Reviews tagging 'Violence'

A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

34 reviews

suzieel's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Violence

fkshg8465's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.0

One of the most boring books I should’ve DNFd on page one. Didn’t learn anything about Nigerian culture and kept looking for reasons to stop reading the whole time. Only stuck with it because I kept thinking it might get better. Waste of time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Classism, and Sexism

deedireads's review against another edition

dark sad tense 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? No

4.0

All my reviews live at https://deedireads.com/.

A Spell of Good Things was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize. After reading it, I can see why — it’s right up the Booker’s alley (at least as far as longlisters go). Unfortunately, I personally didn’t really jive with this book.

I definitely understand and respect what the book was doing, which was to show us how class and gender had/have a big impact on the experience of Nigerians and yet ultimately everyone is subject to the devastating impact of a culture of corruption and violence. It absolutely does what it sets out to do, and very effectively.

I just didn’t have a ton of fun getting there, lol. I spent the whole book waiting for something that didn’t happen until the very end, which made me feel frustrated and bored. So just know going in that you’re starting a slow-paced book where the action doesn’t pick up until right about the end. It’s also not an easy read at all (check trigger warnings!).

I’m glad I listened to the audiobook while I read along in print. I’m not sure my ear, untrained in the Yoruba language, would have been able to follow the audiobook alone (at least not anywhere near my usual listening speed), but I always appreciate the chance to hear languages and names and accents presented by a skilled narrator.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide

sarahwiltshire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

A powerful book that builds to an ending that is both shocking and a telling it as it can be. Very well written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

simonefk's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-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? No

4.5

I think this is a really beautiful novel, it really explores the culture of Nigeria and follows two distinctly different characters, one living in poverty and the other, a wealthy doctor. It's quite a dark and heavy book and violent at times but was a real eye opener into issues like domestic violence and political corruption.

Its just short of 5 stars for me as I feel it was a slow burner initially with character building then the second half progressed quite quickly meaning it felt a little like two distinct halves but nonetheless I would definitely reccomend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, and Death

junglejelly's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

This is a beautifully written book with such interesting characters.

While I did mostly enjoy the book, I did find the middle too slow in pace, and the parents' perspectives too jarring. The slow pace and different perspectives affected the flow of the book.

The ending is so haunting and left me

devestated with the family deaths and the unhopeful feeling it leaves you with

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Gun violence

Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicide, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit

Minor: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Bullying

ccoyle7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

yajairat's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Had a little bit of a slow start for me, but by the first 100 pages I was invested. I loved Ayobami Adebayo's writing in her first novel, and this one was no different. Her descriptions of the lives of these two main characters were so vivid, that it was jarring at times when the POVs switched. This was an insightful look into politics, class, gender in Nigerian society, depression, and relationship abuse. All pretty heavy topics, but all weaved together seamlessly. The ending was sobering, had to sit with it for a bit after I finished reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, and Violence

kwahl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Suicide, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit

mwakisha's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Violence