Reviews

In the Country of Others by Leïla Slimani

joenglish's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

vita_s_west's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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

4.0

nhawkins's review

adventurous emotional reflective 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

4.25

uogabunbuckis's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

taniapereira's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

aicha_ezz's review

dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

laurikas's review

emotional informative reflective sad 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? No

4.0

I read this book in Portuguese and it was very good. In fact, I found myself writing down several sentences. This reads as historical fiction, full of captivating characters and with a strong narrative.

 

nahlabooks's review against another edition

1.0

1,5
As a daughter of North African immigrants this was a huge disappointing read. I was seeking the tales that were never told and I just found more stereotypes.
The author is Moroccan, however she portrays Morocco filled with lazy stereotypes and disgust from a white person’s point. For example the woman are either illiterate and ugly with tough hair or beautiful with shiny hair but stupid. Either enemy or fetish object.
All the Moroccan men are portrayed as awful.
The only redeeming characters are white and they help the natives. It’s giving me strong white saviors vibes.
I don’t know what to think. What bothers me is that this isn’t a book for immigrant or Moroccan people but for white people. The target is the French population here so I’m afraid it is simply reinforcing the stereotypes and not denouncing anything at all.
Mathilde is married to a Moroccan m’en yet she despises the country and the people and never really learns to love it.
I was highly uncomfortable in all that subtle depiction of white people being superiors.
I hated the talk of freedom and how it was a white man character that brought it up.
However the writing style was fluid and nice

anskutiti's review against another edition

emotional

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

ccz's review against another edition

informative 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? No

3.5