Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

18 reviews

manderzreadz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for granting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:)
Wow did this book surprise me! I thought I was diving into a typical historical fiction about immigrants to South Africa during political upheaval but got so much more.
This book blends the physical and the spiritual, and touches on darker topics that leave you reflecting on what legacy you leave on those around you. 
I enjoyed the personification pieces about the house, you really got the atmospheric vibes. It was a tad slow at the beginning but I enjoyed it about 30% of the way through.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Suicide, and Emotional abuse

ukponge's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Infidelity

moonytoast's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death, Child death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

kodi_rae's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I thought this one was really fun and the mystery kept me going for most of the novel. A little spooky, which I also enjoyed, though I wish there had been more about the djinn and how it came to feel so deeply. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death, and Classism

Moderate: Colonisation, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

kaywhiteley's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

crisania's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

This is one of the most depressing books I've read in a while. If the saying " life sucks and then you die" were a book this would be very close to it. So much grief and cruelty. The good: rich world building, interesting and diverse characters. Even though the dual timeline and multiple points of view and characters were a little overwhelming at times it keep me hooked. The house and it's backstory served as a good mystery. While the book was bleak overall, the author did try to end it on a positive hopeful note for most of the characters. Mind the trigger warnings. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Classism, Mental illness, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Religious bigotry

eed8's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Murder

zydecovivo's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

I saw this recommendation on a list made by my library and don’t think I truly understood what was coming. This story is about grief and love. While there is a djinn, they essentially represent (and reflect) different stages of grief. The focus is more on the main character, Sana, and the cast of characters around her in her new home. She searches for the concept of love and battles demons (both literal and figurative). While it focuses on a teenager, this is much deeper than any YA book and I would not consider it such. The writing is beautiful, but it is a heavy read. Everything, even buildings, are given life. If you don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about Indian, Muslim, and East African culture, you may find yourself looking up the meaning of some words. But I appreciate the author integrating so many facets of life in an obviously diverse area and showing a glimpse of (fictionalized) history. My only critique is a lack of commas that interfered with comprehension sometimes, which could’ve just been my digital edition from my library. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Murder, Animal cruelty, Death, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation

rebrosecca's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

 My chest aches and I feel haunted in ways both good and bad. This was such a slow build, the writing EXCRUCIATINGLY descriptive and immersive. Gothic horror is entwined with magical realism. A crumbling mansion on a hill in South Africa, ghosts, Djinn, and outcast characters, all woven together with histories of love and loss, jealousy and hope. Chilling, devastating, and beautiful. I was RIVETED as these events unfolded, so languid and cozy one minute, tense and horrifying the next. Despite the violence and tragedy, there's also a feeling of togetherness, forgiveness, and hope. TW: suicidal ideation. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Suicidal thoughts

bythebookjess's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty