Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

25 reviews

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

I finished this yesterday and I'm sure it will stay with me. A very powerful, intergenerational story of Palestinian-American women's lives. Multiple perspectives delving into abuse, motherhood, gender roles, education, and family secrets and lies. I was kept hooked by the mystery elements and the ending lingers in my mind.  

Help Amira save her husband Muhammad from Gaza 👉 https://www.gofundme.com/f/from-dreams-to-ruins-help-my-family-survive

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Islamophobia, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death and Abortion

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-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

4.5

This was harrowing but I could not put it down; I read it in 2 sittings 😳

It came up on my BookTok whilst I was searching for Palestinian authors. I’m so glad to have read it. The narratives of Fareeda, Isra and Deya were incredibly engaging. I’m also very grateful to have learned some Arabic terms (e.g. naseeb = destiny/fate).

I was shaken up when Sarah shared the newspaper clipping of Isra’s murder with Deya. But I am grateful that the actual murdering by Adam was never shared in the story. Isra had that last shred of hope 🥲

4.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨ Content warnings included below!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

jkreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was breathtaking. So thought-provoking, challenging, dark, hopeful, and gut-churning. The prose was lush and emotive without being overly flowery - to me this was a great example of “showing not telling”. This book didn’t need to tell me how to feel because the plot did that all on its own. The climax of this book felt inevitable, it was very obvious where it was going almost from the start, and yet somehow when it was revealed it still managed to feel like a gut punch. Incredible, incredible writing. Etaf Rum has cemented herself as a must-read author for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, and War

moonadjacent's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad slow-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? No

3.5

There aren't that many events that actually go into the plot and the mystery is not much of a focal point so mystery-lovers would probably be disappointed with the 'reveal'. This book is much more about the characters, their relationships with each other, intergenerational trauma, and the cycle of abuse/violence from colonialism to sexism to family violence. 

Two excerpts that showcase these themes: 

"...had taught her that the traumas of the world were inseparably connected. She was not surprised when her father came home and beat them mercilessly, the tragedy of the Nakba bulging in his veins... She knew that the suffering of women started in the suffering of men, that the bondages of one became the bondages of the other."

"...how shame could grow and morph and swallow someone until she had no choice but to pass it along so that she wasn't forced to bear it alone... She saw the chain of shame passed from one woman to the next so clearly now, saw her place in the cycle so vividly." 

With the bleakness of the violence described, it would be easy to feel hopeless and unable to see a pathway for Deya (central character) to ever become a well-adjusted young woman free to make her own choices. However, while the author does not shy away from some quite graphic descriptions they also manage to maintain some sense of hope throughout the book. I believe the sense of wonder and escapism that books and storytelling bring to the characters is what helps keep this seemingly unwarranted hope stay alive.

Although the novel is somewhat repetitive in its recounting back and forth between set events and timeframes, I stayed hooked and eager to read til the end. I think Etaf Rum has done well to portray and give voice to a story that is true representation for a number of some. Even in the book, there is evidence that religion is not the basis for all culture, and culture cannot be taken as the sole basis for every action taken by a specific family or individual. How these influences manifest will be different for all and unfortunately terrible for some. Hopefully anyone with critical thinking skills can discern this difference and more of these stories can be shared without fearing potential backlash such as increasing prejudice towards Islam or Palestine.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Genocide, Rape, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Child death, Suicide, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Murder

sassyykassie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Abortion

Minor: Child death, Genocide, Xenophobia, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War

casira's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This book struggles, at times, with the message it ultimately wants to convey about its themes. There are a lot of complexities surrounding abusers and victims that are handled very well, but also some that are handled a bit poorly. It is ultimately about conveying the significance of choice and shaping one's own destiny, but that messaging can fall flat in circumstances when the choices at hand are entangled in questions of personal safety. There are moments that glorify a willingness to withstand torture and physical assault over "running away" that don't resonate in quite the way I think the author intended.

I'm also struggling a bit with the aspects of culture and tone regarding America, identity, and assimilation. I think Rum failed somewhat in marking the distinction between "there are elements of Arab/Palestinian culture that reinforce and enable abuse" and "Arab/Palestinian culture is inherently abusive." The reader walks away with a somewhat explicit message about the superiority of Western society. I think Rum's second book handles these themes far better.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Murder, and Pregnancy

clovetra's review against another edition

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.

---

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.

---

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!!!

---

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

jordynkw's review

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol