Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

58 reviews

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? No

4.0

Whilst a work of fiction, this book really humanises the refugee crisis and should be read by all, but certainly by those who fail to empathise with refugees.

The story follows Nuri and Afra fleeing Syria  through split timelines, which can be difficult to follow, but does not take away from the beautiful writing. 

This is a book of love, hope and determination in the face of extreme hardship and loss.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

lauraginger's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, and Grief

samantha_2023's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Child abuse and Rape

kayes's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, and War

chanatova's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Deportation

salbathtub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, and War

Minor: Rape

bluelien's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

I loved this book a lot!! I appreciate Christy taking the time to show the mental impact of having come from a war zone and having gone through the fleeing experience as the trauma refugees go through is often overlooked. I also liked the artistic style, she ended a scene and started the next using the same verb in a different tense. Furthermore, I loved that it showed their sorrows but also their hopes and will to live because refugees are very strong people! It was a wonderful and emotional read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Grief, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault and Murder

kalyaniwarrier's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

A fictionalised story, told in a narrative that sounds so close to reality, mentions of grave events in real life that makes one realise the horrors taking place around the world.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a brilliant piece of work that is heavily regarded in temporal distortion as the timelines shift after every chapter. But unlike other works where such skipping of timelines makes the plot difficult to visualise and piece together, Christy Lefteri has done an incredible job in the pacing and sequencing the plot, readers can be gratified by following the plot without having to give thought to the timelines despite the lack of linearity. 

Apart from the various sensitive topics discussed, what one could find most appealing about the novel is the characterisation of Nuri, the protagonist and narrator and his mental health struggles. After losing his son to war, Nuri suffers with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as he tries to distance himself from the trauma he has suffered by making illusions of various sorts to cope with the distress. 

I could not point out flaws as the plot and characterisation of the novel does a wonderful job at portraying the tragedies of violence in an apolitical manner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Police brutality, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse and Xenophobia

eahhhhh's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and War

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, and Pregnancy

arayo's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Violence, and Murder