story of Ijeoma, a girl who lived in Nigeria during the Biafran war. After
Amina and Ijeoma are in love with each other, during a time where homosexuality was very looked down upon in Nigeria (and still is today). One night,
Ijeoma knows in her heart that she is a lesbian, but it isn't allowed by the citizens of Nigeria, nor her mother. So, she is led into years of self-hatred and loathing, wanting so desperately to be allowed to be who she is, but instead being forced to pretend to be something she isn't.
I found myself sympathizing deeply with Ijeoma. As a black lesbian myself, I know what it's like to be at war with yourself, being both so sure of your own feelings, yet conflicted about them, all at the same time. Just wanting to fit in and be like everyone else, but also struggling with it because you're not like everyone else, and not comforming should be allowed.
Chinelo Okparanta, the author, leaves an author's note about the current stance on which Nigeria has on homosexuality. They have criminalized it, and are listed as the second most religious country in the world. It makes me wonder how many more people like Ijeoma live in that country, forced to hide their love from the world.
Graphic: Lesbophobia, War, Xenophobia, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Genocide
Moderate: Misogyny, Hate crime, and Mental illness
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault