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saskiacb's review against another edition
4.0
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and War
iriwindel'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
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, and War
Minor: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Suicide
asainspace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Addiction and Drug abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse, Genocide, and Antisemitism
james1star'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
Bouraoui’s work of autofiction tells her story of being a lesbian in 1980s Paris exploring her sexuality and identity under the backdrop of a growing threat (AIDS) and a legacy of silence and shame within the queer community. This marks the ‘chapters’ (they’re tiny, none more then three pages) headed ‘Becoming’ with the others: ‘Remembering’ and ‘Knowing’ giving the reader insight into Nina’s childhood split between Algeria and France, where her Father and Mother are from respectively. There is rather minimal plot but you don’t read it for this, the poetic, lyrical, mesmerising, darn right beautiful prose pulls you in and refuses to let you go from page one right to the very end. The writing is so exquisite leaving me stunned on nearly every page, I underlined whilst reading and only about 70% is left untouched, that’s how amazing I found it. What I also loved was how relatable parts of this was, as a queer person reading this there was just a lot I could not only understand but wholeheartedly feel within me and for this I truly appreciate books you can see yourself in. The queer experience is only half of what’s encapsulated within, that if being an immigrant and having two nationalities/identities is so well articulated. Additionally, themes of friendships, relationships, family dynamics, motherhood, religion and politics, racism and so many more are discussed.
I could fill pages upon pages with quotes from this book but I’ll narrow it down so you have something to look forward to when you read it… because you must read this book. These are the best from the first thirty three pages, there’s a lot where this comes from:
‘In the gay community (I like these two words, they don’t do much belong to me as own me)…’
‘France is an outfit I wear; Algeria is my skin, exposed to sun and storms.’
‘There is such thing as a gay childhood. My childhood. No excuses are needed. There’s no explanation. It simply is.’
‘The gay child is not lacking, she is different, outside of the norm, inside a normality of her own; not until later will she come to understand that her normality marks her out from others, condemns her to secrecy and shame.’
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
meghanelizabeth'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? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, and War
bookedbymadeline'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, and War
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia
amandapercy'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? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Rape and War
dianahincureads's review against another edition
4.0
This autobiographical novel excels at this! Nina Bouraoui goes back and forth "Devenir" (Becoming), "Se Souvenir" (Remembering), and "Savoir" (Knowing), retracing her childhood steps in Algeria and her experience as a young woman in France.
Belonging to two cultures, coming to terms with her sexuality whilst battling interiorised homophobia, unpacking her family's war trauma are the main themes of the novel. Despite the heaviness of the topics, Nina's text is full of beauty. Algeria is a dreamlike land, full of wonders. The war is tainting the beauty.
The writing is DELICIOUS.
The novel contains many meta-references. Writing is a fighting tool that has the power to protect and save you ("l'écriture parle pour moi et me délivre"). Nina uses writing as a way to heal, to work through her trauma.
I urge you to pick this one up! I'll leave you with a beautiful fragment :
✨"La France c'est le vêtement que je porte, l’Algérie c’est ma peau livrée au soleil et aux tempêtes.”✨
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and War
sophieduncan's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Rape