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nyne's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Murder
Moderate: Self harm and Pregnancy
hanamany's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
meadhbh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I used to think that I didn't like historical fiction. It seemed boring and stuffy to me, and I could never really get into it.
I mostly still feel the same, but a series of non-Western modern history books have been slowly warming me to it. The Seven Moons of Mali Almeida and Mexican Gothic are two other recent reads I have loved.
This book is mostly about Leila and her friends, but it's also about Istanbul. It's about communism, and Islam, and sex work, while also not really being about any of those things. Read it.
Graphic: Death, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Transphobia, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Genocide
irenemarie's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Self harm, Sexism, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Pregnancy
williamgideon's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse and Pedophilia
Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
ruthmoog's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
shahdhazem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Transphobia, Murder, and Pregnancy
milliminal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The concept, the narrative, the cast of diverse characters and stories, the vivid and immersive descriptions of Istanbul
What I disliked:
The sheer amount of trauma, which almost started feeling like sensationalism, especially when accompanied with little to no reflection on it. (I wish I had read the trigger warnings before hand.) How much the first part slogged in comparison to the second and third parts.
It was a good read but does not make me motivated to read other works by Shafak.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
bethnash's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Self harm, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
leahrosiee's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail