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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
jades1520's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Car accident
spellboundchapters'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
She’d wanted to make every child feel they weren’t alone, to fan their potential into roaring flames of hope and promises to be fulfilled one day. Teaching gives her a sense of purpose and, unexpectedly, intoxicating independence. No matter what, she knows she’ll survive.
Afaf, a Palestinian-American, is the principal of an all-girl Muslim school. The book opens the day a shooter attacks the school. We then alternate between that day, and different stages of Afaf’s life, starting from when she was a little girl and her older sister disappeared.
For a book this short, it addresses a lot of different themes : untreated mental illness, racism, islamophobia, loss of a child, religion and faith, complicated mother-daughter relationships…
Maybe too many themes, because at moments it felt very superficial and I would’ve liked for it to be a little more dept.
I absolutely loved the writing style and how emotional it was! The characters were very well fleshed out and felt very real.
I cared a bit less about the present time events. The shooter’s POV was something I wasn’t expecting. I have to say, it kinda threw me off at first, but at the end I found it pretty interesting to see how fear and misinformation can turn someone into such a hateful and violent person.
My favourite thing about this book was probably witnessing Afaf’s relationship with religion develop, and seeing her finally find a community and a place to fit in.
In short, a book I won’t stop recommending to everyone!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Racism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent