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2treads's reviews
411 reviews
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan
slow-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? No
2.5
Who Slashed Celanire's Throat? by Maryse Condé
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Listen, I will always have a good time with Condé's characters. Not only are they vibrant on the page but they are also complex beings with flaws and ambition and in Celanire's case, a need for revenge.
Here we are introduced to the mysterious yet clever Celanire in the Ivory Coast. She has come with a mission it seems to educate and elevate the state of women in this colonial village. However this comes with certain behavioral changes in the women that the men aren't too comfortable with. There are inexplicable yet plausible deaths linked to her, rumors of dark spirits using her for their own, and the belief that she is from the devil. As Celanire moves from Africa to Guadeloupe and finally to Peru, pieces of her missing story are slowly revealed and the mission that she is on to pay back her attempted sacrifice comes to light.
Condé is especially aware of the intricacies of each place wherein she sets her stories and they are readily consumed and understood. The racial and communal structures, the misogyny and perceptions of women, as well as the effects of colonialism.
Here we are introduced to the mysterious yet clever Celanire in the Ivory Coast. She has come with a mission it seems to educate and elevate the state of women in this colonial village. However this comes with certain behavioral changes in the women that the men aren't too comfortable with. There are inexplicable yet plausible deaths linked to her, rumors of dark spirits using her for their own, and the belief that she is from the devil. As Celanire moves from Africa to Guadeloupe and finally to Peru, pieces of her missing story are slowly revealed and the mission that she is on to pay back her attempted sacrifice comes to light.
Condé is especially aware of the intricacies of each place wherein she sets her stories and they are readily consumed and understood. The racial and communal structures, the misogyny and perceptions of women, as well as the effects of colonialism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Child death
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Colonisation
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this story centreing an older female protagonist who is strong and brave with a depth of loyalty to her family and friends, even to her crew. Chakraborty knows how to bring history and characters that leap off the pages and grip her readers, immersing them into the interesting world that she has crafted. She also gives side characters that are just as compelling as her main cast, villains that are crafty and power-hungry and give our heroes that added push to triumph and save their world.
The revelation of the realm of magic, magical and mythical creatures was interesting and added an9ther layer of mystery and mystical perspectives that only made me want more.
The revelation of the realm of magic, magical and mythical creatures was interesting and added an9ther layer of mystery and mystical perspectives that only made me want more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Murder
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Mohamed definitely knows how to use creative ways to build tension and a strong sense of creep in her novellas, all while keeping her characters and their motivations at the centre of the story.
Veris is a strong woman with experience in the forest that holds more than what is natural and when she is asked to go back inside to retrieve the children of the despot who conquered her village, we see the many ways in which the sinister comes to the fore to test her previous foray with the deals and tests that come along the way.
Veris is a strong woman with experience in the forest that holds more than what is natural and when she is asked to go back inside to retrieve the children of the despot who conquered her village, we see the many ways in which the sinister comes to the fore to test her previous foray with the deals and tests that come along the way.
Discerner of Hearts by Olive Senior
informative
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Olive Senior has done it again. Proven her depth of knowledge not only of people, but their history, cultural norms and positions in society. She has used this landscape to excavate racial prejudices, internalized and learned racism, hierarchical structures, social striations, and their impact on her characters.
It is a testament to her prowess with the story form to put to page stories of people who are so very easily imagined and empathized with as they each struggle with their own trials. No matter the generation, she handles them with deft hands so her readers are able to see everything come to life and roll out across the pages. Each story has elements that allow for thought and contemplation, making us really wonder whether our societies and communities have entirely been able to extract themselves from colonial-led thought patterns and perspectives.
It is a testament to her prowess with the story form to put to page stories of people who are so very easily imagined and empathized with as they each struggle with their own trials. No matter the generation, she handles them with deft hands so her readers are able to see everything come to life and roll out across the pages. Each story has elements that allow for thought and contemplation, making us really wonder whether our societies and communities have entirely been able to extract themselves from colonial-led thought patterns and perspectives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Racism
Minor: Pregnancy
The Truth of the Aleke by Moses Ose Utomi
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really enjoy this series of novellas where Utomi is using storytelling to reveal a bit about power and what is done to keep it. How the ones who wield it set the stage for their people to become actors in a play they know nothing about.
The first novella shows how young Tutu uncovers the lies that keep his people oppressed and thirsty and now Osi must choose to either believe the truth of what he is shown or remain loyal to the lie that has seen him rise to a certain status in his people's story.
But who determines the lie and what will Osi choose to do when what he thought he had come to understand is revealed to be more than he could have perceived?
This novella series is addictive.
The first novella shows how young Tutu uncovers the lies that keep his people oppressed and thirsty and now Osi must choose to either believe the truth of what he is shown or remain loyal to the lie that has seen him rise to a certain status in his people's story.
But who determines the lie and what will Osi choose to do when what he thought he had come to understand is revealed to be more than he could have perceived?
This novella series is addictive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Child death, and Confinement
Convergence Problems by Wole Talabi
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I enjoyed these stories even when they tested the limits of my understanding re certain topics. But Talabi softened the harder edges of science and technology by centreing his characters, using the human characteristics and emotions that generally drive our reactions and relationships. Definitely an author whose work I will keep reading.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
"No need to wish for dead, it will happen soon enough. It does come to all of we." - Abitefa.
Nalo Hopkinson is quickly becoming one of my top authors. The way in which she infuses her books with portions of her/our culture shows how dedicated she is to bringing the richness of our practices and celebrations of the Caribbean to her readers.
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Midnight Robber is no exception; filled with influences from Jamaica to Trinidad to Carriacou as a whole was just exceptional. I was swept up and carried away and had no regrets.
Nalo has such an attuned way of writing her heritage: the dialect, the people, the places, the music, the festivals, and the experiences.
It is impossible not to just immerse oneself in the tale she tells, especially when one can relate to what is on the page. The atmosphere that Hopkinson weaves is lush; bursting with Caribbean flavour and folktales even as we travel to planets via 'interdimensional gateways'.
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
The impact of the cultures from the countries where Nalo has lived is vibrantly woven throughout this story, and I could not help but fall into every page. There are experiences that are familiar, both good and bad (friendships, parent/child relationships, family dynamics, and displacement). Not only is there passion in this story, but there is betrayal, misdeeds, bravery, self-acceptance, and triumph.
The polyamory representation was noted and appreciated and content warning: there is child sexual abuse depicted in this story, as well as the damaging effect on our MCs psyche.
Read This Book!!
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Nalo Hopkinson is quickly becoming one of my top authors. The way in which she infuses her books with portions of her/our culture shows how dedicated she is to bringing the richness of our practices and celebrations of the Caribbean to her readers.
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Midnight Robber is no exception; filled with influences from Jamaica to Trinidad to Carriacou as a whole was just exceptional. I was swept up and carried away and had no regrets.
Nalo has such an attuned way of writing her heritage: the dialect, the people, the places, the music, the festivals, and the experiences.
It is impossible not to just immerse oneself in the tale she tells, especially when one can relate to what is on the page. The atmosphere that Hopkinson weaves is lush; bursting with Caribbean flavour and folktales even as we travel to planets via 'interdimensional gateways'.
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
The impact of the cultures from the countries where Nalo has lived is vibrantly woven throughout this story, and I could not help but fall into every page. There are experiences that are familiar, both good and bad (friendships, parent/child relationships, family dynamics, and displacement). Not only is there passion in this story, but there is betrayal, misdeeds, bravery, self-acceptance, and triumph.
The polyamory representation was noted and appreciated and content warning: there is child sexual abuse depicted in this story, as well as the damaging effect on our MCs psyche.
Read This Book!!
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Incest, Rape, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror and Infidelity
The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree shows once again why I will always keep coming back to middlegrade reads. Having these young teens tackle heavy social themes and come out the other side stronger and with a deeper appreciation for their circumstances will always resonate with me.
Here Emmy and her friends are caught in the war for domination and the cruelty they experience makes them mature in ways that will give them resilience to keep on going.
Here Emmy and her friends are caught in the war for domination and the cruelty they experience makes them mature in ways that will give them resilience to keep on going.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Death of parent
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was a good read. I tend to like the way Choo tells a story. Her style of writing is definitely understated and tends to focus in on her cultural history and always has a folkloric trend which I really enjoy. The Fox Wife is no different.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death