The diversity of the characters

Use this forum to discuss the February 2019 Book of the month, "The Warramunga's War" by Greg Kater.
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DogoMulla
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Re: The diversity of the characters

Post by DogoMulla »

Cardinalsparrow wrote: 10 Feb 2019, 03:46 I like the diversity, it exposes the reader to other cultures which is a great ingredient for improving tolerance among people.
This is true. Diversity brings about growth and development. As they say, the more the merrier. Even so, they shouldn't be too many to the extent of detracting the readers.
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Post by Quinto »

This is the most diverse book I have read in terms of characters. This one accolade I give the author for inclusivity, especially for marginalized groups.
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Post by Dawud Adaviruku »

The diversity of the characters did not distract or hinders me from reading the book at all. Having diverse characters also exposes the book to a variety of wider audiences.
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Post by Joytoo97 »

I love the diversity of the book; from one culture to the other one scene to the next the blend of the languages just make it a masterpiece. It didn't confuse me at all.
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Post by Stellae »

Ever_Reading wrote: 06 Feb 2019, 01:53 From Australia to Egypt and back, The Warramunga's War introduces a wide range of characters. More than the Warramunga, one also meets French, English, Arab, Australian, Czech, and German characters. At times, Kater even allows these characters to say phrases in their native tongues.

Did you find this distracting as you were reading, or did it enhance the book for you? Also, what are your thoughts on how diversity is portrayed in the book, in general?
I thin the different native dialects enhanced the novel for me, and the fact that their was such a large variety shows how WW2 reached all faces of the earth, and was not only subject to western culture
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Post by chiefsimplex »

I actually consider the diversity of characters in this book as one of the strong points in the plot.The fact that on several points characters speak in their native languages makes the characters more real and interesting.Missing some snippets in the conversation because of language is far outweighed by the joy of the readers' close interaction with the characters.
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Post by nbel »

I loved the diversity in this book. I think that it made the experience more enjoyable for me. It was very nice to see that the author does not stick to stereotypes and adds phrases in the native languages of the characters.
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Post by bigscarythingy »

Character diversity not only makes for a more gripping experience overall, it makes the narrative world that much richer. The more real the textural foundation, the better, I say.
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Post by onemorechap »

Hmmm I am not sure for this... When this happens too much I can admit it annoys me and makes me lose my interest.... As for the multicultural represenntations.... I believe it may be a bit exaggerated? You can't have all the ethnicities or minorities in a book, it always makes me feel forced like it is there on purpose to cause emotions... It isn't bad, it just makes me feel it isn't believeable
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Post by OskaWrites »

It makes total sense for the book to be diverse, given that it was wartime when people from all over the world were fighting together. I actually really appreciated the mix of languages, which gave all the dialogue more flavour and character. I think the diversity also did a lot to show how far the war really was affecting people - especially with the romantic tension between Jacko and Monique, who have not just cultural differences but also the physical distances that causes conflict in their love.
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Post by cpru68 »

As each new character was introduced, I thought it was quite fascinating. If a world war is at hand, then I believe all cultures should be represented, and what a talent by the author to take on the task of so many people! I didn’t find myself confused because his descriptions were so good that it was easy to tell who was who.
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Post by ayomie »

I believe diversity is a good thing, it adds depth and complexity to a story.
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Post by M Zee »

sush_destiny wrote: 07 Mar 2019, 21:01 diversity of characters makes the book more realistic. its refreshing to see that the author does not stick to stereotypes.
I think the second part of that is the most important. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much "diversity" a book has if it's not done well. Stereotypes and tired cliches when writing characters from different backgrounds don't make a book any better. I really like it when an author is able to speak from their own experiences with people different from themselves to enhance the story they're telling.
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Post by Choine »

I love culture and exploring other languages. I'm one of those people who enjoy listening to someone speak a foreign language just so I can hear the beauty of it, regardless if I understand or not. In a book like this, the story is enhanced by including so many culturally rich qualities.
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Post by scrivoio »

Diversity within books is invaluable. It makes books more relatable and understandable to a wider range of people. If more people can relate to the characters within the story, more will relate to and enjoy the story as a whole. Diversity, though, is only a factor in overall inclusivity and versatility, both of which are also important, especially in stories where an appeal to a larger audience is the ultimate goal.
Diversity isn’t distracting, it’s what gives a story color and makes it interesting. If every character was written like Bella Swan from Twilight, no book would ever be worth reading on account of every book being a reiteration of the same characters.
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