Reviews tagging 'War'

Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala

11 reviews

deathmetalheron's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book is written in Pidgin English, which may be a difficult read for some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, War, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Rape, and Gun violence

Moderate: Slavery, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

Minor: Colonisation

jtpgdavey's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War

marioums_library's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This short, fast-paced novel takes you through the life of Agu, a young boy who went from the top of his class to the frontline of a hellish war. I was captivated from the beginning. Uzodinma Iweala's writing style is raw and forceful allowing the readers to obtain a real account of the lives of child soldiers. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood and War

Minor: Rape and Violence

tinathedrifter's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

Iweala put so much detail into Agu’s voice and thoughts over the course of this novel. It made me love him as if he were a friend recounting his stories to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, War, Gun violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Gore, Drug use, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

naddl0r's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

English not being my mother tongue, it first was hard to get into the use of Nigerian English and Nigerian Pidgin English in this book. But as I got more into it, it just added to the story of Agu, a child describing in 1st person POV his experience in a civil war in a West African country. 
I haven’t read any war themed novels before and I feel like this won’t be my favorite book niche, but ~150 pages is just as much as commitment I can give something I haven’t had any business with before. Here’s what I think:

It was gruesome and heartbreaking. Maybe not an easy read but necessary and definitely worth it. 

"I'm walking walking to where the sun is setting. I'm looking at it and wanting to catch it in my hand and to be squeezing until color are dripping out from it forever. That way everywhere it is always dark and nobody is ever having to see any of the terrible thing that is happening in this world."

Maybe check trigger warnings or content notes before reading it, if that’s something that has worked for you in the past.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Murder, Death, Rape, Physical abuse, and Gun violence

nym1013's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Child death, Death, Sexual violence, War, and Blood

laurenzalfredasselsrawashdeh's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

Beasts of No Nation is a brilliant little book. It's super well written and the story is amazing. I would definitely recommend it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

treeme's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book has one of the most beautiful proses of any books I’ve read to date. But it is so gut wrentchingly sad. Like wanting to throw up in the 2nd chapter sad. I am glad I read this book but it was an emotional burden and journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, and War

anmariefweeks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Rape, Child death, and Child abuse

rocko_granato's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child death, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Murder, Torture, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Injury/Injury detail