Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Blue Between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa

15 reviews

amargada_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

One of the best books I’ve read this year. It reminded me of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi because was a multigenerational storyline that managed to weave real life events into a fictional story. I haven’t wept this hard for a book in a while but it was hard not to when everything described in the book is actually happening to real life people. Like Homegoing, it also touches on mental illness and how cultures across the globe view things like schizophrenia as having “gifts.” In this case, one of the matriarchs is able to speak to Djinn but those around her see it as a power and look to her for guidance. 10/10 and a book I’m bound to reread.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

ialim01's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

thewitchsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Ik wilde voor deze Asian Readathon ook graag een boek van een Palestijnse auteur lezen.
De eerste paar hoofdstukken moest ik er even in komen, maar toen gebeurde er echt zoiets heftigs in het boek dat ik niet kon stoppen met huilen. Vanaf dat punt moest ik gewoon doorlezen. Susan schuwt grafische omschrijvingen niet, dus zeker een TW daarvoor. Daarentegen is het ook nodig om grafisch te zijn, want dat is nou eenmaal wat oorlog is. 
Enige minpuntje vond ik dat ik soms zinnen een paar keer moest lezen om ze taaltechnisch te begrijpen, maar dat kan ook aan de vertaling liggen.
Dit boek heeft me ontzettend ontroerd en aangegrepen, helemaal met de oorlog die nog altijd gaande is in Gaza. 
#freepalestina

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and War

Moderate: Sexual assault

blueghost's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

chi__'s review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Deportation

Minor: Addiction

niamhyjay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Moderate: Pedophilia

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

It doesn't quite meet the sky-high reputation of Mornings in Jenin, but it's a great book. 

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Content Warnings

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

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

Amazing story of love, loss, and family. With mornings and Jenin was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Here once things actually started moving toward resolution they kept going with more minor hiccups. 
Tw: SA SV, and narcissistic abuse, pedophilia

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

morybaby's review

dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

I think everyone should read this book. 
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. 

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Content Warnings

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

hayley4297's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and War