ashort'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
Moderate: Abortion, Rape, Sexual assault, and War
katiechasingchapters'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, War, Colonisation, Police brutality, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abortion, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Miscarriage
clarabelitz'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Rape
Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion, Sexual content, and War
cgbr'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: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Sexual content, Rape, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia and Abortion
random19379'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Xenophobia, Grief, Genocide, Violence, War, Rape, and Colonisation
Minor: Vomit, Abortion, and Sexual assault
literarydeejay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Abortion, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, and Torture
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: Racism, Hate crime, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: War and Abortion
Minor: Child death, Medical content, Racial slurs, Cancer, Ableism, Addiction, and Animal death
esestrada's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Abortion
rachelsbookishlife's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Death, Sexual harassment, War, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Abortion, Death of parent, Cancer, and Death
Minor: Drug use
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i like how the novel chronicles the personal, individual story - that of the main character nahr, specifically - in a way that nevertheless relays the bigger tale of palestine and its culture. nahr goes thru a lot of ups and downs, her incredibly difficult decisions shaped by larger political forces out of desperation for survival. her growth from a naive teenage girl, to a woman free of shame or care for social conventions, to a hardened political prisoner is a tumultuous one that im sure is similar to those of many palestinian refugees'. i also rly like her relationship w/ bilal, who's almost unrealistically understanding and loving, and the ending gives me much hope.
what touches me most abt this book, however, is the love so clearly seen and felt it has for palestine and its ppl. my fav scenes are those in palestine, particularly ones that take place in and around hajjeh um mhammad and bilal's home: the serene, expansive nature; the sense of community from everyone coming tgt for harvests, celebrations, homecomings; the culture lovingly relayed thru food, cooking, customs. despite the ever encroaching israeli settlements and violent political + military forces, palestinians survive and persist both above- and underground, finding joy in the small things, their love for their community and country ever present even in the face of outrageous injustice and hatred from both israel and the world that simply looks on.
i'd say that the novel's major weakness is the political activities by bilal and co, esp pertaining to the underground city. the covert activities occur thruout the second half in stops and starts, w/ too lil action imo for the amount of prep taken. the underground resistance always lurks on the fringes, and is perhaps a very fitting symbolism, but nahr's connection to it is too obscure for me personally. the last showdown also seems an uncharacteristic misstep on bilal's part esp considering not only the high stakes but his personal stakes in it all, and im still a lil confused at the timing and why it went down like that.
nevertheless, this is an important story - not only bc it's a voice from an oft silenced group of ppl whos been facing continuous oppression and colonization, but also as a story on its own. told from a fierce narrator who's inspiring in her no-fvcks-given ways, the novel brims w/ love for its community, culture and country, and would hopefully spur many of its readers into action, like it did me. last but not least, fvck israel.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, War, Violence, Colonisation, Confinement, Racism, Misogyny, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Torture, Death, Infidelity, Abortion, Sexual content, and Murder
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Child death