Reviews

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

katelarsenkeys's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Stark, sobering and stunningly written literary fiction from the inside of the colonisation of Pal estine - a story of survival, resistance, deep love and unimaginable loss. Not an easy read, but an important one. Grateful. 

flyer_ch's review against another edition

4.0

This is an ode to all strong women, women who struggle against all odds, women who are used and abused by powerful men in a man’s world, women who fight relentlessly for their families, whatever the cost to them.

It is also a story of Palestine and Palestinians, of their own struggle against all odds, of their exiles, of their inhumane occupation, and of their resilience.

The first half is a little dark, a little harsh, a little despairing, but the second half picks you up, in spite of the extremely difficult circumstances, showing resilience in the face of insurmountable adversity.

ksdag's review against another edition

5.0

Powerful. Forever changed after this read.

chandarr26's review against another edition

- a must read
- complications of being Palestinian and ostracized in another country

litlayla79's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.75

maggiemaykei's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

jordanthomps0n's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

bekreads_'s review against another edition

4.0

It was heartbreaking and confronting. It did well to not sensationalise the events it spoke about. It gave me a really saddening, real look at how dislocated people struggle to belong anywhere in the world, even where they and their ancestors came from or where they’ve spent most their lives.

I don’t have any critiscims about the story itself. The pacing was good but the grammar and writing style felt a little immature in parts and then amazing in others which changed my opinion of the book several times throughout. I found the second half much more consistant and that kept me far more engaged.

peachyymistakes's review against another edition

5.0

“The continuity of these traditions helped bridge the spaces between dislocation and the home I had forged in my birthright homeland, but I knew I could never again be complete in one place. This was what it meant to be exiled and disinherited—to straddle closed borders, never whole anywhere. To remain in one place meant tearing one's limbs from another.”

“This was where I belonged, but so much of me was still scattered elsewhere.”

miafv's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5