Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany

17 reviews

serenas_reads's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

elias_cn's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape, Gaslighting, Abortion, Sexual violence, and Body shaming

Minor: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Racism

lklitup's review

emotional sad tense 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

3.0

I wish this book had spent at least triple the amount of time on the friendship of Malak, Jenna, and Kees. Aside from the very, very beginning, and the last 70ish pages, their friendships with one another are thought of with nostalgia. These women exemplify all the best qualities of friendship, and I wanted to have seen more before they had to face their defining moments. The meat of this novel, the in-between, made it seem like everything happened to Malak, Jenna, and Kees; a seismic shift occurred upon their reconciliation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

martinj's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexism, and Misogyny

chaptersofchase's review

emotional inspiring 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

Thank you, Grand Central Publishing, for the gifted copy of These Impossible Things {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.7.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“Some evenings demand you walk through them. You can’t get on a bus or in a car because then you’ll miss it. Miss the exact moment the changing summer sky turns from blue to pink to black.”

I know that my review will not do this book justice, but I will still try to convince you to read this incredible, heartbreaking, uplifting story of friendship, love, and all the ways the world can bend us to do impossible things.

Salma El-Wardnay is an exceptionally talented writer who describes even the most mundane moments with such beauty that I re-read whole pages to experience them again. I wish I could accurately articulate how she represents the characters of this book — I was so invested in them. I laughed with them, felt the love they experienced, and wept as their hearts were shattered.

These Impossible Things is a testament to female friendship and how meaningful these relationships can be. Besides friendship, I learned a lot about the Muslim religion, and I’m embarrassed to say that it’s not something I’ve spent much time reading about, but this book made me want to change that.

There were several beautiful moments in this story, but there were just as many difficult passages to read. Mixed within these pages are references to gaslighting, domestic/emotional/mental abuse, abortion, and rape. I do not want any of these triggers to prevent you from reading this book. If you have any concerns, please message me.

Again, thank Grand Central Publishing for the gifted book; Read with Jenna for giving this the attention it deserves; and, most importantly, thank you to Salma El-Wardany for writing this story. These Impossible Things will be going on my favorites of 2022 list.



______

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

martachbc's review

emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault

Minor: Eating disorder

books_tea_and_candlelight's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Gaslighting, Abortion, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, War, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Body shaming, Cursing, Gore, and Misogyny