Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

49 reviews

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

4.5

This may be the best memoir I've ever read. What a life Safiya has experienced but the book didn't come across as inspiration porn, just a very talented women completely laying herself and her experiences bare; the good, bad and ugly. You can tell that she is a poet with the beautiful lyricism in the writing, it was just very special and a fantastic read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Sexual assault

rworrall78's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Stunningly written, the audio book is also a treat and really brings out the poetry. I loved the way Sinclair made me feel the positives not only of her wonderful mother, but also her very troubled and cruel father. The love and bounty of her early life is really clear, as is the dawning realisation that Rastafarianism as her dad practiced it is patriarchical cruelty. There were a few passages that really clearly delved into the oppression and white supremacy that underlies the ideology and how valid the anger and hurt that birthed it is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault

sadhbhprice's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Infidelity, Racism, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

qqjj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

amberinpieces's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Drug use, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

hanawulu's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

This memoir is set in Jamaica, the story of an eldest daughter growing up in strict Rasta family. One appreciation I had for this book is writing around place and setting. Not surprised see the author is a poet, the details were lush. It was easy to imagine the places and rooms the narrator moved through. I also liked the nuance the author brought to her discussion of Rastafari, the way she traces how it changed her parents over time as well as how it changed the family, but on the other side, how the world changing and events in Jamaica's history changed the movement also. 

  It was hard for me to accept the ending, though, as a reader. It felt too sudden after establishing the father's behavior for so many chapters and hundreds of pages before. I wish there had been more discussion of the narrator's work towards healing or addressing the abuse and trauma of their family upbringing. The book seems to speed towards resolution and suddenly the narrator just figured out the father figure and was willing to be around him a bit again?  I couldn't fully understand why and how based on the text itself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

aleyajo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

4.25

It’s fascinating what elements of culture counter-culture groups choose to keep / implement - the patriarchy is dangerous wherever it exists.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

sabrinaleaf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

4.5

4.5 ⭐️ 
Amazing, Safiya Sinclair has such a way with words: she pulls you into her story and doesn’t let you go. 

The only reason why this isn’t a five star read for me is because I almost dnf it after I read the prologue. To me, the prologue felt more like it was written for a fantasy standalone; it felt disjointed with the rest of her memoir.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage

stellahadz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

This is easily one of the best memoirs I've ever read. The prose is beautiful, the story is captivating, and as someone with only very superficial knowledge of Rastafari, it was fascinating to learn more about the lived experiences of someone who grew up in that movement. I absolutely recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racism, and Abortion

rachelwrites007's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual assault