Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

15 reviews

lynettepv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The author really bring the reader into the feelings of desperation of the women. The trauma that is passed down through the generations of women And men 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

sakisreads's review

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• 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

4.5

This was harrowing but I could not put it down; I read it in 2 sittings 😳

It came up on my BookTok whilst I was searching for Palestinian authors. I’m so glad to have read it. The narratives of Fareeda, Isra and Deya were incredibly engaging. I’m also very grateful to have learned some Arabic terms (e.g. naseeb = destiny/fate).

I was shaken up when Sarah shared the newspaper clipping of Isra’s murder with Deya. But I am grateful that the actual murdering by Adam was never shared in the story. Isra had that last shred of hope 🥲

4.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨ Content warnings included below!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

the_readingraven's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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? N/A

5.0

I finished this book within 24 hours. It was incredibly heartbreaking, I cried throughout it and sobbed at the end. Please check the triggers for this book, but if you can handle it, please read this one. This is the kind of book that stays with you.

We follow 3 generational POV's of Palestinian women, ranging from the 1970's to 2009. They are from the same family who immigrated from Palestine to the US. As the reader, we learn of the cultural and religious circumstances each of these women are born into and must navigate. They each face different experiences and series of oppressions, some given onto one another. Honestly, a lot of it feels so unfair, I wanted to pull my hair out at how this family operates with their expectations of women. I have to say hats off to Etaf Rum. I am nervous when reading literary fiction since I have had some negative experiences with the genre before. Etaf writes in such a clear raw way that she wants you to feel the situation our characters are in. You feel the anger, confusion, the strangulation, of their situations, you just can't help but empathize with these women. 

I have such big feelings for the women in this book. I feel I can write a whole essay on them. Isra is the character we spend the most time with. It's so difficult to not empathize with her. She wants love, to be in love, to feel loved, but love is hard to reach for her. We watch her navigate marriage, motherhood, postpartum depression, and abuse. She's the character I cried the most for. Deya is another pov. She searches for the truth of what happened to her parent's past while trying to stand for what she believes in. Fareeda is the matriarch of the family and is the cause of a lot of pain the women in this book have to deal with. I honestly can not stand this character, and even though a lot about her past is revealed, I still despise her. 

In all, A Woman is No Man has got to be one of the most heart-wrenching books I have read. I am so glad that I read it and it is now one of my favorite books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Abortion

cosymidlifebooknook's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Three generations of Palestinian-American women living in Brooklyn are torn between individual desire and the strict senses of right and wrong in Arab culture. A Woman Is No Man is a heart-wrenching story of love, intrigue, strength and courage. 

We follow the inter-twinning stories of Isra, her daughter Deya, and her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda, exploring the complexities of family, culture, identity and honour.

Palestine 1990. 17 year book loving Isra is quickly married off and moves to Brooklyn, America with dreams of more freedom for a woman, but struggles to adapt to the control and the expectations of her mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam.

Brooklyn 2008. Isra's eldest daughter 18 year old Deya wants to go to college but her grandmother Fareeda is insistent on her meeting potential suitors.

CW/TW: This book contains themes related to domestic abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness which may be distressing or triggering for some readers.

My Bookish Thoughts 💬
To say I enjoyed reading this book doesn't seem right, I feel the book is important for shedding light on the often silenced voices of women within conservative communities in this day and age and closer to home than we might think. 

These are heartbreaking stories from women who are denied access to freedom to live, choose love and be educated. Women whose roles are as baby making machines to male heirs and to carry out the daily grind of never ending domestic chores.

The woman face oppression, shame, verbal and physical abuse and secrets slowly unfold to provide a heartbreaking and chilling story that needs to be told. 

I thought the characters were well portrayed and evoked a wide range of emotions in me. It's not an easy read but it's definitely a compelling and thought provoking read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

maydayfiction's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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? Yes

4.75

This was a rough one, and I was surprised that it was on Jenna Bush Hager's reading list, but I'm probably judging her unfairly based on her father. I thought the book unfolded very well, and I will definitely read this author again. Lots of digging fingernails into legs, though. Maybe that was on purpose to connect the generations of women?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abortion, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Murder

nonfictionfeminist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

eoneon's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

a much needed slap in the face : "il aurait fallu bien plus qu'une seule femme pour changer les choses. il aurait fallu toutes les femmes que comptait ce monde"
the hard part is how to save the women like farida who continue to perpetuate the generational trauma

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

greyemk's review

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

2.0

Didn’t care for this. Gratuitous violence throughout the whole book and the themes were heavy-handed. Characters felt flat, like people I had seen before, with the exception of Isra who was really the heart of the novel. That said I did breeze through it as the core mystery is quite engaging.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation

saraellenme's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Abortion, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Torture, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting