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onthesamepage'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
When she was nine years old, the girls in her Brownies troop told Azmia she was lucky she didn't look Muslim. She'd come home fighting tears and begging Afaf's permission to begin wearing hijab.
While this book isn't about the occupation and colonisation of Palestine, there are references to Afaf's family being forcibly removed from their home by settlers. Ultimately I think this book is about living somewhere and not feeling like you belong, and the different paths your life can end up taking, depending on how you deal with that. Afaf's mother was longing for her homeland, to the point that she could not continue to live away from it. Afaf forged a new home, with a new family, and a new community around her, despite the othering that she faced, from Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It's about the power of a hijab, which gives so much to the women wearing it, and also emboldens people with hate in their heart for a piece of cloth.
So this is what it's come down to? A piece of fabric? And yet what power it had held from the first time she'd slipped it on at Kowkab's house, a stranger in the mirror staring back at her. Her hijab had become a thing that attracted sheer hatred, fear. And yet where would she be without it?
There's a lot of commentary within the book about discrimination from outside the Muslim community, especially in the wake of 9/11, but also from within it, and how the community can sometimes hide the sins of some of its members, to the detriment of others. I really appreciated that the author decided to deal with this topic, because it's a difficult one to tackle.
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Genocide and Colonisation
dbrivera55'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Child abuse
wchereads's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Car accident
cjwitch's review
- 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
5.0
Afaf's past is littered with pain and growth and eventually joy and love. This part of the story begins when Afaf is ten years old and her older sister goes missing. It follows the impact that this has on herself and her family, and focuses on how "other" Afaf feels both inside and outside of her home. For years Afaf's family is torn apart by loss and Afaf struggles with no sense of belonging, until her father first discovers and then introduces her to the Muslim community. It is through her newfound faith and community that Afaf finally connects with herself.
This book showcases the complexities of being a 1st generation immigrant, and of being both Arab and Muslim in a pre and post 9/11 world. The reader is emersed in Middle Eastern culture, foods and language and customs, in a way that is rich and welcoming, especially as Afaf begins to embrace her faith.
The Beauty of Your Face is at times incredibly beautiful and often intensely painful. I think I cried through the entirety of the last 20% of it. It is so relevant to current times and however difficult this book may be, I urge you to pick to this up.
Graphic: Gun violence, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Car accident, and Alcohol
discarded_dust_jacket's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Pregnancy
lizreading'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
booklore_forevemore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
readingwithkaitlyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Sandy hook mention, lynching mention, Nazis mention, 9/11, Vietnam, Battle of Karameh, dialysis.megelizabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This wasn't quite what I expected. Above anything else, it's a character study and a look at trauma, race, religion, identity, and struggle. It covers a lot of topics, and it does so in a way that doesn't make it seem as if there's too much going on or as if some things are being brushed off. It's quite a slow, dense read, with a lot to unpack, and of course much of the subject matter is agonising, but it's definitely worth the read, and one worth taking some time with. The writing is also gorgeous and very visceral.
For me, this was a strong read throughout, but started to lose itself a bit by the end. The interactions between Afaf and the shooter didn't hit in the way I wanted them to, and I also found the way the storyline involving Afaf's sister ends up going a bit odd. I was ultimately left feeling a bit confused and not entirely sure exactly what I was supposed to have taken from the story, but maybe that was the intention. It definitely made me think about a lot of things, and maybe it being so devastating was enough of a point. It's for sure a book I'm glad to have read, and one I know will stick with me.
(Do check trigger warnings; there are many in addition to the obvious.)
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Vomit
Minor: Animal death and Domestic abuse
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