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A review by gracierainn
The Emperor's Babe by Bernardine Evaristo
3.0
It was really difficult for me to decide how to rate this novel. On the one hand, I really love Zuleika's character, and I adore her friendships with Alba and Venice. The three of them are so much fun - I want to be their fourth, badly. On the other hand, however, as a general rule I don't love novels that make me feel bad about the world, which the violence depicted in this novel often did.
There are many hopeful moments throughout, but for me, nearly all of them felt obsolete upon the revelation that Zuleika is only 18 at the close of the novel. I was left with a lingering thin layer of mud around my brain, feeling that familiar urge to chuck a book at a wall when the poor young girl has been so abused by the world. Too much grief, too much life left to live.
There are many hopeful moments throughout, but for me, nearly all of them felt obsolete upon the revelation that Zuleika is only 18 at the close of the novel. I was left with a lingering thin layer of mud around my brain, feeling that familiar urge to chuck a book at a wall when the poor young girl has been so abused by the world. Too much grief, too much life left to live.