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pipettesandpages'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Car accident, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Child death, and Murder
Minor: Grief, Blood, and Addiction
hazzardfreak02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Abortion
Minor: War and Islamophobia
cartermon4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Grief, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child abuse, and Blood
Minor: Child death and Car accident
the_readingraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
We follow 3 generational POV's of Palestinian women, ranging from the 1970's to 2009. They are from the same family who immigrated from Palestine to the US. As the reader, we learn of the cultural and religious circumstances each of these women are born into and must navigate. They each face different experiences and series of oppressions, some given onto one another. Honestly, a lot of it feels so unfair, I wanted to pull my hair out at how this family operates with their expectations of women. I have to say hats off to Etaf Rum. I am nervous when reading literary fiction since I have had some negative experiences with the genre before. Etaf writes in such a clear raw way that she wants you to feel the situation our characters are in. You feel the anger, confusion, the strangulation, of their situations, you just can't help but empathize with these women.
I have such big feelings for the women in this book. I feel I can write a whole essay on them. Isra is the character we spend the most time with. It's so difficult to not empathize with her. She wants love, to be in love, to feel loved, but love is hard to reach for her. We watch her navigate marriage, motherhood, postpartum depression, and abuse. She's the character I cried the most for. Deya is another pov. She searches for the truth of what happened to her parent's past while trying to stand for what she believes in. Fareeda is the matriarch of the family and is the cause of a lot of pain the women in this book have to deal with. I honestly can not stand this character, and even though a lot about her past is revealed, I still despise her.
In all, A Woman is No Man has got to be one of the most heart-wrenching books I have read. I am so glad that I read it and it is now one of my favorite books.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Abortion, Bullying, and Child death
infairveronaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So many things angered me throughout this book. Mainly the continuing the cycles of generational trauma... and blaming mothers/women for shit that is not even in their control biologicall....but the way I bawled my eyes out at the end.... joy, sadness and anger all hit back to back with lightening speed, it was slightly overwhelming. Such a freaking good (and horrible) way to end that final scene though. Also, getting those doses of the Palestinian history was definitely something to reflect on (especially now) as well.
Need something light after this one.
Graphic: Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Child death
caprivoyant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Death, Suicide, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion and Colonisation
moonadjacent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Two excerpts that showcase these themes:
"...how shame could grow and morph and swallow someone until she had no choice but to pass it along so that she wasn't forced to bear it alone... She saw the chain of shame passed from one woman to the next so clearly now, saw her place in the cycle so vividly."
With the bleakness of the violence described, it would be easy to feel hopeless and unable to see a pathway for Deya (central character) to ever become a well-adjusted young woman free to make her own choices. However, while the author does not shy away from some quite graphic descriptions they also manage to maintain some sense of hope throughout the book. I believe the sense of wonder and escapism that books and storytelling bring to the characters is what helps keep this seemingly unwarranted hope stay alive.
Although the novel is somewhat repetitive in its recounting back and forth between set events and timeframes, I stayed hooked and eager to read til the end. I think Etaf Rum has done well to portray and give voice to a story that is true representation for a number of some. Even in the book, there is evidence that religion is not the basis for all culture, and culture cannot be taken as the sole basis for every action taken by a specific family or individual. How these influences manifest will be different for all and unfortunately terrible for some. Hopefully anyone with critical thinking skills can discern this difference and more of these stories can be shared without fearing potential backlash such as increasing prejudice towards Islam or Palestine.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, War, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Genocide, and Rape
Minor: Child death, Islamophobia, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Murder
sassyykassie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Abortion
Minor: War, Car accident, Abandonment, Genocide, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and Child death
bookish_in_bklyn's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Child death
Moderate: War
katesant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: War
Minor: Child death