ladyinverse's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I found myself cheering or yelling oh no at the characters as I read the deeper and deeper I got into this story.
Etaf Rum is certainly a new auto buy author for me. Her writing is elegant and captivating and her story telling transports you to the characters she's portraying.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Grief, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: War and Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion
hancaavdic's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, and Toxic relationship
wtffffer's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Minor: Xenophobia, Rape, Abortion, and Blood
brennrul's review against another edition
- 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
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
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
3.25
It’s a story about a teenager chasing after the hazy and confusing memories of her deceased parents, about her mother’s loneliness after following the stranger she married across the world, and about her grandmother’s role in perpetuating the abuse that was done to her.
It’s a tough read, and my heart went out to these characters. The book does a good job of highlighting the struggles of refugee families living in the US, and of the dynamics of immigrant communities struggling with wanting to both succeed in a new country, and not lose their cultural identities. It also paints a really vivid picture of generational trauma and its far-reaching impact.
I listened to this in audiobook format, and I have to say the narrators did a really good job. The character voices, the use of multiple narrators, it all worked really well to make the story come to life.
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Child abuse, Abortion, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Blood and Islamophobia
shelvesofivy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
arszania's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Toxic relationship, Child death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Car accident, Alcohol, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Abortion, Alcoholism, and Blood
Minor: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Infertility
augie_'s review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Self harm, Addiction, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Pregnancy, War, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail