Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Het eiland van de verdwenen bomen by Elif Shafak

76 reviews

gentlemanjack's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

jimena_murray's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

heart achingly beautiful. a raw story i don’t think i am capable of summarizing with justice. topics of generational trauma, mental health, history, grief, past and present, all intertwined. 

it is important to note that this is not a plot heavy book with a linear sequence of events. i actually almost did not finish it. but i am so glad i did. trust me and trust the process. it is worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Hate crime, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

joanna_banana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed the story told by the fig tree that witnessed it all though overall I felt that some of the ways the tree felt or witnessed things was a little unbelievable…but I suppose that’s the magical realism part of the book! I liked Ada and Meryem’s relationship and how it changed, I liked learning more about Kosta and Defne’s love story. I was surprised the climax came a little soon and was somewhat overshadowed by other significant events. Glad I read it, learned much more about the history and current state of affairs in Cyprus, and enjoyed the details about trees and the natural world.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Hate crime and Homophobia

melreadsandrecs's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

batekillman's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Poignant personal stories of unimaginable strife (though fictional, based very closely on real life experiences), layered with beautiful lore and incredibly interesting factoids about the flora and fauna of the world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Death of parent, and War

divinehealer14's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

What a beautiful, compassionate, infinitely wise and empathic book, that explores the depths of grief, hope, love and the devastation of war with tender touch. 
The choice of giving a fig tree personality and perspective was truly unique and fascinating to me, and I was deeply interested and mesmerised by the lyrical witty observations on nature and humanity, and how they intertwine. Truly a wonderful book, and a necessary one 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Abortion, Pregnancy, and War

ellagrady's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and War

bootrat's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I enjoyed this book, and I learnt some more about the history of Cyprus and the struggle of the people living there, but I struggled to connect with the characters. I found myself liking the fig tree more than any of the humans, I wish I'd been able to sympathise with them more. 
Beautiful prose, metaphors, and comparisons, so if you like that then you'll love this book (but that style of writing isn't usually my thing).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Child death

helenabianca's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, and War

kaanda's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

So descriptive that I can clearly see the tavern and every character in it. A very beautiful and painful story with seamless flow. Loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Colonisation, and Classism