colleenf's review
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Islamophobia, and Suicide
melissafulton's review against another edition
2.5
Quite torn over this one. I actually liked most of it. Loved the writing and the feeling of poetry surrounding many of the passages. Was disappointed with many of the depictions of women, which were either flat or relied on tired stereotypes. But I was overall very compelled by the story.
I would have rated this much higher if it weren't for the biggest problem I had with it: that the English translation changes the setting of the murder from America to Germany (from an American white supremacist to a German neo Nazi). Why was that necessary for the English version? It completely changes the context - completely ROBS it of its context. Very weird and very disingenuous.
smokeyshouse's review
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A lot if "telling" rather than "showing" in trying to convey the story of the Yezidi people. However, their story is fascinating and appalling. Overall the book left a feeling of incompleteness, or dissatisfaction, perhaps because of its short length. Remembered Reads on Booktube uncovered a fascinating deception in the English translation, where a crucial event that took place in America in the original Turkish text was changed to Germany in the English translation, which to me is fraudulent and unforgivable!
elenabcdefg's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
3.0
frasersimons's review against another edition
medium-paced
1.0
I didn't like anything much about this, and on top of that, I saw a reviewer discussing how the translation was so vastly different from the original in a fairly large portion, that I just felt like I could not trust anything about the novel.
rovingreader's review
challenging
dark
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
4.75
dianna_reads's review
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, and War
Moderate: Misogyny