Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

10 reviews

rionstorm's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Really well written, but very heavy. The story is told in an almost dissociative, hazy, slow way. Gorgeous descriptions of flora that were all unfamiliar to me, so I got to learn about lots of new plants/fruits/etc. There's only very shallow exploration into any character other than the narrator, which is perhaps by design but left me feeling a bit disconnected from the story. Not exactly my cup of tea but a well written book.

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oliii_24's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • 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


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mariacandet's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

3.75


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bites_of_books's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Listening to this audiobook was probably the best choice for me in order to be able to get through it. This book is written in such a way that you feel the weight of the emotions, the tension, the grief, the longing... 
We follow Ijeoma, from her childhood, living through civil war in Nigeria, the aftermath, her coming of age, and learning that she's in love with another girl, all the way through to her adulthood. Her mother leans heavily into religion as she mourns her husband and that has a very strong impact in Ijeoma's life and is a heavy theme throughout the book. Another big theme is folktales. We get multiple short folktales told by various characters at different points in the story, those were my favorite parts. 
I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a book that portrays the history of how queer people are treated in Nigeria through the eyes of a lesbian girl who grows up in that culture. There's a lot of shaming, emotional abuse, homophobia, war, etc. so do read with care!

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sarahrosea's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


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bookswithgeorgia's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5


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caitlinattemptstoread's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

It wasn’t a bad book, but I have a low tolerance for tragedy these days. This was sad, horrifying, violent, and depressing. (It’s about a civil war and a lesbian Nigerian girl growing up in Africa’s second most religious country.) I appreciate that there was a hopeful ending, but it was not a happy one. 

The book reflects reality and maybe I’m rating it so low because I can’t stomach our reality anymore. We spend so much time looking at the past and allowing it to dictate our present. I’d rather continue to envision a better future than continue to draw on the grief and pain of the past.

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fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition

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sad
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Ka udo di, ka ndu di.”
Let peace be. Let life be.

The misery porn that is tragic gay (and LGBT) stories.
I absolutely gobbled all of it. Such an eye opener -  homophobia in countries that have criminalized same sex relationships, and sadly, living in Kenya, I am saddened that I relate to this.


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lameyloser's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0


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mangeusedelivres's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The book was hard to read, I couldn't get into it at first but then the characters got developped more and I was on board ! It's definitely very slow paced and nothing much happens. The writing wasn't outstanding (though I did read a French translation). 
The biggest discussion there is is the interpretation of the bible (in Nigeria, wich is the second most religious contry in the world !). This was very interesting and I liked to see the differents approaches of religion.
It's not the greatest book ever but I was glad to read about lesbians in Nigeria in the 70's.

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