Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Impatient by Djaïli Amadou Amal

12 reviews

stardust_ashes's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.0

A travers l'histoire de trois filles et jeunes femmes, nous découvrons les mariages arrangés et polygames dans la culture peule. Elles doivent faire face à de la violence physique et morale. Ce livre permet de faire découvrir la place de la femme, et la réponse qui leur est donnée à toutes leurs questions: "Munyal" - "Patience". 

C'est donc une histoire bouleversante sur les droits des femmes qui aborde de nombreux sujets difficiles. Lecture compliquée mais nécessaire. Très lourd de sens et de force.

J'ai cependant trouvé un bémol au récit. La narration est très passive: beaucoup de choses sont racontées mais pas montrées et du coup cela enlève un côté immersif. Ce livre est un moyen pour les femmes de reprendre le contrôle de leur histoire mais je trouve que cet aspect passif enlève un peu de force à l'histoire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

joelle_lecturechocolathe's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

Minor: Drug abuse, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

petitpoucetreveur's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

3.0

Ce livre me laisse profondément partagée. Je trouve que c'est un roman important et efficace dans son projet de donner la parole à des femmes qui ne l'ont pas, de montrer une réalité sociale et culturelle qui semble si inconcevable et révoltante pour des lecteurs occidentaux du XXIe siècle. Le parcours de ces trois femmes, leur oppression et leur souffrance imposés par une culture patriarcale et misogyne ne doit pas être ignoré sous prétexte que ce n'est pas agréable à lire. C'est un livre immersif et sans pitié pour son lecteur qu'il plonge dans la dureté d'une société où les femmes ne sont que des épouses en devenir, condamnées à la volonté de leur père et mari. Néanmoins, bien que je comprenne l'importance de ce type de témoignage, l'écriture ne m'a pas convaincu. Elle est simple, droit au but, un brin redondante. Dans une certaine mesure, cette simplicité stylistique participe à l'authenticité du discours, mais d'un autre côté, je déplore une forme de pauvreté du style d'écriture. Je pense qu'une écriture plus travaillée aurait pu accompagner le destin de ces femmes. Après, là n'était peut-être pas l'objectif, et ce n'est qu'un reproche tout à fait personnel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual assault

Minor: Miscarriage

themeanfrench's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

colourism

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

 The Impatient is a novel from Cameroon which explores the issues of polygamy and forced marriage through the experiences of three different women. The realities of not being permitted a choice in who you marry, in having your husband take another wife and being expected to welcome and train her, of arriving in a strange home and being subservient to and subject to the whims of a first wife who resents your presence, of having no rights or fallbacks if your husband becomes violent - all these and more are canvassed in this short but impactful story. The women resisted, fought back, and tried to gain agency, not always in admirable ways. But in a situation where they have no rights and no protections it is easy to see why they may have made the choices they did. A powerful read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual violence

year23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? No

5.0

It’s hard to put into words the emotions this book evokes - rage, despair, hatred, agony. I had some notion of the practice of forced marriage and polygamy but this was one of the most raw portrayals of its damage and tyranny over women’s lives in this region (Camaroon). Your heart will break. I know these stories will stay with me for a long time. 

But what stands out to me maybe most of all is this title, and it’s resonance in the way each woman chooses to fight back, to reclaim her self, her place, her choices. They are each impatient in a world determined to erase them with the command “Munyal”.

There’s so much to unpack in this short book - it’s so clearly an important text. I highly recommend though do check the content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

lindcherry's review

challenging dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicidal thoughts

pyronautphea's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Eating disorder

eri_s_library's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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

4.0

This book slapped me straight in the face with a power I didn't expect. It's so casually written which makes it even more powerful. Narrated by three different women, with three different points of view on how forced marriage can be so challenging and rough for young women. Still, it is a heavy subject please make sure to check the tw before you start reading. If you know one of those guys that say that feminism is not necessary and say it's a just whim, make them read this book it'll show them how it's still very important nowadays and how unfair it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence