raluca_p's review against another edition
5.0
“I bled. God didn’t
want to hear about it. He said unclean
and so it was. He said it is
harm, and so it was.
Want to hear about it? He said unclean.
Once a woman wanted, so he did
her harm. And so it was
first conceived: a woman suffering
because a woman wanted. So he said
cursed. And then he said blessed—
the woman chose to suffer, conceived
a god, though she never knew a man.
And God knows best. If He calls a curse a blessing
then so it is. And he said she was
clean—she never knew a man. I’ve known men but never a god
that bled and lived. But I did.”
want to hear about it. He said unclean
and so it was. He said it is
harm, and so it was.
Want to hear about it? He said unclean.
Once a woman wanted, so he did
her harm. And so it was
first conceived: a woman suffering
because a woman wanted. So he said
cursed. And then he said blessed—
the woman chose to suffer, conceived
a god, though she never knew a man.
And God knows best. If He calls a curse a blessing
then so it is. And he said she was
clean—she never knew a man. I’ve known men but never a god
that bled and lived. But I did.”
mihiret's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
gabbygarcia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Blood, and Cancer
Moderate: Infertility and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Rape
sapphicpenguin's review against another edition
5.0
A stunning exploration of the author's experience with uterine tumors/excessive bleeding, rendering her unable by Islamic law to participate in worship, and turning to Mary (the only woman named in the Qur'an), for comfort and commiseration. Her bleeding she calls the Deluge, another name for the Great Flood in Genesis. She connects with the bleeding woman in Luke 8 who touches Jesus's cloak and is healed—saying that she had no such chance.
An embracing of Muslim and Christian heritage, and of womanhood, wondering whether it is possible to "bleed as if gutted / by the blade of God's command, / and still be loved by God / and, more importantly, love Him back."
An embracing of Muslim and Christian heritage, and of womanhood, wondering whether it is possible to "bleed as if gutted / by the blade of God's command, / and still be loved by God / and, more importantly, love Him back."
bleusyde's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
2.0