myhomextheroad's reviews
245 reviews

salt slow by Julia Armfield

dark mysterious reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Minor: Lesbophobia and Biphobia

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Non-Fiction by Terry Pratchett

emotional funny fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Racism

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

dark emotional hopeful mysterious

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Alix E. Harrow keeps writing books that feel like they were made for me personally goddammit

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

emotional funny mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

emotional informative reflective slow-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

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

5.0

Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

5.0

Look, this book keeps getting described as "Animal Farm but in modern Zimbabwe," and while I can understand why, that description also does it a disservice. Yes, the characters are portrayed as animals; but their animal-ness is more folkloric than in Animal Farm. They use WhatsApp; they use Twitter.

This book might lie outside of some people's comfort zones, in terms of subject matter and narrative style, if you're mostly used to traditional western literature. Some books are very clearly aimed at educating an outsider audience; Glory is not, which I admire & respect. Read up a little on modern Zimbabwean politics, if you feel you need to after a few chapters in. (That's what I did, and it felt worthwhile to have a better understanding of the parallels being drawn.) 

In short: if you're looking for a history of modern Zimbabwe, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a heartfelt, honest examination of a nation trying to escape a cycle of violence—and a young woman learning ways to honour the dead—read Glory. It is absolutely worth stepping outside of your comfort zone to meet this book where it stands.