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werdnamich's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War, Child death, Violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual assault
grace_muriithi's review against another edition
- 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
Palestine.
Congo.
Haiti.
Tigray.
Sudan.
Those are just a few of the ones I know of off the top of my head.
I felt guilty for knowing that all I can do is read, uplift their voices and donate.
But also, I felt hope in reading this story. Hope is something that I never want to lose sight of, and dreaming of a better tomorrow and fighting for it is what all oppressed people deserve. Free all those that are victims of Western greed, exploitation and colonialism. This is a novel about the fight for liberation and its uglier sides, but most of all it encourages me to continue to resist and fight for what is right.
5/5 stars, absolutely no notes. (Actually, PLEASE check trigger warnings before you read this book. It's a heavy read, but one that should be read in my opinion.)
Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, Islamophobia, and Sexual assault
dafni's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I am in awe of the strength it took to write this book, delve into these stories and revisit Syria’s oppressive political regime (alongside the consequences on innocent people). This book was an emotional rollercoaster - it will make you smile and cry; it will make you feel angry, hopeless, afraid, nauseous; it will make you admire people’s resilience and hope; and I truly hope it will make you understand that nobody wants to be a refugee. Nobody wants to leave their country, their home, their community. Nobody wants to be uprooted and separated from their loved ones in foreign and unfamiliar countries, where difference is not welcome or celebrated.
As Warsan Shire wrote in her poem “Home”:
you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
Through Salama’s storytelling we experience (from afar) the horrific things people go through EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. In Palestine. In Congo. In Sudan. In Syria. In Yemen. In so many other places that have been through civil war in the past. But Zoulfa’s writing reminds us that love, romance and colours during war exist; humanity exists through simple acts, caregiving and sharing with one another, even in the most inhumane circumstances. Zoulfa achieved to see her protagonists with their love and family stories, passions, values, beliefs. People are not numbers, and I hope this book will continue to educate and inspire.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Violence, and War
hannaww's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Torture, Death, and Grief
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, War, Sexual violence, Rape, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, Torture, Child abuse, and Rape
Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Trafficking, and Torture
rimsha04's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, War, Sexual assault, Rape, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, and Murder
meremesch's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Medical content, Child death, Grief, Death, War, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
gabriellegoldenhour's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Child death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, Genocide, Hate crime, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War
silversparkles50's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Vomit
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Body horror, Death, Medical content, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault