Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

22 reviews

tamara_joy's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror and Death

Minor: Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Chakraborty conjures a truly epic tale of adventure, weaving a tale that feels both fresh and wistfully nostalgic. Amina Al-Sirafi is a pirate worthy of legend, she and her crew are an utter delight to follow through this mystical tale of thievery, seafairing, magic artifacts, and good old-fashioned swashbuckling. For all the grandiosity, this story’s greatest strength is its emotional heart. The fears and hopes and loves of Amina Al-Sirafi are so palpable, you cannot help but empathize with her and want to see her succeed. What a wonderful read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement and Religious bigotry

Minor: Deadnaming and Dysphoria

temperamentalprotagonist's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

karatics's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Deadnaming, Infidelity, Rape, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

kappafrog's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.25

The historical setting was 10/10. I loved how rich the details were and how immersed I felt in the world of the 12th century Indian Ocean. Amina was also a great protagonist, very complex and easy to root for. The choice of setting and characters was exciting and refreshing.

The book got too violent for my tastes at times. Some of the plot armour the main characters had got pretty convoluted. Still, I look forward to seeing more in this series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Transphobia, Vomit, Islamophobia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and War

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

cheye13's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced

• 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

3.0

This was a very fun, straightforward adventure tale. It was actually quite a bit more fantasy than I expected, but it was a pleasant development. The author's dedication in her research really pays off in the nearly tangible setting. The characters, having a few years and adventures under their belts, feel more well-rounded and real. Getting flashbacks to their previous adventures was fun, and it's nice to jump straight into a found-family dynamic. The series set-up is straightforward, but still intriguing. I really enjoyed these characters and I look forward to seeing more from them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Transphobia, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

incident of mass murder and ritual human sacrifice off page but remains described in brief detail; instance of being stranded at sea; violent threats made against a child on numerous occasion

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Deadnaming, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

FIVE GOD DAMN STARS!!

This is one of those rare books that had me laughing, crying, screaming and cheering for more. 

The way this book is narrated, the adventure, the characters. Everything about this book is phenomenal. Amina is a mother who struggles with her Muslim faith, wanting to be a good mother but also go out on adventures with her crew. She’s strong, fights for what she wants, unabashedly in her sexuality as an older woman and is a badass. 

I also love the crew! Dalilah was absolutely amazing. Every single character was written well and just fantastic. I NEED MORE PIRATES!!

Cw
Mild sexual content
Violence
Murder
Misogyny
Torture 
Slavery
Blood 
Death

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Blood, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Dysphoria

ezwolf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Amina Al-Sirafi is a retired pirate trying to live out her retirement in peace with her daughter and family. When the mother of one of Amina's long dead crewmates comes to hire her to retrieve her kidnapped granddaughter, Amina brings her crew together for one last adventure. As you may have guessed, this adventure does not go as planned.

I loved this book SO much! Amina's devotion to her daughter, her sense of humor, and her crew being more than her crew but being her family were what I enjoyed most.  The end of the book had me crying, but and not for the reasons you might think. I can't wait to read about more of Amina's adventures! 

I listened to the audiobook version and I thought it was done in a clever way, where at points the narrator, Amina, would turn away from the recorder and speak to the scribe detailing her adventures. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for making this available in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• 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

4.0

• mid-aged badass main character
• who is also a mother
• swashbuckling pirate adventures
• ancient magic
• reunited found family
• celestial/magical beings
• LGBTQIA+ representation

This book has a wonderful central theme about the complexity and depth of being a woman. How we contain multitudes. How someone can be both a mother and also want to pursue adventure and their own dreams.

The first half is a bit slow, and there's a lot of character set up before the plot gets going. But honestly the characters are so fun, & I really love the dynamic between Amina and her crew. The second half really gets intense and interesting and I didn't want to put it down. There's kiiiiiind of an enemies to lovers thing, it's hard to describe without giving much away: Amina's fourth husband and her are estranged for *reasons* and when he shows back up there is a lot of general animosity, exasperated dialogue and tension which will likely continue through the series. The ending of the main plot is fairly resolved, but it sets up very well for the rest of a series, which I am excited to read.


1.5/5 🌶️ (closed door) My personal preference would be a bit spicier (because Raksh is HOT), but maybe it will go there in future books idk?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Death, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Slavery, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria

Minor discussion of rape in historical context, and Amina is threatened to be SA at one point (which doesn't happen)