Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother's Letter to Her Son by Homeira Qaderi

5 reviews

parasihir's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

I don't know where to start about this book. Dancing in the Mosque destroys me in the harshest and the most beautiful way possible. If that doesn't make sense, read the book and you will get what I'm saying. It is about Afghan mother, who was only a girl, who wants to be free and alive. This book makes me understand more about Afghanistan, womanhood, and motherhood a little better than how I did yesterday. 

I know that you’ve been told I am dead. But I am not dead, my dear Siawash. I am very much alive.
I am your mother. My name is Homeira. And this is my voice. 

I died little by little every time I read Homeira's letters to Siawash. HELP ME. I can't stop crying. I CAN NOT. Good God ....

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Grief, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Misogyny, Murder, War, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Colonisation, Death, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

lexa's review against another edition

5.0

Beautifully written, heartfelt and heartbreaking content. Had to keep reminding myself that this was not a novel, but somebody’s life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and War

Moderate: Blood and Gun violence

Minor: Suicide

crazytourists_books's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Heartbreak, anger, despair, admiration, fear, and some more anger are some of the feelings this book made me feel. 
I can not fathom the courage and willpower that the women of Adganistan have, even to keep on living day after day let alone defy the worst face of patriarchy that ruled and still rules their country. I stand with the women of Afghanistan that see their dreams and hopes and dignity crushed once more, and I really hope that they will manage to live and leave this patriarchal hell behind. 
I would love to read more stories by Dr Qaderi and other Afghani women. Happy, beautiful stories, with no fear and no tears. 
#smashpatriarchy #standwithafghanistan #standwithiran

*The book itself is beautifully written, informative and emotional in equal measure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicide, War, Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Gun violence

ballgownsandbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional fast-paced

This is an absolutely heartbreaking memoir chronicling Qaderi's childhood in Afghanistan, during first the Soviet-Afghan War and then the rise of the Taliban. She describes the atrocities experienced by her family and neighbours during this time, and also paints a fascinating and horrifying picture of the way extremism can infect an entire culture. Qaderi's strength and resilience shines through every chapter, but her desperation and grief is palpable too, making this an incredibly affecting and devastating read.

With regard to writing style and craft: the narration in the first few chapters is absolutely gorgeous and evocative - credit to both Qaderi and her initial translator, Vanisa Saffari - though I found the dialogue to be somewhat stilted and unnatural. The writing style in the later chapters also felt a little choppy; presumably a consequence of the fact that these were done by a different translator.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Grief

christiereads23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

The experiences Qaderi shares with us are deeply personal, at at times, traumatic. However, I feel as if her translator did not do a good enough job

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Murder, Gun violence, and Sexual violence