Reviews tagging 'Death'

Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi

8 reviews

k_kay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Such a brave beautiful exploration of feminism through Firdaus’ experiences as well as the impact she has on those around. Saawadi does not shy away from the short comings of feminism, particularly the illusions of autonomy under a patriarchal and classist society.
There were so many times I was angry and crying.
It’s not a hopeful read, but felt cathartic in its rawness. 
“For truth and death are similar in that they both require a great courage if one wishes to face them. And truth is like death in that it kills”

An incredibly emotional read, that I think speaks to experiences of many women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Rape

lizzardbeth99's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Abortion, Addiction, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Gore, Grief, Incest, and Kidnapping

purplehulk713's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Beautiful and terrible. Truthful. Firdaus is an indomitable woman, pulling away all of the veils placed over her eyes by the men in her society. El Saadawi wonderfully captures the hypocritical horrors of misogyny and male superiority through the eyes of a prostitute who you will learn is not at all disgraceful, but clever, wise, and honorable enough to realize that all the men in her life, all men who claim to protect women and describe each other as devout and heroic are the most sinful of liars. Firdaus spits upon all of these men, and finally conquers her own fear of repercussion by literally hitting it in the face. She realized the price of herself could never be paid by even the wealthiest man in the world. Read this book and remember that truth is both simple and savage, and that only the brave can acknowledge it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death

bdilley28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

4.0

I thought this book was very well written, and the different POVs tied together really well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Sexual content

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

this book was merely ok - albeit dark and insightful on an aspect of women's lives in egyptian society - originally, but 2/3 of the way thru things heated UP for real.

idk how representative firdaus and her tribulations were, but they were def shitty at every turn, w/ her being used by all the men in her life. her gradual, then rapidly crashing epiphanies and realizations abt women in a patriarchal, objectifying, power- & money-obsessed society were a gut punch. woman at point zero was also perhaps the first whose powerful patriarchy-hating declarations were able to actually make me legit moaned?? bc of how much i FELT them and their truth; they were so satisfying. 

we all knew how things would end, so there wasnt a lot of tension and anticipation while reading, thus this novel didnt elicit much emotions from me, but i still appreciate it for its bold truth-telling of how absolutely shitty it is to be a woman in a man's world, regardless of which part of the world it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Murder, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Child death and Death of parent

georgiarybanks's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

claudes's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion

libbygranger's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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

Ooft, this book was intense. Even with its 128-page-count, Woman at Point Zero took me a long time to get through because it was such an emotional read. Based on a true story, this devastating tale of one woman’s fight against the oppressions of the patriarchy is as harrowing as it is lyrical. Saadawi’s prose is gentle and pensive, even when describing the acts of violence inflicted upon our main character, Firadaus.  

More of a nonfiction vignette than a novella, Woman at Point Zero is an important modern classic in Egyptian literature that explores maintaining dignity and strength in the face of  oppression. But please check out the content warnings before you go into it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Death

Minor: Abortion and Child abuse