yourbookishbff'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, War, Torture, Grief, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Colonisation, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Death, and Trafficking
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Cancer, Misogyny, and Deportation
crybabybea'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Torture, Death of parent, Islamophobia, Racism, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and War
flysick'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? No
4.75
Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
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
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, Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, War, Confinement, Genocide, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Violence, and Rape
alisha94'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Torture, Pregnancy, War, Police brutality, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
sirissacgluten'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, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, War, Colonisation, Genocide, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Islamophobia, Abortion, and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Excrement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Vomit, Alcohol, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Torture, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, and Medical trauma
clarereadstheworld'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
From her isolation cell in an Israeli jail, Nahr tells us her story; from her brief first marriage, through the traumas of war, displacement and sexual exploitation, to the discovery of her homeland, and finally finding a place she felt she could belong. If only there could have been a happy ending.
Like many privileged people living in the west, I knew relatively little of the suffering of the Palestinian people until the violence which erupted around Gaza last summer. If I was shocked by what I learnt last May, it was nothing compared to what I felt reading this book. To say I was heartbroken for the loving innocent Nahr, and the life she wasn't allowed to live is such an understatement. Yet I was also in awe of her strength and resilience, as she was able to pick herself up and reconstruct her life again and again. Despite all the trauma she lived through, the simple fact that she was able to keep going, and find hope again was beautiful.
I loved all the main characters in this book, from Sitti Wasfiyeh the grouchy, seemingly ungrateful grandmother who actually has a heart of gold, to the Jumana who despite a false start turns out to be a true friend. Abulhawa creates such moving characters, with real complexity and depth.
Although the Israeli occupation of the West Bank is very much the core of this novel, so much else is explored in these pages. I found Nahr's attempts at finding love again after trauma, Bilal's gentle patience particularly moving. The ambiguous Um Buraq who both ruined and saved Nahr's life was a character I started off hating, but grew to love despite myself. She stood for women's freedom to do what they want with their bodies, even if that is have sex for money.
Graphic: Hate crime, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, War, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Gun violence
jeanniea'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
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Infertility, Rape, and Torture
kirstenf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Police brutality, Abortion, Death, Torture, Miscarriage, War, Antisemitism, Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Murder, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Medical content, Infidelity, and Cancer
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexism, and Drug use