Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

136 reviews

pipettesandpages's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

liv_txt's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Pregnancy, Rape, Child abuse, and Miscarriage

jillaay_h's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Blood, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism

sabinedion's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Murder, Death of parent, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Body shaming, and Car accident

caprivoyant's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

I've been staring at my phone trying to write a review for 20 minutes. I can't. This book is beautiful. It'll break your heart and make you love your people (and stories) even more. That's all I've got.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Death, Suicide, and Alcoholism

Minor: Abortion and Colonisation

nadiaray's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.75

This is an excellent book. The themes of generational trauma, customs, misogyny and what is means to be a woman are all explored with excellence. This book made me emotional throughout the entire read. Phenomenal storytelling and character building. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Grief, Misogyny, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Sexism

Moderate: Suicide, Murder, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Abortion, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism

moonadjacent's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• 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

There aren't that many events that actually go into the plot and the mystery is not much of a focal point so mystery-lovers would probably be disappointed with the 'reveal'. This book is much more about the characters, their relationships with each other, intergenerational trauma, and the cycle of abuse/violence from colonialism to sexism to family violence. 

Two excerpts that showcase these themes: 

"...had taught her that the traumas of the world were inseparably connected. She was not surprised when her father came home and beat them mercilessly, the tragedy of the Nakba bulging in his veins... She knew that the suffering of women started in the suffering of men, that the bondages of one became the bondages of the other."

"...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.

---

Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

sanjreadsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Blood, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Violence, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Emotional abuse