Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

49 reviews

hultqur's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

lizzyreadz's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Wow! I had no idea of Rastafarian religion and it was incredible to learn from the powerful voice & journey of the narrator Safiya Sinclair.

Her words painted a thick picture of family, struggle, strength, fear, and forgiveness. She writes so beautifully it makes your heart cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

deen734's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Cancer, Infertility, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

ireanirean's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

sandiet's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Self harm

creativerunnings's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Cancer

larakatharina's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

dark inspiring slow-paced

4.5

Context: I chose How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair as an add-on to my Book of the Month box in October 2023. 

 

Review:

 

Safiya Sinclair delivers a beautifully written and powerful memoir of her life growing up under the tyranny of her abusive father, who uses his interpretation of the Rastafari faith to control Safiya, her siblings, and her mother. Although Sinclair got her start as a poet and frequently uses metaphor and figurative language in How to Say Babylon, her memoir is immensely readable and pulls the reader in with its literary quality. Sinclair is a master of language, but her memoir also reveals her mastery of storytelling structure, as each chapter feels like a cohesive whole that seamlessly builds upon the story of her life, her family, and her roots. Her retrospective on her upbringing demonstrates a keen awareness of the forces and personalities that shaped her life—nurturing and destructive, fleeting and abiding. She reminds us that above all else, courage and empathy are necessary to free ourselves from people and situations that work to keep us silent. 

 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Deportation

louiepotterbook's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, and Gaslighting

sillyduckie's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail