Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Educated by Tara Westover

35 reviews

glass_carousel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Medical content, Xenophobia, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Medical trauma

m4rtt4's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

rating a memoir is always hard, but it is especially difficult in this case — what can I say except that I was hooked on the story, which is absolutely horrible considering this is her actual life and not just some thriller typa special effects. I'm glad she finally found the courage to stand for herself, yet I can also absolutely understand why she didn't want to or couldn't do it (not that I can relate, I'm so grateful to be privileged in the fact that most of all this sounds like a fever-dreamish nightmare to me).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

muravyevaa's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I DEVOURED this book in 2 days. Now I will be staring at the wall for another 10 days and think about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Misogyny, Bullying, Gore, Gaslighting, Death, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Sexism, and Fire/Fire injury

unsaturated_phat's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Car accident, Racial slurs, and Gun violence

Minor: Xenophobia

whitakertm8's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse

chelsm123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Such an amazing read, despite being a memoir on the longer side I felt like I was finished it and soon as I started it 😅

Such a powerful and informative read. TW abuse, sexual harrasment, bodily harm. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny

marissaboone's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense

5.0

I debated my rating of this book but ultimately decided that any book that makes me feel so much emotion is deserving of 5 stars. Truthfully this is a very difficult read (especially if you do it as an audiobook, which I did). Some of the cruelties Tara faced - both as a child and a young adult - are unimaginable until you’ve heard them described. Her telling of a life filled with extremist religious views, misogyny, and abuse is very detailed and sometimes graphic. However there are also glimpses of her own loyalty, passion, and perseverance. I was left wondering about her family and her own future. It was an interesting experience to say the least, and I found myself sending well wishes to her, a stranger, many times when she described both her familial hardships and academic successes. This is a worthy read if you are interested in the power of education.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Sexism, Blood, Cancer, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Death, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, and Torture

sprucewillow's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Blood, and Xenophobia

themadbloodstone's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.75

As someone who grew up religious and took a while to grow out of its toxic side, it filled me with an immense amount of rage and frustration reading the trauma Tara and her siblings had to undergo because of their zealot parents, the gaslighting and betrayal from some of said siblings and family members, and the childhood violently ripped from her. But I was so relieved and hopeful seeing what she had achieved as she grew older and had escaped that abusive environment with a loving family she now has.
The illusion of forgiveness, “unconditional” love with nothing but conditions, and the (supposed) word of God are used as manipulative tactics by people like Tara’s parents sheltering their children from the real world and the fascists trying to ban books and anything not cis, white, straight, male, and Christian because it is easier to prevent us from realizing the abuse is real. It’s why people need to be educated.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Mental illness, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs

Minor: Classism and Cancer

momogajo's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexism and Mental illness

Minor: Xenophobia and Racism