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brogan7's review against another edition
4.0
I thought it was incredible, an epic tale for young readers. The history and mythology of Persia combined with the experiences of an immigrant boy from Iran who gets bullied in Oklahoma... it's like a tale from an ancient man about a young boy (who is himself). Heartbreaking and heart-affirming in that he uses the stories and the long, long historical context to weave himself into a bigger fabric, the long view, the possibility not just of survival but of mythology.
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse
TW: religious persecution, when there's no safe placemabellene'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
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Racism
Moderate: Murder, War, Body shaming, and Drug use
Minor: Vomit and Infidelity
theglossreview's review against another edition
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Medical content, Gore, Blood, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
talita_koum'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? No
4.5
Moderate: Xenophobia and Domestic abuse
fairhairedwarrior's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
passionatereader78'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
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Hate crime
Minor: Racial slurs, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Vomit
kristinareadz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Medical trauma and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit
denisehiller'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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying and Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse
cassiealexandra's review against another edition
4.75
My one issue was that it included perhaps just a little too much middle-school humor, bathroom talk in particular, but it is definitely true to the junior high boys I have worked with in the past or know presently. This is a me thing, a personal preference, but even in these sections, Nayeri makes points about class, immigration, and social standing.
I said the prose was meandering. There are no chapter divisions and one story bleeds into another, sometimes circling back at a later time. Daniel tells his story as a modern-day Scheherazade, holding the interest of his audience throughout. At one point, Nayeri writes: “Mrs. Miller says I have ‘lost the plot,’ and am now just making lists of things that happened to fill space. But I replied that she is beholden to a Western mode of storytelling that I do not accept and that the 1,001 Nights are basically Scheherazade stalling for time, so I don’t see the difference.” If I had any trouble with this book, it is likely because I am also beholden to a Western lens.
The bottom line: This was a beautiful fictionalized memoir written from the perspective of a seventh-grade boy, full of hope and heartache.
— NOTES —
Genres: literary fiction; middle grade to YA, but maybe more accessible to adults
POV: first-person, single
Content: domestic violence, refugee experience, divorce, animal death, mentions of war
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 4
Enjoyment: 4.5
Craft: 5
My Gut Feeling: 5
Total Stars: 4.625
Moderate: Animal death and Domestic abuse
Minor: War
haren_k'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse