Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

6 reviews

erinkellyreads's review

adventurous challenging 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

 Easily, this is in the running for best book of the year for me, if not best book of the last few years. The writing is stunning, the characters are complicated and nuanced, and the story is heartfelt and heartbreaking. If this isn't on your TBR, it should be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Islamophobia, Abortion, Murder, and Gun violence

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Pregnancy

emlittle's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and  hurt me in a way I didn’t know a book could hurt me. I couldn’t adore it more. Roya’s worries at the beginning of the book feel too familiar: the polarization of politics at school, civil unrest, and uncertainty about the future. At one point, she assures herself America’s government would have nothing to do with overthrowing her own in Iran- that one felt like an extra kick in the stomach. Kamari tells a story through Iran’s coup in the 50’s that holds up a pretty relevant mirror.

The character work throughout the story is great; the main focus stays on Roya, but Kamari weaves a web of interconnectedness that feels so real. We get to see how different characters interact with each other and get insight into their personal histories. We get to see Roya change as she is touched by love, heartbreak, contentedness, and tragedy. You’re not just reading; Kamari ensures you’re LIVING Roya’s life.

I also really enjoyed the non-linear story telling. There are bits of the present intercut with long bouts of flashbacks and other people’s stories peppered in along the way. It feels so complete and there’s a satisfaction to the level of context you’re given- which makes the ending even more heartbreaking. I’m so glad to have gotten this book recommended to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, War, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, and Child death

arnoles's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? No

4.75

This was a absolutely beautiful, gorgeous book. The love story was powerful and moving and the theme of societal/family expectations and personal desire was expressed beautifully. The time jump and the occasional switch in character focus was used perfectly. I learned a lot about Iranian history and Persian culture from this book as well. Definitely have tissues ready for the last 50 or so pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Cancer and Xenophobia

crakandra's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Xenophobia and Suicide attempt

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

this absolutely wrecked me. i cried in public reading this. 

it was so enlightening on the tribulations many Iranian people faced during that time. i felt my heart break when the characters faced grief and loss, which is hard for an author to achieve. 

i would recommend this 1000%, please just check trigger warnings!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Miscarriage, War, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Suicide attempt

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Overall I loved this book. The writing was absolutely stunning, especially the way she describes food and certain cultural moments. I thought the messages surrounding love, family, culture, and understanding were absolutely incredible and gripped at my heart a ton. She was able to mix in a lot of political and historical issues going on which made the book even more fleshed out, in my opinion. You never felt like you were in a class but I definitely learned a good amount about Iran, Persian culture, and the dynamics in the country at this time. The way she wrote Roya’s family and their dynamic was so stunning it absolutely melted my heart. I also thought her use of time was quite well done! 

On the negative side, there were moments where I felt like ideas kept repeating when they didn’t need to, particularly in regards to Roya’s internal monologue as she’s missing Bahman. It felt slightly repetitive in that aspect but it was nothing to bad. I also found the letter he writes to her at the end to be so focused on explaining what happened that it didn’t actually feel like a letter to someone. I know she had to have a way that things are explained but it was especially odd in letter format, to me.

This all being said, I would HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s stunning and captures so much about love for the people in your life so incredibly well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia