Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Intensa

Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Intensa by Tahereh Mafi

72 reviews

janial58's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

This was beautifully written, yet incredibly sad! Wish we got to explored more situations because many things were left open at the end. However, I don’t think it takes away from how emotionally painful this novel was to read at times. Gorgeous writing!

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thebakerbookworm's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-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

Though short, this book packs an emotional punch that you won't soon recover from. It felt like reading Shadi's diary; there are other characters and though they're complex, no one gets as much development as Shadi. We see things only from her perspective, and grow and grieve with her.

There's not a ton of stuff happening plot-wise, and don't go into this expecting a neat resolution with everything tied in a bow. This one definitely has more of an open-ended ending—but I thought it was a nice reflection on real life, where nothing is ever resolved easily, especially grief and complex family relationships. It's also well-written, so if you like things more on the literary side, but with a touch of that young adult feel, you'll probably like this.

Thank you to Libro.fm, Harper Audio, and the author for my ALC.

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bwaymadeline's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-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

4.75

beautiful and introspective

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evavstheworld's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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mezzarella's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

After I had my heart ripped out when I read A Very Large Expanse of Sea, I needed to give Tahreh Mafi's advertised heartbreaker a try. My takeaway? An Emotion of Great Delight benefits greatly from dropping the reader directly into Shadi's life at its worst. The events of 9/11 are clear in everyone's mind and deeply affect the Muslim communities that Shadi interacts with, setting an already anxious and disheartened tone for the story. The feeling of stress builds as we learn more about Shadi's personal experiences. Shadi is grieving the loss of her brother and ailing parents but she must still grow from failing relationships and difficult subjects at school. The feelings that Shadi goes through are rightfully dramatic, and with everything that she has on her plate, her urge to avoid further drama and conflict is relatable. After all, who would want to orchestrate an earthquake on brittle soil? I was amazed by Mafi's ability to write a full story with a satisfying ending when the story itself only covers a couple days.

Despite the clear trauma that the outside world has placed upon Shadi, I appreciated that the historical notes did not detract from the nuances of Shadi's struggle as a teenager. Shadi's Muslim identity was effortlessly woven in the narrative and yet was not used as a mechanism for pity. Shadi instead grappled with her faith after repeated trauma, and questioned her ability to trust others as a result of the discrimination she faced over the past year. Shadi's personal issues and the crux of the story wasn't about 9/11. It was about whether or not Shadi should give a friend the opportunity for a romantic relationship, or force herself to remain at her current social status quo. While external factors such as her family posed challenges for Shadi, at the end of the day, this novel is about Shadi's own growth. Shadi shines in this story, even when she feels she's about to break. She's allowed to solve her own issues, even as the world and others have their own to figure out.

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beabookish's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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gem114's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

2.0

An Emotion of Great Delight follows Shadi, a Muslim teen in a post-9/11 America, through a particularly challenging period of her life. Not only does she have to deal with her community's Islamophobia, but her family has been wrecked by grief over her brother's recent death. Her parents' health is fragile, her relationship with her sister is strained, and her friendships, if you can call them that, are a mess. While there are some glimmers of hope, be warned that this is a SAD book.

Glows: Mafi's prose is truly poetic. There were multiple times while reading that I had to pause and just appreciate the beauty of how something was phrased. I also really liked Shadi as a main character, and I think her story is a compelling one.

Grows: I thought the alternating timeline was hard to follow. I also don't think other characters were developed enough. Overall, the book felt a bit disjointed. Perhaps this was intentional given the focus on how stress and grief were affecting Shadi's mental and physical health, but, in my opinion, it made for a less immersive reading experience. A bit too abstract for my tastes, but your mileage may vary!

Thank you so much to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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