Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

6 reviews

c1aud55n's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A simply beautiful memoir

Safia Sinclair is a poet, and it shows in her wonderful prose style. Though the writing  style is beautifully poetic, the content is hard to read to read. Don't go into this expecting an easy ride, especially because the writing  is visceral. 

Safia grew up in Montego Bay Jamaica with her mother, father, and three younger siblings, who are all rastafari. This is, for the most part, a peaceful religion that believes Jamaica should be free from white colonial rule, also known as Babylon.

Over time however Safia"s father is over taken by religious furver and starts to follow a sect that believes in a very narrow interpretation of rastafaranism, particularly in regard to the role of women. This leads to him exerting tighter and tighter control over the females in the family. 

Safia finds an escape route out through education and poetry.  The book is dedicated to her mother, and it is easy to see why because she is amazing.

I fully expect this book to feature in my best books of the year, not least because it references the best band in the world. The Mighy Cranberries. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Religious bigotry and Classism

sbox's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Rich and immersive writing. Such a powerful family story, and story of finding oneself amidst the fire of upbringing. I cried at the end. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

solenodon's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

kenopedidntthinkso's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

geejeebee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Beautifully written and deeply moving. I learned a lot from this book. I do think it could’ve used a slightly stronger editorial hand, there’s a good bit of repetition. Otherwise, a wonderful book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Violence

Minor: Suicide