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themoostconfused'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? Yes
5.0
i read the entire book within a single day and didn't want it to end. i loved the interwoven paths of the characters and how their lives are connected with each other even in ways they might not even realize themselves.
it touches on the experiences of being an immigrant/a child of immigrants and all the everyday struggles, racism and generational trauma that entails.
the fight for freedom for palestine is on-going and the colonial powers are still not being stopped on a big enough scale. from the river to the sea, palestine will be free.
after reading the lines...
...i had to take a quick break because that sums up so many experiences into one and made me feel seen in such a painful but freeing way.
this book is a work of art and i will treasure it forever.
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Abortion, and War
Minor: Torture
zahrahm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
With that said, the short stories themselves tackle themes that are complicated, and there’s an argument that books like these must be written. BUT you must read the content warnings because I got blind-sighted multiple times when I’d suddenly get thrown for a loop with an event; I had to take breaks from the book because of it. I’m not someone who needs to read content warnings usually so this was a shock for me. Not a before-bed read for sure.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infertility, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Miscarriage and Gaslighting
sydapel'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? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
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
dragongirl271's review
- 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
Behind You Is The Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj
One of the things that surprised me when I finally got back into reading regularly last year was how much I enjoy a collection of short stories. In fact, one of last year's books that I still constantly think about is a short story collection. So, I was really excited when blackwalnutbooks included the short story prompt again for this year's DecolonizeYourShelf2024 and I was even more excited when I saw posts about this book as a 2024 release by a beloved Palestinian author. And, let me tell you, the synopsis on this book does not do it justice.
I don't have the character space to talk about this book, but I'll give it a shot. Darraj gives us an overarching tale of 3 Palestinian-American families in a series of short stories that peek into short moments in the characters’ lives. Almost all the stories focus on a different character (Marcus gets two) and combined span years. These characters grow, learn about themselves, tackle stereotypes, love deeply, and grieve. We get to see a glimpse of the immigrant experience and the sharing of cultures. Each character decides what it means to them to be Arab and Palestinian in today's world. What family and culture mean to them. The journeys are messy and beautiful and human and this will not be the last time I read through them all.
I love the idea of an episodic novel like this where all the short stories are connected. Occasionally, it was hard to keep all the names straight in the audiobook, but not everything can be perfect for every format. By the way, the audiobook is narrated extremely well.
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Classism
metaphorsandmisc'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Dementia, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Ableism, Infertility, and Suicide attempt
paulasuze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Susan Muaddi Darraj's debut novel is a beautiful exploration of life in the diaspora for Palestinian immigrants in America. The book exists in the universe of three families in Baltimore, Maryland, each chapter telling the story of a different family member. This multi-generational tale tackles difficult topics, from eating disorders, to the intersection of class and race, to the cycle of poverty, to sexual assault, to anti-Arab sentiment and Islamophobia, to inter- and intra-community violence. Few characters endear themselves to the reader, but their stories are no less engrossing because of it.
The blurb states that the book faces stereotypes about Palestinians head-on, and in some cases that's true. In a few stories though, I wasn't sure if the narrative was actually reinforcing stereotypes rather than dispelling them. Additionally, there is a lot of hero worship/glorification of policing and the US military which I found interesting. Because of the policing/military violence under the occupation in Palestine, I would have expected the opposite, but maybe Darraj is noting that the first generation children of these immigrants are so removed from Palestine that they do not know that violence and therefore don't abhor the institution of it. Unclear!
Overall though, it was a compelling story and a debut that definitely has me keeping an eye out for what the author puts out next.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Police brutality
Minor: Torture and Cultural appropriation