Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Straight from the Horse's Mouth by Meryem Alaoui

9 reviews

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Straight from the Horse’s Mouth is set in Casablanca and tells the story of Jmiaa, a sex worker, whose life takes a major turn when she is introduced to a filmmaker. Much of her story is dark and depressing but Jmiaa - mostly - refuses to be bitter and resentful. Rather she is an unabashed, resilient survivor. I loved her voice. She is witty, an astute observer of people, irreverent, independent and loyal. She lives life large and is unapologetic about doing so. She is straight-shooting rather than self-pitying. The ending was definitely fairytale-like, but I didn’t care. I was cheering for Jmiaa all the way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Rape

eleigh17's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

now_booking's review

dark emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.0

Amusing, Self-Aware, Unusual Perspective

In a word, this was different. At its core, it’s sort of a colorful slice of life story of the daily life and doings of a Moroccan sex worker in Casablanca. Jmiaa might not have dreamed of sex work as a girl but now she’s unapologetically dealing with the cards she’s been dealt with a sharp tongue, an eye for the absurd, and lot of moxie. If light dealt her lemons, she’s bootlegging a lemon gin and drinking away her problems. Jmiaa is practical, critical, sarcastic, self-aware and basically making the best she can of a very toxic situation with as much pragmatic enjoyment as she can.

This isn’t a particularly action/plot-driven book. It’s very character-centric. But that’s fine because Jmiaa has a lot of personality and a lot of stories to carry this story along. Reading this, you feel like you know her and know about the people she’s inevitably dragging and falling out with. The outcome of the story could only ever have been what it was because her star radiates of the page. Yes this is humorous and amusing, but what makes it especially attractive is that it’s such an eminently human story, told by an imperfect protagonist who knows a lot about the foibles of people and the imperfections of humanity and because of that, it’s a compelling read. Content warnings apply for assault, abuse, and heavy alcohol and drug use. Other than that, highly recommend for something unique, different and actually quite fun and interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Police brutality, Trafficking, Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Minor: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

pagesintranslation's review

challenging funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Infidelity and Violence

Minor: Police brutality

bookishcori's review

funny reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Classism, Drug use, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

internationalreads's review

adventurous dark emotional funny informative fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Body shaming, Car accident, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Rape

filaughn's review

4.0

I loved this book, and Jmiaa. She was a complex character with a very distinct, unique voice throughout. I loved seeing her perspective on things. I did think the ending wrapped things up a little too neatly and quickly, but that's a small quibble. I admire how the author made this book so entertaining and funny while never avoiding the darker parts of life or Jmiaa's situation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Police brutality

thecolourblue's review

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

4.0

The strength of this book is the authenticity and rawness of Jmiaa’s voice. She is contradictory, insecure, jealous, angry, caring, vulnerable, sometimes cruel and truly feels like a fully realised human character. 

While if I were being truly objective, the end of the book might feel like a somewhat fast neat wrap-up in the context of the first half’s slower pacing, by then I was caught up enough in Jmiaa’s character and life that it just made me smile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

og_tomatogirl's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Straight from the Horse's Mouth is a contemporary novel that takes place in Morocco from 2010 to 2018. I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting my hands on books and movies wrriten by and taken place in MENA (Middle East/North Africa). Hollywood's depiction of MENA is *screams* is such a political move. Jmiaa is the crankiest MC (for good reason) I've ever been in the head of. I love her 😭. I love mean girls and I mean it in the way that nice =/= good. I found myself rooting for her the entire book. I found myself feeling like she wasa friend telling me about her day and all the assholes she has to deal with. There is some heavy ass trauma in this book (CW: sexual assault, sex trafficking) but there were more moments I was chuckling to myself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexism

Minor: Police brutality