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A review by 2treads
Blood Feast: The Complete Short Stories of Malika Moustadraf by Malika Moustadraf
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The stories in this collection are sharp-witted and read with an echo of the author's personal experiences within a country, community, and with individuals.
Moustadraf is direct in the themes that she explores and they all centre women and intersex persons, showing how they are victims of tradition and patriarchal views, the ways in which they exist within the margins that only ascribe value in their bodies and not their identities, words or actions.
The awareness that each character had of their societal position, the injustices that surround them and the mistreatment they suffer as a result did not hinder their dreams of leaving or taking the reins of their present for a better future.
I can only imagine what she could have achieved literally if she had lived longer, but I am glad that I read this collection.
Moustadraf is direct in the themes that she explores and they all centre women and intersex persons, showing how they are victims of tradition and patriarchal views, the ways in which they exist within the margins that only ascribe value in their bodies and not their identities, words or actions.
The awareness that each character had of their societal position, the injustices that surround them and the mistreatment they suffer as a result did not hinder their dreams of leaving or taking the reins of their present for a better future.
I can only imagine what she could have achieved literally if she had lived longer, but I am glad that I read this collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Transphobia
Minor: Violence