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sunnymushroom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Dementia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Slavery
annagerman's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
The last chapter was rattling, and I absolutely loved it, though I'm sorry the book ended where it did - I would have loved to see more of the MC as a mother.
Graphic: Chronic illness and Dementia
Minor: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, and Pregnancy
nouanni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape
helaynal's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Dementia
ntvenessa's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Dementia, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Minor: Addiction, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Alcohol
carlybellesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Dementia
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
TL;DR REVIEW:
Burnt Sugar is not going to be for everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully, carefully written novel about memory and childhood trauma with an A+ ending.
For you if: You like books about complex mother-daughter relationships, and/or want to add more South Asian authors to your list.
FULL REVIEW:
“I suffered at her hands as a child, and any pain she subsequently endured appeared to me to be a kind of redemption — a rebalancing of the universe, where the rational order of cause and effect aligned. But now, I can't even the tally between us. The reason is simple — my mother is forgetting and there is nothing I can do about it. There is no way to make her remember the things she has done in the past, no way to baste her in guilt.”
Burnt Sugar, originally published under the title Girl in White Cotton and now listed for both the Booker and Women’s Prize, is one of those novels that will leave you thinking about it for a long time, whether you loved it or not. It took me a little bit to fall into its rhythm, but once I did, I was very much drawn in — and the ending really brought everything together in an impressive, explosive way.
The book is about a woman named Antara, whose mother, Tara, is currently experiencing early signs of memory loss, possibly dementia or Alzheimer’s. Tara was (to put it lightly) not a great mother to Antara growing up, and today Antara must pick apart that trauma as her mother seems to forget it. But memory is personal to each of us, and Antara is not the most reliable of narrators. We flash back between past and present, and by the time we get to the end, who are we to say what is real?
From a craft perspective, this novel is exquisite. Avni Doshi’s sentences are *chefs kiss* and the way she builds and weaves themes and character — the way they crash into each other at the end — is incredibly impressive. It feels quite literary. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who’ve said, like me, it took them some time to fall into the story’s groove. (This is definitely not one to be forced if you aren’t feeling in the mood.) Some ultimately enjoyed it more than others. But everyone agreed that the ending was excellent, and all said that they’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Graphic: Child abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Dementia
heini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
It was hard to get through as it deals with heavy topics, such as dementia and mother-daughter relationship, and it's also very gritty-realistic.
A lot of talk of bladders and pissing and perspiration and odor and plucking hairs.
It could've worked better a tad shorter.
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Medical content, and Dementia
A rape scene with adult male and small child.musewithxara's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, and Dementia
Minor: Rape
empresstree's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Dementia