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geoalice23's review
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Jag har läst Susan Abulhawas tidigare två böcker som jag älskat och denna var inget undantag! Jag älskar Abulhawas språk och hon får mig verkligen att vara närvarande i det jag läser. Det ger mig en mer djupgående insikt i hur livet för palestinier kan vara (och är), oavsett var de bor. Hur det är att ständigt leva i exil, när man har ett ben på flera platser utan att känna sig riktigt hemma på något av dem. Jag uppskattar också att få lära känna så mycket av kulturen: kläder, mat, musik, högtider, familjesammansättningar, seder och bruk. Allt utan att det känns som en info-dump, utan helt integrerat i handlingen.
Jag gillar att Nahr inte är undfallande, att hon har skinn på näsan och är intelligent. Ibland blev jag ändå irriterad på en del av hennes beslut, men det bevisar bara att hon är en komplex människa, precis som många är.
Ett citat från boken som fick mig att tänka till:
"Jag märker att reportrar och författare som kommer hit egentligen inte vill lyssna på mig eller få reda på något om mig, förutom sådant som bekräftar den berättelse de redan tror på."
Detta stämmer in på de flesta människor (även mig), det är därför det är så svårt att få någon att ändra åsikt. Istället för att söka mig till den vanliga nyhetsrapporteringen om den nuvarande konflikten i Palestina/Israel, som oftast är pro-israelisk trots att den ska vara oberoende, så vänder jag mig till andra källor (t ex Amnesty) som jag tycker mer överensstämmer med min egen bild. Rätt eller fel? Finns väl inget enkelt svar där heller...
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Colonisation, and Deportation
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Excrement, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
autumn33344's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Colonisation
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Torture, and War
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kipsfj'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
Sexual abuse
Rape
Torture
A moving, gripping read, but please read the trigger warnings. As they can be shocking
Against the Loveless World is an emotional and stark view into the world of Nahr, a Palestinian refugee. She is narrating her own story from The Cube, an inhumane prison cell designed by the Israelis, where she is a political prisoner. Nahr tells her story from her beginnings in Kuwait, and how her family were once again forced to become refugees.
She tries to help her family however she can, even prostituting herself with violent men at one point. But her family never go without.
When she returns to Palestine to her husband’s family in order to divorce him, she meets his brother and falls in love. However, this is the start of more problems for her, as she becomes radicalised.
This is a very powerful and affecting story which creates authentic images of the on-going struggle between Palestine and Israel. I recommend it very highly indeed
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Torture and Violence
franciscalmr'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Death and Genocide
bookwormdystopian2'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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Moderate: Rape, Torture, and Abortion
Minor: Cancer
florecita_lectora'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Torture, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual violence, Grief, and Abortion
Minor: Pregnancy
corriejn's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
katieocakes'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Abortion, Colonisation, War, and Deportation
art_anthology'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? No
5.0
I knew how short the book was and really rationed each page so that i could absorb every word, every character and every emotion that was buried within this story.
Not only was I engrossed in the ficticious life events of Nahr, which culminated in a pilgrimage of self understanding. Her pondering yet piercing stillness that plagued "the cube chapters", cruely took a hold of my heart and I could not look away from the horrors detailed. It is heartbreaking but nessesary to be constantly faced with the cruelty of man.
Each character was surrounded in a veil of humanity that impacted their thoughts feelings and actions. Bot one character was the same at the beginning and end, something thst truly stood out to me.
Take for instance the strong, dominating matriarch Sitti Wasfiyeh complex relationship with all her closest family is devastatingly human. Even as we read her jibes and remarks seem to become background noise and we are acustomed to her quirks.
Just like we are part of the family we begin to remember that
"We're all she has in the world "
Abulhawa creates perfectly imperfect characters, who otherwise would be labeled as morally grey (a descriptor that i personall feel should stay in fantasy)yet who when allowed to interact with others bring out their inermost self and prove to be some of the most compelling chatacters. Yes I am talking about
This is a good book to understand the Palestinian experience, Abulhaw never looses sight of the real-life backdrop thatvthe characters are placed within. As a fictional memoir that is so tragically rooted in oppression, key emphasis is put into educating the readers by immersing them in the cultural landscape that spans not only the hillofand vinyards of Palestine but the Ocean of Kuwait and the bustle of Jordan. I feel that this book has layed a foundation that i know that i will continue to build on when I consume media about the Middle East, specifically these 3 countries.
I'm not going anywhere. I’m tired of being chased out of wherever I am in the world. Out of Haifa, then out of Ein el-Sultan, then Jordan, and now Kuwait? No. I’ll just die here instead of facing another exodus. I’m too old for this shit that these shit people keep doing to us. Shit. All of it—shit!”
-Sitti Wasfiyeh
Each time Palestinian Embroidery was discussed honestly it filled my heart with so much joy and warmth ( yes i did cry each time). I encourage all to explore the rich beauty in Tatreez ( embroidery) patterns. So that we can all marvel at the intricacy and skill of all artisans.
Graphic: Confinement, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Torture, and Abortion
Content warnings I wouldnt consider these spoilers but want to be considerate