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maxgdy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Islamophobia, Racism, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Hate crime, Violence, Genocide, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Rape, Child death, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence
robinks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, Vomit, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture
manicake's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: War, Sexual assault, Murder, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Rape and Grief
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Death, Violence, War, Alcohol, Genocide, Murder, Grief, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Child death, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Torture
neverlandpages4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Police brutality, Murder, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Grief, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, War, and Genocide
bibookworm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, War, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Animal death
Moderate: Hate crime, Rape, Violence, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Child death, War, and Gun violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Colonisation, Genocide, Vomit, Confinement, and Child abuse
hearth_hobbit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Colonisation, Violence, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and Rape
bookish_bailee's review against another edition
5.0
Incredibly impactful with elegant, beautiful writing that steadily builds to an inevitably horrific conclusion. The meandering pace, cyclical descriptions, and detached narrative language create an unsettling, powerful lasting image unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Absolutely deserving of every accolade and I highly recommend it. Please review the list of content warnings.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexism, Violence, War, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
aprilyvonne's review against another edition
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Minor Detail” by Adania Shibli was an incredible novella highlighting the past and present history of life under occupation in
Palestine. Even though the story is short, it packs a lot within the context of violence, fear, and the mundane of daily life no matter the year or setting.
The novella is first set a year after the Nakba in 1949, while the Israeli soldiers capture, rape, and eventually kill a young girl burying her in the sand. The minor details written about the main commander’s adjustment to the climate, the heat and dealing with a festering spider bite is both simplistic and repetitive. Yet, this style was also captivating in a strange sense. The vicious cycle of sexual violence almost the soldiers seemed to increase with the intensity of the infected soldier, and was disturbing. Maybe this was a political commentary upon the occupation itself by Shibli.
The second part takes place many years later, and follows a young Palestinian woman from Ramallah. She becomes obsessed with finding out more information about this tragic story - a minor detail- from the past, which eerily fell on her birthday 25 years earlier. But, what unfolds next is the attempt to gain said information while living under a different set of rules. A small glimpse of life under the occupation is shared. Yet, the curiosity to discover new truths despite the ongoing erasure is still very dangerous.
Both parts of the novella overlap with unique minor details and motifs such as the barking dog, sand, and an individual’s focus with minute concerns. Overall, the narrative highlights the importance of telling stories no matter their seemingly trivial nature when the greater picture pulls it altogether. This book did just. Considering the painful reality today, remember that existence is resistance. Keep reading and lifting up Palestinian voices. 🍉
Moderate: Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Genocide, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Sexual violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, and Sexual assault