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teabeansss'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
4.75
Graphic: Genocide, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Gore, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Death, Murder, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Confinement, Colonisation, Blood, Torture, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Islamophobia, Death of parent, and War
chi__'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
4.5
Graphic: War, Deportation, Death, Trafficking, Blood, Death of parent, Dementia, Murder, Genocide, Child death, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Confinement, Grief, and Hate crime
Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcoholism
fiifarts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: War, Genocide, Violence, Torture, Murder, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Confinement
Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Child death, and Deportation
raisinreads's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Grief, Violence, and Pregnancy
kimschouwenaar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Woah. And I mean that in every sense of the expression. This multi-generational story about a Palestinian family grabs you by the throat, nails digging in, and does not relent. I expect it to retain its hold on me for months to come. Abulhawa takes you by the hand and leads you through history and grief, leads you through the relentless suffering of Palestinians, and does not hold back.
Each chapter I was left questioning Can this really happen? Can a people be this ruthless and arrogant to believe they have the rights to invade a country and act like they are the only victims?
Yes. In fact, it is happening and has been happening for decades. We need to stop trying to justify genocide. The safety of one people should not come at the cost of another country and culture.
"The roots of out grief coil so deeply into loss that death has come to live with us like a family member who makes you happy by avoiding you, but who is still one of the family. Our anger is a rage that Westerners cannot understand. Our sadness can make the stones weep. And the way we love is no exception, Amal."
It's a tough read, but I strongly believe it's one that we should all know.
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Xenophobia, Genocide, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Kidnapping and Racism
Minor: Dementia, Deportation, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Pedophilia
nineinchnails'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
it feels weird to rate this book like i would other fiction novels, since many of these fictional events are recurring as we speak. what i will say is that anyone even slightly interested in learning about palestine stands to gain a lot from reading this book. while it is definitely heavy and dark, it shows so much beauty in the land and culture too. the story switches hands between characters a fair amount here but i think it works in its favour and is necessary to tell this particular story. i don't think anything i write here could do this book justice but i loved this book from front to cover and i don't think the contents will ever leave my mind.
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Grief, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child death, Gore, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Hate crime, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexism, Sexual content, Dementia, Blood, Confinement, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, and Torture
Minor: Incest, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, and Rape
katharina90's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"How does one live in a world that turns away from such injustice for so long? Is this what it means to be Palestinian, Mother?"
"For if life had taught her anything, it was that healing and peace can begin only with acknowledgment of wrongs committed."
Graphic: Death of parent, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Torture and Confinement
Minor: Rape and Alcoholism
writingcaia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
It’s hard to transmit all I’ve felt during it, even now after a few hours.
This book is not only informative and deeply meshed into the history of Palestine, the culture, the family ties, the smell and love of that country, it is also a very open window into the invasion/occupation and conflict with Israel, the camps, the ethnic cleansing, and all the atrocities of the apartheid since.
Although this is the fictional story of a Palestinian family going back three generations when they’re first taken from their ancestral home in 1967 and forced into the Jenin refugee camp travelling time and countries to end in 2003, this is still based on hundreds of real stories that happened during those 40 years.
A book that I now consider a must read to all that want to understand humanity at its most intense level of experience, from love to hatred, loss and despair to hope, from war to art.
The writing is poetic and deeply resonating, and the way it tells of the love of country and people even through such severe loss is humbling and takes you on a journey inside your own feelings as you follow those in this tale.
I cried, despaired, and raged, and still feel the aftershock of all the information, all this history, all these feelings, this is definitely not a book for the faint hearted still I cannot recommend it enough, and will be doing so forever more.
Graphic: Confinement, Dementia, Excrement, Genocide, Hate crime, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child death, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage