Reviews tagging 'Racism'

A Flat Place: A Memoir by Noreen Masud

6 reviews

dcfelk's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Outstanding, especially in the way it meets and resists the reader. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Misogyny

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

 A Flat Place is a very moving meditative memoir in which the author explores two seemingly disparate subjects - complex post-traumatic stress disorder and flat landscapes like Morecambe Bay and Orford Ness. Intertwined throughout is her experiences of racism and post-colonialism as the daughter of a Pakistani father and Scottish mother, as someone who was raised in Pakistan but had to leave for Britain when she was 15. This is a very subtle book. What’s important about her childhood isn’t so much what happened (and there is so much she can’t remember) - although some details like being forced to watch her father perform heart surgery on her grandfather on their kitchen table when she was just 11 had my jaw hitting the floor - but the way lack of space, lack of quiet, and most especially the constant tension and fear of emotional abuse made her feel her. The connections between the childhood trauma that she is still reckoning with and her love of flat places, the space and freedom she finds there soon became clear. The nature writing was evocative and had me Googling images so I could picture and come to appreciate these undervalued landscapes. But I also appreciated the quiet and understated way she tried to come to terms with her childhood, the person she had become and the way she moved through the world as a result. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Colonisation and Racism

kirstym25's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism and Colonisation

happyknitter2020's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

4.0

Read as was on Women's Prize Non Fiction 2024 Longlist.

Absolutely tragic Complex PSTD childhood experience locked into the house with English white mother & siblings by father in Pakistan. Education in England & needs to be near to flat places to support her emotions. Appreciate how she felt during covid, given her emotional & physical needs to be alone.

Reflects on the impact of white English culture on other countries cultures & religious. How can others be treated this way & be forget? 

Won't forget this in the future & hope it is shortlisted for the award.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Confinement, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Panic attacks/disorders

leanneymu's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

An insightful dive into the complicated relationship between landscape and familial relationships, with a really beautiful sense of confronting, and sitting with,  childhood trauma. Not an easy read by any means, but an important one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism

heinekaayn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Rape