Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

73 reviews

megansoetaert's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

5.0

A Woman Is No Man left me in tears. it is the story of womanhood, familial oppression & violence, identity, and voice. it shows how women replicate the patriarchy, enabling the men around them & forcing harm onto women and girls. 

Rum’s story is but one Palestinian story, one that is partially her own & one that many women experience. her bravery in writing about Isra, Deya, Sarah, and even Fareeda created a heartwrenching book that refuses to accept the way many Palestinian and Palestinian-American women are treated.

I loved Isra and Sarah so much, and their influence on Deya & Deya’s own bravery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

mmmmmm's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

this is the best book i’ve read in a long time (and i’ve promptly started evil eye). will need to grab a physical copy to reread with my eyes so i can underline things & such. 

absolutely devastating but in a way that felt so honest, with such an array of strong, complex characters. this is an absolute masterclass in exploring the damage of inter generational trauma, as well as how such a painful cycle is perpetuated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Minor: War and Xenophobia

brennrul's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Murder, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Rape, Child death, and Abortion

Moderate: Misogyny, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Deportation, Sexual violence, Grief, and Islamophobia

Minor: Genocide

slireads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Rape and Suicide

blakeandbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Car accident and Death

shelvesofivy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexism, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: War, Grief, Child death, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Blood

marissamartin's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

jmmreads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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: Rape, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Miscarriage

lindsayerin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: War and Injury/Injury detail

myachap's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.5

Its an important read. Its also important that its difficult to read. It tells the very real story of a family of women navigating being a woman within the context of religion, patriarchy, immigration, and society. It is supposed to be difficult. It is a great representation of the complex relationship between womanhood, themes of domestic and sexual violence, and the societal understandings of these, particularly within a cultural context.

With that being said, and I just want to note that I completely acknowledge that the novel is influenced by the author's own experiences and I by no means wish to invalidate that, I felt the novel did lack nuance. I completely feel the book has a powerful message and aims to erase and challenge the mindset many women, and then their children, are forced to believe, however it takes a long time to get there. It was often repetitive and while you do see character development and some redemption, I think the book sometimes struggled to balance the negative concept that all women are oppressed and its positive message that women have choice. But ultimately, I suppose its point is to show that unfortunately oppression and abuse is so widespread and ingrained. The novel is not supposed to be happy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse