Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Morgon i Jenin by Niclas Nilsson, Susan Abulhawa

20 reviews

nineinchnails's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

 this book broke me. this was definitely hard to get through at some parts, knowing it was first published in 2006, because despite it being 2023 almost nothing has changed. this is technically historical fiction but so much of this has been written around real life events in palestine and even if the characters are fictional their trauma isn't. the story is beautifully written (albeit slightly confusing with the switching of narrator) and gut-wrenchingly painful. it follows the lives of 4 generations within a single family against the backdrop of 1948-2002 palestine.

it feels weird to rate this book like i would other fiction novels, since many of these fictional events are recurring as we speak. what i will say is that anyone even slightly interested in learning about palestine stands to gain a lot from reading this book. while it is definitely heavy and dark, it shows so much beauty in the land and culture too. the story switches hands between characters a fair amount here but i think it works in its favour and is necessary to tell this particular story. i don't think anything i write here could do this book justice but i loved this book from front to cover and i don't think the contents will ever leave my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Antisemitism, Dementia, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Rape

liannaengland's review against another edition

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Murder

katharina90's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A heartbreaking, powerful, beautifully written book about the Palestinian experience and the world's indifference to and complicity in past and present atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.

"How does one live in a world that turns away from such injustice for so long? Is this what it means to be Palestinian, Mother?"

"For if life had taught her anything, it was that healing and peace can begin only with acknowledgment of wrongs committed."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Moderate: Confinement and Torture

Minor: Alcoholism and Rape

readwmichelle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Dementia, and Kidnapping

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Sexism, Torture, and Blood

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

alisha94's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Deportation

annainthebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Sexual content and Torture

Minor: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, and Dementia

perenian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

Mornings in Jenin is many things. It is a personal history of Palestinian strife, a commentary on the effects of war, a book that chronicles Palestinian life from the 1940s to the 2000s, an eye-opener.

As I read the novel, I felt like I held decades of Palestine’s pain in my hands. I was given a Palestinian heart in words—an imperfect, messy heart that bled stories and reflection and frustration and fear. And it was this that led me to understanding (or sympathy, at the very least). It all begs the question: is Palestine really a Jewish homeland if it must be colonized?

For me, the most impactful part was the inclusion of multiple generations. Yehya represented the deepest root of Palestine: he was uprooted from his land but refused to wither away and die without a piece of it in his hands. Hasan was younger; he watched as all he knew was taken away from him and went to fight for it without hesitation. Then it came to Yousef and Amal, who watched everything and everyone they loved be destroyed. It was their blood that watered Palestinian soil. I was angry for them, and I mourned their losses with them. I cried for Amal when she became Amy—no more long vowel of hope, no hope left in her but to continue.

Mornings in Jenin served as a reminder to me of love at its most human. We see love blossom and break people down all in the same breath. We see the characters’ love for Palestine and each other. We see how they love fiercely to the very end. 

In terms of criticism, however:

Amal’s connections to her home, to her family, to her emotions, could’ve been a way to explore her character further. In fact, because family seemed to be such a significant theme, I expected a deep dive into the relationships between the characters. I felt that they were a bit shallow, though. I suppose that “connection” can be a sort of overarching theme that ties it all together (albeit loosely).

The multiple narratives made the entire novel a tad convoluted, and the ending felt too abrupt, too detached. Many loose ends were left untied, and it left me feeling like the novel was unfinished.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, and Rape

Not a light read by any means, but definitely worth your time.

jamesflint's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Minor: Rape and Torture