Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib

16 reviews

fox's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

a moving, thought-provoking, and wholly important memoir. i was particularly affected by samra's descriptions of her complex relationship with her faith not simply as a religion but a facet of her roots, culture and self. worth checking out the "content warnings" if you need them before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, and Bullying

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

ddnreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

It started as something heart wrenching and I can't say that she had it easy in the beginning. However, as the goes by I found myself inspired, relieve and soooo happy with what she had became. The reconciliation with the family, the bravery of become visible and bold. The community she's helping to grow, the protection. It gave lots of insight revolving childhood trauma. How even after years, those things could haunt us and we need to remind ourselves to breath and sorted it out. A precious self discovery journey 💖

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Bullying, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

saj04's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Islamophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Bullying and War

nialiversuch's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

mmefish's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Flew through it in a day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Murder, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racial slurs

pipn_t's review against another edition

This has been good so far but honestly but it had a lot of things I find triggering in it, and I’m just not feeling up to finishing it right now.  No problem with the book so far, just a me thing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia

Moderate: Bullying

I don’t know what discriptor in the menu to pick for child marriage this is an additional content warning for this book

hippiequeen's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

This book is so well written and interesting. A much needed point of view. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racism, and Bullying

Moderate: Islamophobia

parsa's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Homophobia

garynoplastie's review

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Incest, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Blood, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts

kelly_e's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Title: We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir
Author: Samra Habib
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: June 4, 2019

T H R E E • W O R D S

Fierce • Redemptive• Insightful

📖 S Y N O P S I S
We Have Always Been Here details Samra's own personal experiences growing up in Pakistan where she faced regular threats from extremists; immigrating to Canada only to be faced with bullying, racism, poverty and an arranged marriage; and finding herself. An exploration of the intersections of sexuality, religion, and race.

💭 T H O U G H T S

In an effort to read more Canadian content, exploring Canada Reads picks from years past seemed like a good starting point, and I was not disappointed with the Canada Reads 2020 winner We Have Always Been Here. Samra's memoir is beautifully written, oftentimes down right raw and deeply personal, and yet also inviting. It reads somewhat like a diary, offering a sense of connection (despite quite different upbringings and circumstances), which is what I love most in a memoir. Exploring themes and intersectionalities of identity and the need for safe spaces for self-exploration and the power of chosen family this memoir is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

I will say the first two thirds are considerably stronger than the remaining third, and yet her talent is evident.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• memoir lovers
• readers who enjoyed The Death of Vivek Oji

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Maybe home was simply any place where you felt seen and welcome." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Incest, and Pedophilia