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mmcloe's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Oh good lord this is permanently etched into my brain
Thinking about the burden of bureaucracy and suffocation through detail, about hauntings, about the Nakba and the ongoing genocide, about the ecological destruction central to settler colonialism
Required, required, required reading for all Americans
Thinking about the burden of bureaucracy and suffocation through detail, about hauntings, about the Nakba and the ongoing genocide, about the ecological destruction central to settler colonialism
Required, required, required reading for all Americans
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal death
poisoned_icecream's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Murder, and Colonisation
miniingrid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and Colonisation
withlivjones's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Wow. This was a haunting read that hits particularly hard right now. I thought that the recurring motifs between the two halves of the novella were really clever. I also thought that the banal, almost clinical descriptions of both the horrifying things the Israeli soldiers do to the young girl in the first half and the injustices that the Palestinian woman and her peers have to endure in the second half really clearly revealed the horrors of the occupation. I’m still reeling from the ending - normally I’m not a huge fan of abrupt endings but it really does work well in a novella like this. Read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal death and Panic attacks/disorders
ramreadsagain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
What can I say about this that hasn't already been said? Not only is this an emotional and harrowing tale of two Palestinian women separated by half a century in time, but it's also educational and serves as a first step into reading about the Nakba, the Israeli occupation in Palestine, and what life looks like over there.
A main theme in this book is about who controls history (reminding me of the famous quote, "History is always written by the winners") and information, as in the second part our narrator tries to find out more about the historical 'minor detail' we see in the first part.
A main theme in this book is about who controls history (reminding me of the famous quote, "History is always written by the winners") and information, as in the second part our narrator tries to find out more about the historical 'minor detail' we see in the first part.
Then I ask him if, as a Palestinian, I can enter these museums and archives? And he responds, before putting down the receiver, that he doesn’t see what would prevent me. And I don’t see what would prevent me either, except for my identity card.
Remember that the genocide in Palestine has been happening for longer than any of us have been alive, and that the idea that "Israel are allowed to defend themselves" is a completely false narrative that ignores decades of history. But particularly in this context of history being witheld, both from our main character in Minor Detail but also from us in the Western world as Israel attempts to obscure facts and rewrite our knowledge, framing what is a simple act of displacement and genocide into this "complicated, nuanced conflict that we have no hope of understanding".
Besides, sometimes it’s inevitable for the past to be forgotten, especially if the present is no less horrific.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Genocide
Moderate: Animal death and Rape
moonchildjuli's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: War
bookishbrenbren's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
During the Nakba, colonizing? israeli? soldiers murder a family of Bedoins without cause and repeatedly rape the kidnapped daughter. Roughly 50 years later, a Palestinian woman becomes obsessed with the report of this crime.
I did think this book was well-written and compelling but to be honest, the second half of the book was so boring that it ruined the book for me. And the first half was so grotesque, both with violence and body horror, that I was looking for the second half to save it, so was let down doubly. While the book had moments that were compelling, especially the character development of the MC, and the portrait of modern life under israeli occupation, the vast majority of it was just a list of uneventful actions, e.g., "she got in the car, she walked into the museum, she looked at this thing, she looked at that thing," ad nauseam. Whatever the point of that particularly literary tool was, it was lost on me and I can say confidently, it was over-used.
I did think this book was well-written and compelling but to be honest, the second half of the book was so boring that it ruined the book for me. And the first half was so grotesque, both with violence and body horror, that I was looking for the second half to save it, so was let down doubly. While the book had moments that were compelling, especially the character development of the MC, and the portrait of modern life under israeli occupation, the vast majority of it was just a list of uneventful actions, e.g., "she got in the car, she walked into the museum, she looked at this thing, she looked at that thing," ad nauseam. Whatever the point of that particularly literary tool was, it was lost on me and I can say confidently, it was over-used.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
emilily's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is hard to review, and harder to read.
Utterly challenging, this book feels sluggish and repetitive at times, but shocking and jarring at others. This books is divided into two parellel stories of Israeli soldiers in 1949 who capture, assault, and kill a young girl, followed by the modern day story of a young woman who learns of the historic tragedy, and becomes obsessed with uncovering more about the murdered girl.
The prose is carefully considered, but uncomfortable to read. 'Minor details' are ever present -- the storytelling often gives much attention to little, mundane details, to the point of feeling irritating. I often wanted the author to get on with it, instead of spending such a long time on seemingly irrelevant details... but I think that was the point. The author seemed to want the reader to feel uncomfortable while reading these passages. It hits harder when you realise that exceptional care is taken to describe these minor details in the commander's life, while virtually no detail is provided about the captured girl. This creates space to reflect on the fact that 'history is told by the victors', while victims seldom have their stories recorded in the same detail.
The book is also filled with minor details drawing attention to the similarities and differences between the region in 1949 vs the present. Throughout the story of the modern day women, readers are provided insight into the current challenges of living as a Palestinian, while noting how little has changed since the troubles of 1949.
Minor Detail is not an easy read. It is horribly uncomfortable and challenging, yet there is no denying that it is impactful. I'll be thinking about this read for a long time.
Utterly challenging, this book feels sluggish and repetitive at times, but shocking and jarring at others. This books is divided into two parellel stories of Israeli soldiers in 1949 who capture, assault, and kill a young girl, followed by the modern day story of a young woman who learns of the historic tragedy, and becomes obsessed with uncovering more about the murdered girl.
The prose is carefully considered, but uncomfortable to read. 'Minor details' are ever present -- the storytelling often gives much attention to little, mundane details, to the point of feeling irritating. I often wanted the author to get on with it, instead of spending such a long time on seemingly irrelevant details... but I think that was the point. The author seemed to want the reader to feel uncomfortable while reading these passages. It hits harder when you realise that exceptional care is taken to describe these minor details in the commander's life, while virtually no detail is provided about the captured girl. This creates space to reflect on the fact that 'history is told by the victors', while victims seldom have their stories recorded in the same detail.
The book is also filled with minor details drawing attention to the similarities and differences between the region in 1949 vs the present. Throughout the story of the modern day women, readers are provided insight into the current challenges of living as a Palestinian, while noting how little has changed since the troubles of 1949.
Minor Detail is not an easy read. It is horribly uncomfortable and challenging, yet there is no denying that it is impactful. I'll be thinking about this read for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Sexism, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and War
marjoleinvanderspoel's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor Detail is a small book about a large topic. Horrific, poignant and deeply chilling, it was a singular reading experience that I am likely to continue thinking about for a long while yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
ellaspring's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death