Reviews tagging 'Incest'

We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib

7 reviews

nad_books623's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This was a beautiful book and I enjoyed reading it despite how sad this book is. The way Samra was able to share her story was eloquently written.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Domestic abuse and Transphobia

nefariousbee's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

it's wonderful having queer Muslims sharing their journey so openly, giving others who face similar struggles the figure they can look up to and see someone like them, to know they can do it, they can be okay.
i Will be recommending this book to my best friend who is queer and a Muslim, and at the beginning of their journey, when the time is right <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racism, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, and Incest

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, and Classism

mmefish's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Flew through it in a day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Murder, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racial slurs

garynoplastie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Incest, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Blood, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts

kelly_e's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Title: We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir
Author: Samra Habib
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: June 4, 2019

T H R E E • W O R D S

Fierce • Redemptive• Insightful

📖 S Y N O P S I S
We Have Always Been Here details Samra's own personal experiences growing up in Pakistan where she faced regular threats from extremists; immigrating to Canada only to be faced with bullying, racism, poverty and an arranged marriage; and finding herself. An exploration of the intersections of sexuality, religion, and race.

💭 T H O U G H T S

In an effort to read more Canadian content, exploring Canada Reads picks from years past seemed like a good starting point, and I was not disappointed with the Canada Reads 2020 winner We Have Always Been Here. Samra's memoir is beautifully written, oftentimes down right raw and deeply personal, and yet also inviting. It reads somewhat like a diary, offering a sense of connection (despite quite different upbringings and circumstances), which is what I love most in a memoir. Exploring themes and intersectionalities of identity and the need for safe spaces for self-exploration and the power of chosen family this memoir is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

I will say the first two thirds are considerably stronger than the remaining third, and yet her talent is evident.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• memoir lovers
• readers who enjoyed The Death of Vivek Oji

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Maybe home was simply any place where you felt seen and welcome." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Incest, and Pedophilia

lucyduller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Incest, and Homophobia

dania_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

It feels weird to rate a memoir. This book was such a personal story but it resonated with me since I have so much in common with the author. So many things made me tear up - her description of the ESL lessons she had as a first generation immigrant child reminded me of my own experience with them. Her feelings of both wanting and fearing becoming westernised reminded me of how I lost so much of my own mother tongue too. Something that really struck me is her strong conviction and hope to represent queer muslims as multifaceted - our stories are so often used for trauma porn, but she writes with so much hope and shows that there are so many of us, that we have loving and strong connections to each other, and that we've always been here and will not go easily. 

I 100% recommend this book, no matter your identity or knowledge of the LGBT+ community or Islam. If you relate to Samra's identity, you will see a lot of yourself in this; if you don't, you'll learn many new and brilliant and sometimes sad things.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Incest, and Bullying