Scan barcode
common_nonsense's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
radfordmanor'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
laurahastoomanywips'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
4.0
It is told via flashback telling what the build up was to him deciding to attack the school and Afaf's life from childhood building up to that day. She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, telling the difficulties she experienced being a from an immigrant family, her father's drinking and his conversion to Islam, her mother's mental breakdown after her older sister ran away from home and Afaf's own conversion to Islam, becoming a teacher, meeting her husband and dealing with the fallout from the 9/11 attacks.
Showcases the mental health issues and gun laws that allow things like this to happen and also how the "echochambers" on the Internet have a part to play in fueling the hatred of the "others" often given as an excuse for these acts.
Definitely a "current" issue given the attacks in Buffalo and Texas that occurred this month.
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt
jades1520's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Car accident
backpackingbookworm'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
4.5
At its core, this book celebrates women. It celebrates standing up for your beliefs and being brave enough to follow your heart despite ignorance and judgement from wider society. It celebrates strength, courage, and community. It is a raw and tender portrayal of a family broken apart by loss with unsuccessful attempts to reunite through religion. It spans decades, starting at the scene of the shooting, then flashing back to 1976 when Afaf is 10 years old and an unexpected event ripped through her family. We then flash forward, catching glimpses of Afaf's transition to adulthood, her commitment to her faith, her career choices and family life. The targeted school shooting intersperses with these chapters, reminding us we're leading up to this callous attack, all because the school is Muslim.
It's simple - I loved this book; loved the complex characters and their individual struggles, loved the diversity of a Palestinian family trying to find their place in Chicago, loved the underlying storylines that resolved towards the end of the novel, and loved the saga that unfolded between decades. It was insightful, thought-provoking, and all too real- it felt like I was reading a true account of Afaf's life. I hated the islamophobia, the bigotry in school, the judgement for choosing to wear a hijab - but these are all things Muslim women faced then and now. It might be fiction, but it's certainly not invented.
I can't emphasise how powerful this novel is - I'd encourage everyone to read it.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 4.5
- Writing style/readability - 4.2
- Characters - 4.5
- Diverse themes - 4.7
- Ending - 4.3
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism
belle2008's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
fromjuliereads'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? Yes
4.0
The only reason I felt like I really couldn't give it 5 stars was that the writing was a tad repetitive at times, and it would pull me out of the story. BUT I would argue that the story itself is 5 stars.
We really need more people to read stories like this one.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bookreviewswithkb's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Child abuse
hannahrhian'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
mama_mastracci's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness