Reviews

Honor by Elif Shafak

hel14's review

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emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.5

lea_ragdoll's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

bellatomreads's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a compelling story: interesting topic, well developed characters, great plot lines... and then it just ended, rather abruptly, and a little disappointingly.
Still, the book is well worth reading.

lupazawa's review

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

4.25

nsul93's review

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4.0

Possibly the most powerful book I’ve read so far this year. At its center is an honor-killing and the generations, immigrations, cultural clashes, and political upheavals culminating into it. Through multiple points of view and time jumps, Shafak unfolds the multiple, complicated facets of the events leading up to the killing and its aftermath, and demonstrates hauntingly what it means for people to walk the hard line between East and West, conflict and peace, bondage and freedom.

panka05's review

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4.0

A tale of family, patriarchy, love and hate, with a twist we did not see coming.

adilmaster62's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

electricicebird's review

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3.0

It is a good book. It has some flaws in writhing though the topic hits close to home.

angeladobre's review against another edition

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4.0

Are ca tema un subiect delicat pe care eu personal nu-l pot intelege iar de acceptat nici n-o sa se puna problema vreodata indiferent in ce limba sau cultura mi-ar fi justificat: crimele de onoare.
E o carte despre rasism, discriminare, vina, regret, renuntarea la prejudecati si la o mentalitate gresita; o carte care te face sa realizezi ca experientele nefaste pot reprezenta si calea dura catre o schimbare pozitiva.
Stiu ca o sa ridicati din sprancene dar personajul meu preferat a fost chiar criminalul. Autoarea mi-a explicat perfect si argumentat, mai mult decat decent toti pasii gresiti pe care i-a facut, i-a motivat toate deciziile, l-a facut sa plateasca toate pacatele, sa-si asume toate greselile, dar mai ales l-a reabilitat magnific, oferindu-i sansa unui nou inceput. Maturizarea lui n-a fost usoara dar finalul a meritat tot efortul si toata durerea. L-a adus de la adolescentul care voia sa stapaneasca lumea la barbatul matur care e multumit doar cu o bucatica de cer sub soare, care nu mai intelege nevoia de putere ci doar nevoia de dragoste. De la a judeca la a accepta pasul e foarte mare. De la nesupus si rebel la receptiv si tolerant cu pasi marunti, mult chin, lupta, pierdere si durere.
O carte care pleaca de la o definitie invechita si inchistata a onoarei si o reinventeaza. Onoarea nu inseamna o viata fara bucurii, fara orizont, fara placeri. Onoarea nu ti-o masoara oamenii din exterior. Onoarea doar tu ti-o poti evalua. Onoarea e conditionata de barometrul si gandirea fiecaruia. Iar conceptul prost inteles este foarte periculos. Este povestea a trei generatii dintr-o familie de kurzi si modul in care educatia si cultura le influenteaza viata. Cutume ca refuzul unei căsătorii aranjate, agresiunea sexuala, imposibilitatea divorțului, adulterul, pierderea virginității înainte de căsătorie atrag dezonoarea si declanseaza razbunarea. Acest concept de onoare bazat strict pe comportamentul sexual, pe ideea de puritate si castitate mai presus de gand este sustinut de anumite medii socio-culturale, este consimtit si incurajat si este cauza a mii de crime anual.
Povestea Jamilei a fost cutremuratoare. Victima inocenta, omul sacrificat neincetat de destin.

annecarts's review against another edition

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4.0

You know a book is good when you wonder about the characters after you've read it. Although the open ended nature is a little frustrating because I want to know what happens next.

I loved the writing style and the interwoven stories. Jamilla and her life was particularly well drawn and interesting.

*maybe spoilers*
I wanted to know how Jamilla got to the UK but didn't pay with the diamond. And what happened to the diamond too and the curse. I feel that could be a novel by itself.