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shaleen64'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? No
4.0
The story follows Nuri and Afra fleeing Syria through split timelines, which can be difficult to follow, but does not take away from the beautiful writing.
This is a book of love, hope and determination in the face of extreme hardship and loss.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence
chanatova'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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, War, and Deportation
Moderate: Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Deportation
eahhhhh's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder and War
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, and Pregnancy
sadiaa's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
melisayasilem'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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
helliepad's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Islamophobia, and Pregnancy
bethanstanleyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
katsbooks'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
4.5
“But in Syria there is a saying: inside the person you know, there is a person you do not know.”
“Sometimes we create such powerful illusions, so that we do not get lost in the darkness.”
“When you belong to someone and they are gone, who are you?”
This was a beautifully written novel. I really loved the format. Each chapter was split into two timelines and the transition happened literally mid-sentence. It was a super interesting way to format. The beginning of each chapter followed the main character and his wife in their current timeline as refugees seeking asylum in England and the end of every chapter recounted part of their journey from Syria. This story was so heart-breaking and intense. This is one of the few novels that made me genuinely cry. Nuri and Afra's journey was traumatic in so many ways and they way the author explored that was incredibly compelling. In her author's note, she wrote that she sought to answer the question "What does it mean to see?" While Nuri is the narrator, both he and his wife's narratives both explore that question. The novel really looks at what both Nuri and Afra "see" and how it affects their relationship. Afra is blind for most of the story and figuring out what caused her blindness is a major plot point. With Nuri, he sees things that make the reader question if they're real or not. I won't spoil anything but figuring out what Nuri is seeing (and if it is real) is also a major plot point. I found it to be a very interesting theme and I'll be thinking about it for a while.
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use and Injury/Injury detail
rolerunner's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and War
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy