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ukponge's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
bookishmillennial'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? Yes
Overall, this is a short story collection (but the stories are interconnected and we do come full circle in the end) of three Palestinian American families in Baltimore, Maryland. They are navigating topics like racism, misogyny, classism, being first-and second- generation immigrants, neurodivergence, marital issues, pregnancy, and more. While some stories called to me more than others and I can't deny that I thoroughly appreciated SMD's voice and depth she provided for certain characters/POVs, I couldn't get behind the copaganda, which feels like such a mindfuck, as I know she has been vocal in #FreePalestine. So many people who want a free Palestine recognize the fact that all of our liberation is connected, and I really could have done without the unchallenged copaganda.
I went in with an open mind, but the glorification of cops/policing in this is inexcusable. Look, I waited for SMD to provide some sort of commentary on this, but besides a separate chapter (not the cop Marcus's two chapters) mentioning a character recounting a friend not knowing how to feel about basically signing up to kill Black and brown men (in reference to him thinking about joining the army), there is no implicit or explicit commentary on Marcus' job as a cop. This really does speak to me as copaganda, and I tried so hard to believe that Marcus or someone else would call him out on his complicity in the violence enacted on specifically Black bodies in BALTIMORE (like I can't believe I have to point this out?!), but to no avail. Super disappointing and saddening. Again, I will give the author another try, like maybe her middle-grade stuff? However, this one missed the mark for me and fell into wildly problematic territory.
I also felt the chapter on the parents with a neurodivergent child were..... something. I fully recognize ableism is real, and that even if you have one marginalization, it does not mean you cannot act or think in harmful ways towards other marginalizations. However, I don't know how this is supposed to operate within a book that was billed as, "fac[ing] stereotypes about Palestinian culture head-on and, shifting perspectives to weave a complex social fabric replete with weddings, funerals, broken hearts, and devastating secrets." I don't know. I really am a bit disheartened by those three chapters.
I really encourage others to listen to ownvoices reviewers (I'm neurodivergent, but not Palestinian, so I'm not necessarily saying listen to me lol I'm nobody), both Palestinian and autistic reviewers, because their POVs matter and should be taken into context.
Graphic: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Dementia
Moderate: Cancer, Self harm, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder
skye_era_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism
robinks's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Islamophobia, Dementia, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Infertility, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
gar42'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
4.0
Other than that, I thought it was a compelling portrait of a community. Each snippet of a life built out the diversity of experience of the Palestinian diaspora. It didn’t dwell on the conflict and trauma we associate with Palestine, but the effects of that violence could be felt.
Reminiscent of A House on Mango Street. A wonderful read.
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
sarahbythebook's review against another edition
4.5
Darraj has expertly interwoven the lives of her characters; we see these singular people interacting in both positive and negative ways with the Palestinian community around them and the communities they live alongside. This book is a lesson that the Palestinian experience isn't just about pain and suffering, though that is surely a part of the story just like it is for any culture. There is love and joy, successes and celebrations. Behind You is the Sea is a heartfelt reminder that the Palestinian struggle is the human struggle. The fears and concerns are the same as anyone else's, but there is the added dimension of being Palestinian, of being from a place that others are trying to destroy.
So many topics are covered in these chapters that there's something everyone can relate to: loving someone whom your family doesn't approve of, success against the odds, the divide in socioeconomics, body image pressure, intimate relationships that go both right and very very wrong, casual racism and learning to use your voice, what familial duty means. My only issue with this book is that sometimes it was hard to remember how the characters were connected with one another, but that is an incredibly minor critique given the rest.
In Behind You is the Sea, Darraj provides readers just a peak behind the curtain of what it's like to be a Palestinian living in American. Their lives are full, their hurts are familiar and so are their joys.
While there are numerous triggering topics in this book, they are largely off page and discussed briefly. Infertility, domestic violence, and misogyny would be the exceptions.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Dementia, and Death of parent
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Cancer, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abortion, and Pregnancy
laurenexploresbooks'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? No
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Dementia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Body shaming, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault