Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

24 reviews

kiramke's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

I'm glad this book exists for people who need it. But it was a drudge of a book, not well-written except maybe to a very specific target audience.  That does not impact my sympathy for anyone in any similar situation, of course.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

arszania's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.75

This was a rough one, and I was surprised that it was on Jenna Bush Hager's reading list, but I'm probably judging her unfairly based on her father. I thought the book unfolded very well, and I will definitely read this author again. Lots of digging fingernails into legs, though. Maybe that was on purpose to connect the generations of women?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abortion, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Murder

meaghanslibrary's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

I think it was really good but I also maybe wouldn’t recommend it to everyone because of the strong themes. I do wonder how much is based off of the author’s life because it was interesting reading her end thoughts about the book and it seems like it is really semi autobiographical. I think more of it is about her life then I initially thought. It was interesting to hear how she wrote this as a story fiction because she was afraid of what her family might think but yet she was also trying to break the silence and balance that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, War, and Classism

liannaengland's review against another edition

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Violence

eoneon's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

a much needed slap in the face : "il aurait fallu bien plus qu'une seule femme pour changer les choses. il aurait fallu toutes les femmes que comptait ce monde"
the hard part is how to save the women like farida who continue to perpetuate the generational trauma

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

jojo_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood, Islamophobia, and War

erikagibson126's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Car accident

Minor: Child death

saraellenme's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Abortion, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Torture, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

linesiunderline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

This is a difficult read - the kind of book that gives you the feeling of being there, right alongside someone going through traumatic, life altering experiences. I felt connected to all of the female protagonists and I think Rum did an outstanding job crafting women who were multifaceted and who seemed authentic.

Why not 5⭐️? For me, when reading this type of story that is often harrowing, I appreciate a style that is more poetic than I found here. This is not to say that Rum’s prose is weak. It’s more direct, and perhaps for some this might make the events / themes come across even more powerfully. Personally, I like a little more rich use of language in narratives with heavier themes and content. 

A strong reading experience that made an impact and left me eager to read more by this writer.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy