Scan barcode
ialim01's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
blueghost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
afrathefish's review against another edition
4.5
this book couldn’t be more poignant, especially considering that it looks at the lives of palestinians in gaza specifically. when applied to today’s context… yeah. yeah.
abulhawa writes with such vivid candor that lends itself perfectly to this type of narrative. following several generations of families originating from gaza but finding themselves across the world, this book directly recounts the realities of being palestinian in todays world, how israel’s expansion has worked and how it carries out its colonial efforts, and the specific feeling that you don’t have a place to go back to , that is distinctly palestinian, as more and more of their land gets illegally taken from them. the day to day liberties that they are denied, and how these experiences culminate into an existence defined by struggle. it also depicts the small joys, and how those joys come about. abulhawa also perfectly describes the role of religion in enduring these experiences, and as such, how religion comes to define and dictate a community. you see such dynamics play out in the west, but in much different circumstances. the subtle nuances caught in the writing also gives one much to think about. referring to the israelis as “the jews”, and what this means for the wider conflict … . abulhawa also writes with such vividness; every character felt real, tangible, and it’s what made these experiences feel so much more harrowing. you felt the horror when things were happening. and the ending . oh my god. how beautifully poetic. whenever i now think of gaza i think oh it as the space existing within the blue between the sky and water.
the only issue i had with it were specific triggers, but i guess that was on me for not reading them up before.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, and War
niamhyjay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Moderate: Pedophilia
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation
sharkgirl15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Tw: SA SV, and narcissistic abuse, pedophilia
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
morybaby's review
- 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
4.5
It was incredibly heartbreaking and yet so hopeful.
There were a number of times I had to pause because of what some of the characters had to go through.
I think the most heart wrenching part of this reading experience is the fact that it is still happening to real people in Palestine.
Susan Abulhawa is such a talented writer.
She was able to make me laugh sometimes during such a heavy read.
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, and War
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body shaming and Miscarriage
jouljet's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Colonisation, and War
charleyroxy's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Abortion
jamesflint's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Pedophilia
Minor: Torture