Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

43 reviews

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

I finished this book with tears in my eyes, and that wasn’t the first time it brought me to tears. This story is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. The characters go through so much and their stories are told with such reverence. I loved the multi-timeline, multi-narrator style of storytelling, and the writing itself was stunning — I highlighted so many passages! The unique perspective of the tree and the attention paid to the natural world throughout made this book absolutely fascinating to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pregnancy

bethancy's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

I was a bit intimidated by this book at first, but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. This books is so beautiful and is packed with powerful images, revelations, and emotion. I really loved it, and the story will remain with me for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Abortion, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape and Fire/Fire injury

mraddd's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Islamophobia, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, and Sexual content

sarabookshelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad

4.75

For someone like me who comes from a war-torn country, whose parents are of different ethnicities and religions, one of whom recently passed away, this book might have hit a bit too close to home. 
It is beautiful, emotional, thought provoking book which touches on a myriad of topics such as migration, displacement, war, love, religion, generational trauma and has a lot of history woven throughout the story. The choice of the narrator and book structure is unusual, and the characters are all well-rounded and persons in their own right, even minor storylines are thought out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism

dearbhlanoonan's review

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

layayayle's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

dany_casimiro's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

The care that goes behind every word in The Island of Missing Trees is astonishing. It is a very nuanced story, not only for its deep concern with diaspora, history, and memory, but also because it is at all moments aware of the natural world and how it relates to humans. Without ever crossing into annoyance, the fig tree provides a very curious point of view that adds newer meanings to the pre-existing multiplicity of narrative layers.
The idea of memory intertwined with nature is absolutely brilliant. In this case, the fig constitutes a surprisingly refreshing metaphor from roots to branches, perfectly encapsulating the nostalgia for one's past and land.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

minareadsa19e1's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, and War

arshiya_amreen90786's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

shhh_tamis_reading's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I’m so thankful this book was recommended. It’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve read. 

I adored all of the characters, especially the Fig Tree. In fact the chalets narrated by the Fig Tree may be my favorites. The entire book comes together with sacred beauty. 

I also now want to learn more about Cyprus which I was ignorant of before. I appreciate the author’s book list at the back of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism