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danielnski's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Trafficking, Grief, and War
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I think this book is a well-written (thought not perfectly executed) critique of the apathy of the Western world to the suffering of the global south, and points a finger straight at the idea Western exceptionalism. In picking apart this notion that some people are inherently good and want to help, and are willing to make great sacrifice in order to do so, and some people are inherently ignorant, selfish, and hurtful, El Akkad creates a story that is not really about the story or characters themselves and more about making a thematic point.
This isn’t a good thing or a bad thing, it just is a thing that some people may feel differently about when approaching this book. I’d highly recommend the audio, the narrator is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
Graphic: Death and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Classism
butlerebecca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Racism, Xenophobia, Vomit, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
blueteacup's review
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: War
Minor: Antisemitism
galexy_brain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Death, and War
Minor: Confinement, Racism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
arnold_shelby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit and War
chloe_eags's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, and Violence
katieeyu's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Xenophobia
rebeccafarren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Trafficking