Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

47 reviews

crowaii's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, and War

Minor: Religious bigotry

stellenelcielo's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

Undoubtedly, it took me awhile to get into this book, but once I did, I definitely enjoyed it.

However, it was a difficult read.

Trigger warning for intense homophobia, religious trauma, and marital rape. 

For those reasons, it was a hard to read, and at some points upsetting, especially if you (like me) are apart of the LGBTQ+ community.

Other than that, I could not recommend this enough, it is beautifully written, and it’s a valuable perception into queer life in places other than the West. It’s so easy to become engrossed in the way our own struggles and acceptances are here, that we don’t consider how they are elsewhere.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, and War

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and War

egg_cup's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Outing

jmc2187's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual content

hannahmayreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was slow going, but ultimately it’s a tender story that gradually unwinds and reveals itself to the reader. The tenderness in the telling is a stark contrast to the heaviness of the topic. Religion, and what it means to have faith and be governed by it, lays heavily over the book.

I actually saw a review lamenting the number of bible verses included in the book. The reader didn’t finish the book because of it, and that is their loss as it is a beautiful and hopeful story. And the bible verses are there for a reason - Nigeria is the second most religious country in the world (https://www.gallup-international.bg/e...). Religion is inescapable, so of course, it is a central tenet of the book.

The most important thing though comes on the last page (this isn’t a spoiler, in case you were wondering). It is a reminder that while this book may be set in the 70s and 80s, same-sex relationships (or even just supporting such relationships) are a criminal offence in Nigeria. You can be imprisoned because of who you love, and that is an atrocity.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry

bexh's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry

mangeusedelivres's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death and Hate crime

Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence