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anna_wa's review
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Homophobia, Excrement, Vomit, and Antisemitism
samdalefox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a glorious and heart wrenching scream of Palestinian identity. Nahr is a woman of many names and many countries. The narrative showcases the challenges faced by the Palestinian people while emphasizing their remarkable resilience, demonstrating their capacity to find hope and joy amidst heartbreak and injustice. It is an ordinary tale that showcases the extraordinary spirit of Palestinian people. Tough to get through (see content warnings), but a great way to get people to recognise Palestinians as wonderful, complex, oppressed people who need our solidarity and support.
Favourite quotes
"I find that reporters and writers that come here don't actually want to listen to me or hear my thoughts, except where I might validate what they already believe" .
"I had not known the extent of our subordination until I knew what it meant to be respected."
"When powerless, following world events only highlights your impotence"
"I should have said it again, that her embroidery was more special than any desk job could be, that she was an artist, that western images of professional women don't have to apply to us, that concepts of respectability and modernity or manufactured".
"The ceaseless accumulation of injustice made me want to fight the world"
"Can something expected still be surprising?"
"The belonging and acceptance I had found was an illusion."
"I colonised the colonisers' space of authority. I made myself free in chains and held that courtroom captive to my freedom."
"The state will always find a way to imprison those who are truly free. Who do not accept social, economic, or political chains."
"You must accept them and accept them with love, for these innocent people have no other hope. They are in effect still trapped in a history which they do not understand and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it." - James Baldwin
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, and Murder
The protagonist does sex work for a while, which carries the usual increased risk of harms listed above.studydniowka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Colonisation
sydapel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
ka_cam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abortion and War
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Racial slurs, and Medical content
epellicci's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Nahr is a woman searching for her identity - a journey that begins in Kuwait, and eventually through trauma, struggle and joy ends in Palestine. Told between flashbacks and present day Nahr as she suffers through 16 years of solitary confinement in "The Cube", it is a declaration of survival, and a harrowing portrait of life under colonisation and impossible decisions. She is unquestionably a figure of strength. Unbearably honest at times, she inspires empathy and admiration, whether you are able to agree with all her choices or not. This book was haunting. Something I shall return to again and again.
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Confinement, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Abortion
Minor: Racial slurs
orireading'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mansinnikam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
aaronjdilkes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War
hilarylouise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cancer