A review by sinslashcos
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

challenging dark funny 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

5.0

It took me a while to feel inspired enough get to pick up this book. However, about halfway through, I blazed through it. I dreaded reading about the violence and the horror, but the dark humor made it more... digestible? It pretty much covers all of the content warnings. I appreciated Getta's dry wit, courage, and also vulnerability. Her experiences with trauma and invasive thoughts resonated with my own and her ways of coping and surviving inspired me. A big theme of the book is "the power of stories" and I'm very glad to add this story to the collection of stories that influence me. Cheers to the female bonobos, here's to taking down the patriarchy together.

One of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Men like him would always look at her and see the things they were glad they weren't: weak, small, timid, powerless. Let them. She'd expended so much energy vying for a broken seat at an uneven table. Fuck it, she'd make her own damn table." (p328)
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