Reviews tagging 'Racism'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

9 reviews

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

I finished this yesterday and I'm sure it will stay with me. A very powerful, intergenerational story of Palestinian-American women's lives. Multiple perspectives delving into abuse, motherhood, gender roles, education, and family secrets and lies. I was kept hooked by the mystery elements and the ending lingers in my mind.  

Help Amira save her husband Muhammad from Gaza 👉 https://www.gofundme.com/f/from-dreams-to-ruins-help-my-family-survive

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Islamophobia, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death and Abortion

nadiaray's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.75

This is an excellent book. The themes of generational trauma, customs, misogyny and what is means to be a woman are all explored with excellence. This book made me emotional throughout the entire read. Phenomenal storytelling and character building. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Grief

ninajean's review against another edition

This was such a heart wrenching, but well written book. It follows three generations of a Palestinian family across two primary timelines. It captures the complexity of generational trauma, the rigidness of culture and religion and how that impacts beliefs, the violence of occupation and diaspora, and the oppression of women. I will say that this is an accessible read, in the way that the themes are very clearly written out for the reader to grab onto. The only issue I had with the book is that some parts started to feel repetitive, it just sorta felt like I was reading the same excerpts written in different ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Abortion, and War

sk1m086's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

capaurus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Eating disorder

dragongirl271's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense slow-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: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Child death and Racism

saskiahill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Moving, both hopeful and sad. Lots of harrowing content, so check the content warnings before deciding if you're happy to proceed, but nonetheless a great book which reflects the emotions, experiences and nuances of 3 generations of Palestinian women and the struggle of culture clashes and raising your daughter's differently when you know no other way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

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.

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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

shae_316's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Rape