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A review by erebus53
At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
God's truth, I know, I understand.
This is a story that is deftly crafted. It is a lyrically poetic short-read, that has lines that are used and reused like a mantra. They ground the story where the mentality of the narrator is not always so grounded.
In war the conflict is as much internal as external, and this is a story of duality. It primarily deals with the narrator's conflict over moral imperatives, and the practicalities of situations. Is morality absolute?, or is the outcome worse when you "do what you must"? When you are doing Good because you have unquestioning duty, you do not stop and think for yourself. These are the disconcerting grey areas that more people ignore.
The self analysis of a man who has gone through, and been damaged by, horrendous trauma
unearths the revelation that there are sometimes "thoughts too well dressed to be honest". It's clear that the emotional and mental state of people in conflict puts pressure on these thoughts.. the simple truths or simple lies that we are taught, that are used to describe our value systems, and the roles that others expect us to fill.
War demands inhumanity of humans. It calls brutality good, and rewards those who are unwise. It expects you to ignore your own survival instinct and lean a little into the insanity of Bravery.. but you need to come back from that edge. People want temporary madmen; "no continuous madmen".
This story told by a broken person who has leaned too far into the madness of war, has a great narrative flow. The tal is laid out about the harshness of battle, and some life in the trenches, and in recollections from before the war. The ending is a bit of a departure from the rest of the story and has a fabulous twist. Whether or not the narrator is reliable is left up to your scrutiny.
This is a story that is deftly crafted. It is a lyrically poetic short-read, that has lines that are used and reused like a mantra. They ground the story where the mentality of the narrator is not always so grounded.
In war the conflict is as much internal as external, and this is a story of duality. It primarily deals with the narrator's conflict over moral imperatives, and the practicalities of situations. Is morality absolute?, or is the outcome worse when you "do what you must"? When you are doing Good because you have unquestioning duty, you do not stop and think for yourself. These are the disconcerting grey areas that more people ignore.
The self analysis of a man who has gone through, and been damaged by, horrendous trauma
unearths the revelation that there are sometimes "thoughts too well dressed to be honest". It's clear that the emotional and mental state of people in conflict puts pressure on these thoughts.. the simple truths or simple lies that we are taught, that are used to describe our value systems, and the roles that others expect us to fill.
War demands inhumanity of humans. It calls brutality good, and rewards those who are unwise. It expects you to ignore your own survival instinct and lean a little into the insanity of Bravery.. but you need to come back from that edge. People want temporary madmen; "no continuous madmen".
This story told by a broken person who has leaned too far into the madness of war, has a great narrative flow. The tal is laid out about the harshness of battle, and some life in the trenches, and in recollections from before the war. The ending is a bit of a departure from the rest of the story and has a fabulous twist. Whether or not the narrator is reliable is left up to your scrutiny.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail