Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

114 reviews

elanuruysal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

kiramke's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

1.75

I'm glad this book exists for people who need it. But it was a drudge of a book, not well-written except maybe to a very specific target audience.  That does not impact my sympathy for anyone in any similar situation, of course.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

moriak's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Murder

rarasreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism

christiec5's review against another edition

I just couldn’t with the depressing story. Women beat down mercilessly and are treated as if they’re worth less than dirt. I know it’s an important story but I also don’t have to read if it I don’t want to 🤷‍♀️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Rape

my_weird_bookish_heart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Rape, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Sexual content, Violence, and Physical abuse

sydapel's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring fast-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? No

4.5

I had little to no idea what to expect going into this (it was on my every growing list of recs from TikTok and I picked it up purely on a whim), and boy oh boy did  it make me confront my privilege in a few big way. The recent craze of the Barbie movie has centered a lot of white feminist thinking in my brain (it's still an excellent movie that makes a lot of good points), and I'm very glad I read this book soon after to remind myself that domestic violence and limitation of girls' education are still real issues that cultures are permeated with. The characters in this book feel both rich and raw with emotion, and the fierce hope they manage to hold onto in unimaginable circumstances is incredible. Additionally, the author manages to capture the real feelings of hesitation of guilt they feel at acting outside their roles as obedient wives and mothers with such empathy, and you get this complete picture of women at odds with themselves, trapped in a culture that actively harms them, still seeking love and care in whatever ways they can find it.  It's beautifully done, and I'm so glad I read it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Murder, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Minor: Islamophobia, Colonisation, and War

arszania's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

misslaurenreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Honestly this book was incredible. A lot of reviewers say it was repetitive, but bear in mind it is being told from three different perspectives so some of it is bound to repeat. It is a beautiful story of the strength of women and will definitely stick with me for a while.

Spoiler

the plot twist at the end?? So many different theories I may or may not have googled. The plot twist really is what knocked it down from 5 stars for me. I needed one more chapter…. Or even paragraph really… to give an explanation of what happens after the subway doors open.

all in all, it was a great read and I highly recommend it - just make sure you’re in the headspace for something pretty dark.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Xenophobia, Blood, and War

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?

---

Content Warnings

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

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

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