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districtreads's review against another edition
1.0
Decided not to come back to this book. Either something is very much lost in translation, or the writing style was just not up to par. I was really interested in possibly learning more about my country of heritage - I'm half Syrian - but there was too much unnecessary sexuality (what woman thinks about her chest that way, no matter how repressed? is it necessary to talk about a preteen's breasts that much?) and the narrative voice was simply lacking. The kiss of death? I was BORED.
I would be interested to read this in the original Arabic, because the premise seems incredibly unique and needed, and I see that it did win a prize for Arabic fiction - but I'm done with the English version.
I would be interested to read this in the original Arabic, because the premise seems incredibly unique and needed, and I see that it did win a prize for Arabic fiction - but I'm done with the English version.
faintingviolet's review against another edition
2.0
Throughout the book we are in the mind of an unnamed narrator, and I have a tough time with those types of narrators in general. I think it is because they often appear in stories structured without dialogue (which based on the article I read from the Guardian, Khaled Khalifa is a screenwriter known for his talent with dialogue – I feel betrayed!) . The other compounding influence is that to the best of my limited knowledge this novel is in first person present tense or first person stream of consciousness. It bothers me, the repetitive nature of being told rather than being allowed to see, as we are limited to what the narrator is repeating to herself/the reader.
My other major complaint is that by the time I got to the end of the first section I was pretty well convinced that Khalifa was overly focused on the physicality of femaleness with no particular narrative driver. I am a lady person. I promise you I am way less in tune with my physical being than Khalifa would have you believe, nor would I describe it in the sort of overly flowery language that he utilizes. My biggest reminder is that my breasts are often in my way. Basically, my body is more annoyance than discovery and I don’t remember it being otherwise in my late teens. Which is why, I’m going to come right out and say it – is sexist writing. The level of preoccupation with the female form, even from a character displaying same sex attraction, negates the positives of this work.
Full review: https://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/in-praise-of-hatred-cbr9-50/
My other major complaint is that by the time I got to the end of the first section I was pretty well convinced that Khalifa was overly focused on the physicality of femaleness with no particular narrative driver. I am a lady person. I promise you I am way less in tune with my physical being than Khalifa would have you believe, nor would I describe it in the sort of overly flowery language that he utilizes. My biggest reminder is that my breasts are often in my way. Basically, my body is more annoyance than discovery and I don’t remember it being otherwise in my late teens. Which is why, I’m going to come right out and say it – is sexist writing. The level of preoccupation with the female form, even from a character displaying same sex attraction, negates the positives of this work.
Full review: https://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/in-praise-of-hatred-cbr9-50/
al_sharnaqi's review against another edition
2.0
كان فكرة الرواية جيدة لحدٍ كبير، ومغزاها أيضاً. بيد أن الثرثرة الجوفاء التي إمتلأت بها سدت من نبع جمالها الكثير.
لم أحب قراءتها، ولم أجد فرصة تجاوز الصفحات إلا واستغللتها للإنتهاء من قراءة الرواية بسرعة والإحتفاظ بوقتي الثمين.
لم أحب قراءتها، ولم أجد فرصة تجاوز الصفحات إلا واستغللتها للإنتهاء من قراءة الرواية بسرعة والإحتفاظ بوقتي الثمين.
maysa_alaqil's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the premise of the book and the general message within. However; I found it very hard to struggle through with lots of intertwining narrative and descriptions that can sometimes be confuse the reader. I often lost sight of the story-line all together and had to reread the past pages.
mtmteres's review against another edition
4.0
Disturbing, but very good at portraying how deep and strong sectarian hatred can become and how this can affect both individual and group behavior.
8little_paws's review
3.0
My #readharder book in translation. It's about a girl growing up in Syria in a Muslim family during a time of political unrest. The first half of the book is bogged down by winding narratives and lack of dialogue, but when the narrator is in prison for the last third of the book, the story really shines. The author does have some beautiful ways of phrasing but all in all I felt like an outsider looking in into a world of which I know little about.
chaydgc's review
3.0
Subject is important. Obliquity is a relevant literary strategy.
But narrative and structure are clumsy to the point of incoherence and indifference. I understand it was first published underground but that doesn't account. Also, this is a rare occasion when I would question the author's impersonation of his character on the basis of gender.
But narrative and structure are clumsy to the point of incoherence and indifference. I understand it was first published underground but that doesn't account. Also, this is a rare occasion when I would question the author's impersonation of his character on the basis of gender.
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