Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

59 reviews

genesismt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Sexual harassment

avajane02's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

4.5

An absolutely heartbreaking look into the class and gender divides in India from the perspective of a

Muslim

Indian-American reporter who returns to India to cover a story in place of her white American friend/coworker, who is recovering from surgery. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Police brutality

sissizc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

wwsimon93's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent

muse692's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Islamophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, and Death of parent

lyndsay_bibliophile's review against another edition

informative sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Overall, "Honor” is a powerful and thought-provoking story of honor, justice, and the strength of the human spirit. It’s a story that will stay with you, prompting self-reflection and sparking important conversations.

The book excelled in its raw representation of the struggle for justice, forcing me to confront uncomfortable truths about societal blind spots.

However, Smita's character left me conflicted. While Umrigar captures her initial journalistic detachment really well, Smita's lack of empathy at times felt jarring. I wished for a deeper connection to her.

On a personal note, Mohan's urge to defend India resonated deeply. It made me reflect on how we often apologize or justify aspects of our own cultures or the actions of others due to a misplaced sense of responsibility.

However, some crucial details of the story sometimes felt neglected and exploring them would have added depth to the narrative. Similarly, the abrupt shift from tragedy to a budding love story in the final chapters felt disjointed.

Despite these minor drawbacks, "Honor" remains a compelling read. Umrigar's writing is beautiful and insightful, spotlighting the complex realities of social injustice and female resilience. The lingering questions and impactful lessons learned make this book a worth reading.

I recommend this book to those who appreciate complex stories with themes of cultural clashes, legal drama, and a fight for justice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Sexual assault

sabs98's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I appreciate the subject matters of this book. The story of Smita’s complex relationship with India is one that would resonate with many children of immigrants like it did with me. Of course, Meena’s story is an important one to tell; bringing awareness and increasing visibility to social issues is vital to creating change. 

I think the relationship that developed between Smita and Mohan was rushed, despite the over explanations of the reasons Smita should be with him. I also found it hard to believe that Smita could decide to stay in India while still carrying her trauma the way she was: it seems she hadn’t even begun to process or resolve it until she told the story of it to Mohan.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Grief

fruitbat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

kelly_e's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Title: Honor
Author: Thrity Umrigar
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: January 4, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Immersive • Profound • Unforgettable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her.

💭 T H O U G H T S

When Honor was announced as a Reese's pick for January 2022 it immediately caught my attention. After reading the synopsis, I was certain it was one of her picks that I would jive with. As the year went on I heard some really good things about it, but it took me until late 2023 to finally get my hands on a copy.

I was 100% invested, not bring able to put this book down, and reading it in its entirety in one sitting. It is heartbreakingly beautiful and complex. Yet despite all of the pain, it remains a story of enduring love and hope. Through her prose, Thrity brings into focus so many dichotomies (hate and love, oppression and privilege), intertwining comparisons between the western world and rural India. We get a look into two very different women. Meena's story is absolutely devastating, and I wanted to know Smita's family story for escaping India.

Oh but, it was really the last 'book' which dug itself into my mind. The graphic depictions of caste hierarchies, cultural conservatism, misogyny, public shaming, torture that continue to be the reality faced by so many to this day was deeply unsettling to read. It filled me with sadness. It filled me with rage. It filled me with empathy. It made me question humanity. I read a physical copy while listening to the audio, and this created a completely immersive experience.

My one quibble would be how it ended. I think Smita and Mohan's future would've been better left open-ended. Offering an answer reminded me of society's inability to sit with uncomfortableness. And in doing so it took away from the power of what came before.

Every now and then there is a book that touches me in ways I am not anticipating. Honor was one of those books. It shines a light on India's humanitarian crisis. Some of the hard-hitting and disturbing scenes will forever be etched into my memory. It is certainly the type of book you need to be in the right frame of mind for. I am definitely interested in exploring Thrity's backlist and picking up her 2023 release as well.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like realistic fiction
• anyone looking for memorable female protagonists
• bookclubs

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Sometimes, it seemed to Smita that the history of the world was written in female blood."

"As children, we were taught to be afraid of tigers and lions. Nobody taught us what I know today - the most dangerous animal in this world is a man with wounded pride." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, and Death of parent

death of partner, mutilation, poverty

sarahmarie094's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Islamophobia