Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

7 reviews

robinks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved getting to walk with the Yacoub family through so many years, getting to see how each of them grows internally and in relationship to the others. I believe the fact that Hala is a clinical psychologist  allowed the characters to feel real. Also, there were many actual historical references that kept the story rooted in reality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Racial slurs, Vomit, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

allena_inwonderland's review against another edition

emotional 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

Speechless..it's hard to form words after listening to something so raw and emotional. This was heartbreaking. This was hopeful. This was an insight into what life was/is like during war.
This book is a multi generational storyline with multiple POVs. This is full of cultural information and traditions. 
There's forbidden love, fear for loss of your home - forever or and your family. 
I cried and I laughed. 
This isn't an easy read but it honestly opened my eyes on what life is like for others in the Middle East especially during war; when my dad was overseas during these specific wars I was barely a child. Although this is a fiction book you can still learn from it through experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War

morethanmylupus's review against another edition

hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

Beautiful, timely, and heartbreaking.

Salt Houses is a family saga that follows Aila and her family from the Nakba through to nearly the present day. We see triumphs and disappointments as they do their best to survive. For me, the biggest impact of this book was the generational trauma that started with the Nakba and how it continued to impact their lives even as they moved across continents. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Deportation

thenextbookdilemma's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Genocide, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Islamophobia, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

eas2's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Minor: Racial slurs

katievh's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Torture, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, and Sexual content

chloehamburn's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia, Rape, and Police brutality

Minor: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Dementia