A review by mappy
Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris

dark emotional informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

A moving foray into a conflict that I was unfamiliar with. While she acknowledges the atrocities that were committed during the Bosnian War, Morris shies away from the melodramatic, instead focusing on how conflict creates a new normal: one of powerlessness and isolation, of failing to recognise the city you call your home and the human urge to protect its multicultural identity as it's stripped away by force. The senselessness of war is never so apparent as when explored through a group of people fighting not only for essentials but to find connection when under siege and cut off from the outside world. I wanted to think that some of the symbolism was too on the nose at times, but Morris writes so beautifully and so convincingly that Black Butterflies remains compelling at every turn.
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