Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

2 reviews

gvstyris's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.5

Hay que estar tranquilas. No estamos perdidas. El viento conoce mi nombre y también el tuyo. Todos saben dónde estamos. Yo estoy aquí con vos, sé dónde estás y vos sabés dónde estoy yo. ¿Viste? No hay que tener miedo. 

Esta novela subraya lo importante que es contar historias para la empatía. En El Viento Conoce Mi Nombre, Allende presenta varios momentos históricos a través de los ojos de tres niños perseguidos. Es sombrío y difícil de leer, pero a la vez infinitamente relevante. 

Los capítulos (y historia, supongo) de Anita fueron sin duda los más destacados para mí. El cambio a la segunda perspectiva reflejaba la voz de una niña tan vulnerable, y su prosa sencilla me hizo llorar repetidamente. 

Sí, la escritura de Allende es didáctica, y el romance entre el abogado y la trabajadora social es innecesario. Pero me alegra mucho haberlo leído por fin y no puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente. 

Hay una estrella donde toda la gente y los animales están contentos y es mejor que el cielo, porque no hay que morirse para ir allí.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Antisemitism, and Deportation

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Death of parent

creativerunnings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense 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

I read this book in Spanish and found it to be a page turner at the same time as it feeling tedious in parts. 

I think the issue could be that somewhere between 60 and 80 percent it feels very drawn out, followed by a hastier end.

It feels a little odd to draw parallels between the holocaust and the situation at the Mexican border, but this may be because I'm Austrian and pretty traumatized by what happened in my country of birth (I have lived in North America for decades now.). The way these two stories met at the end just didn't seem important enough to base a whole book on its premise.

Overall, the book is very engaging, and I'd recommend it - I enjoyed the character driven approach. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, and Alcohol