Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

20 reviews

clovetra's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

this book was heartbreaking in so many ways
ill be honest, i find trying to put my thoughts of this novel into words is quite difficult. i have many feelings over this story. 
i felt like crying most of the time whilst reading this book. i did not expect this book to be *this* harrowing. 
i love how there are perspectives from all three generations, and i enjoyed seeing each woman challenge the others thoughts and at times reinforce them.
ill be honest and say many aspects of this book were played up with an air of mystery, which seemed quite predictable for me. i don't feel like its right for me to comment on if its predictable nature was fair or not, but i will say it was a tad frustrating solely from a reader's perspective when mysteries were dragged on for so long.
i'll also say i am a bit disappointed at the ending. i understand the point of the last chapter - im not mad about that. i more so would've liked to see a general change in the atmosphere of fareeda's household. sure change doesn't happen over night, but i don't know, even possibly a chapter of fareeda

reconnecting with sarah, or deya visiting isra's grave

would've been nice. 
im conflicted on this book. it was quite a serious, emotional, and heavy story, which i usually stray from (i use my books as escapism, so reading incredibly depressing books usually destroys my mental health), but i will say this was written incredibly well. it feels tone-deaf to describe the writing as "beautiful" due to the content & subtext of this book, but i will say etaf rum has a magnificent way with words - it toes the line of lyrical yet colloquial which i adored. 
i was very tempted to give this 5 stars, but i didn't scramble to read this book at certain parts, but i will say at the end of part II is when i got really into this book. before that, i wont deny, i was gripped by the plot, but only once the plot picked up, so did my interest. i also do think some of the speech the characters use is a bit forced and clunky, but it wasn't a glaring issue
the book can also be a bit repetitive at times with its dialogue, and it does sometimes feel like groundhog day. i feel i cant properly fault the book on this issue as it fits in its context, but yet again, as a reader it was a bit boring. that feels mean im so sorry
i don't know. i feel like this review is all over the place. and honestly, that's how i felt emotionally reading this book. i can see myself loving this book a lot more through a re-read though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide, Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide

elizabethww's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

This book was so emotional, so hard to read, and so real. The ending left me in awe with a feeling of confusion, until I began to put together some pieces of the story that I had found confusing when they happened. It all fell into place. In the end, I was flabbergasted – an amazing read. I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

I read Evil Eye last month and gave it 5 stars, and it's near impossible for me to give things 5 stars, so I figured this woman must be amazing I gotta read what else she has. Only one other book?! How heartbreaking! I need more! Etaf Rum the woman that you are!!!

I do feel that if I had read this book first and Evil Eye second, I still would've given Evil Eye 5 stars. These books were written for the culture. Not my culture, but the importance of them, the weight of them, were not just to represent Palestinians and Arabs, but to show other Arabs "this is who we are, we have stories to tell, and we have to be honest with ourselves" and I love that SO much. Etaf Rum you will always be famous!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Deportation

Minor: Body horror, Drug use, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Islamophobia, Stalking, and Car accident

lilystheme's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

i fucking love this book my god

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Genocide, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, and War

readingwithsierra's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Genocide and Colonisation

Minor: Abortion

ftmemobrew89's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Genocide

brennrul's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Deportation

Minor: Genocide

lesseraliterary's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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 read one star reviews for this book and y’all are dumb… the repetitiveness is the fucking point??? every day is the same??? bc they feel like they have no other option.. duh. their life is a cycle.. get pregnant, do chores, deliver baby, care for baby, cook meals, raise child, get shamed by family, repeat..
anyway i loved this but check the trigger warnings bc it’s heavy and it depicts abuse like on the fucking page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

lauren_holtry'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
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Car accident, Abortion, and War

foreverinastory's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

Wow. I am just speechless at this book. I need to process some more before I say anything. This was not an easy book to read, but wow it was incredible.

Rep: Two Palestinian women MC, one Palestinian-American girl MC, cast is made up of mainly Palestinian and Palestinian-American characters, most if not all are Muslim. One of the MCs suffers from depression.

CWs: Alcohol consumption, alcoholism, abandonment, abortion, blood, car accident, death, death of parent, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, genocide (mentions of Nakbah), grief, islamophobia (girls are told not to wear the hijab outside of the house/school), mental illness (depression), misogyny, murder, miscarriage (character forces herself to miscarry through physical violence to her stomach), physical abuse, pregnancy (several times), rape (marital rape), sexism, sexual content, suicidal thoughts, violence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Genocide, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Car accident