Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

37 reviews

sophiestasyna's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Islamophobia, Torture, Xenophobia, and War

msennflinn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Xenophobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Grief, and Islamophobia

eusteph's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

AAAAAAAAAAA

How is it possible for a person to read five 6 star books in a month? I don't know, but I won't complain about it.

This book was written so beautifully that you can almost forget the utterly heartbreaking origins of this story. I did not see anything coming, and honestly, I felt like the author kept running me over when I tried to get off the ground. 

I loved the fact that the ending was pretty open yet not so cliffhanger-ish that a sequel is absolutely necessary. 

This is as close to perfection as such a tragedy-filled tale can be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Miscarriage, Violence, Abortion, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Genocide, Deportation, Confinement, and Colonisation

chi__'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, War, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, Cancer, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and Miscarriage

emulzz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

With its title quoting James Baldwin, this became a 5 star read in the last 10 minutes because of a masterful and tear jerking ending. I chose to read a Historical Fiction novel based around Palestine because I believe HistFic blends facts and fiction in an emotional way that pure fact cannot, and is able to teach us more about the human spirit. This book taught me more about the Palestinian resistance in the 90’s-2000’s than I could have ever learned as an average American. This left me wanting more from Susan Abulhawa, and I am more than eager to read more of her work as this is her most recent novel. This help put into context how the young people of Gaza must feel, and the history that brought them to this point. The acknowledgements recognizes the incredible research, interviewing, and process she went through to write this book. Incredible, powerful read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, and War

tourmaline_and_tomes's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Racism, Islamophobia, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Police brutality

Minor: Antisemitism

justnicole's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Genocide, Sexual assault, Death, Suicide attempt, and Ableism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Sexism, and Suicide attempt

biobeetle's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, War, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

sydneymh's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense slow-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? No

4.0

5/5 to the Palestine half of the book, but it was somewhat of a long start while simultaneously feeling a little rushed in terms of writing style. If i was only rating the first half of the book I'd give it a 3.

The more rushed writing style worked at times, solidifying Nahr's voice and mirroring her traits (esp in the context of where she's writing the story itself), but it made the dialogue fall short pretty often. I was entranced by everything around the Nahr/Bilal story. Was also particularly touched by their descriptions of nature/importance of connection to the land.

Because of the non-linear formatting of the book, the grief and heartbreak conveyed is impossible to look past. Getting to know each character through this lens of loss is chilling and we are deeply invested by the end. Very interesting to examine the layers of consent and oppression and how their meanings change over the course of Nahr's life, from the personal to the familial to the political. Big TW for scenes of rape and assault as well as violence and racism. Definitely a worthwhile read but not an emotionally easy one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism

cosycorvid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual content, Deportation, Alcohol, Rape, War, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Infidelity, Death of parent, Dementia, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Grief, Domestic abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Infertility, Child death, Death, Colonisation, Murder, Medical content, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Pregnancy, and Cursing