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emeliajane97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Violence, Misogyny, Genocide, Sexual violence, Murder, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, War, and Police brutality
saylaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
4.5
From a writing perspective - I liked the two completely different narrative voices: the 3rd person view of the IDF soldier (confident, without much emotions/and any remorse @ his actions), and the 1st person view of an Palestinian woman from the west bank having to been grown up and live under those conditions - her constant anxiety and neuroticism (stemming from the trauma of being occupied, oppressed, bombed, and not allowed to move freely)
(Might come back to continue to review this after i have sorted my thoughts - also trying to start and get better at reviewing)
Graphic: Death, War, Genocide, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Rape and Violence
aliciawithoutkeys's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, and Gun violence
sarahrandall's review
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Blood, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Kidnapping, and Rape
mickdoor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Genocide, Murder, and Sexual assault
acnaib's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Gun violence and Genocide
fionafsw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Part I was understatement done to absolute perfection. The austerity of the writing and lack of embellishment highlighted the author's mastery of creating scenes and tension. The feeling of vague foreboding never goes away, even as you wonder what it is exactly that you are worried about. At the end of Part I, I could see why the book had won an award.
Part II was written in such a vastly different voice and style, it was like being splashed with cold water. It was hard to believe I was still reading the same book by the same author. The voice was jarring, discordant and stressful to listen to. Narrated in first person, you never get much context or detail or explanation; instead, you get submerged in what feels like neurosis.
At first, this annoyed me. There goes that rave 5-star review, I thought. I missed the sober calm tone and pace of Part I, even as horrible atrocities are being committed. I thought the author had missed the mark completely in the second act.
Then I read some reviews and realised that this was intentional (duh). The permanent panic, fear, indecisiveness, and sense of whether you're losing your mind are some of the effects of wiping out a country off the map, renaming places, rewriting memories, and erasing an entire people. There is loss of everything, not just of land but of collective history and memory. Nakba was and continues to be a severance that has untethered the Palestinian people.
This 'catastrophe', this tragedy, this trauma, this illegal displacement, this ethnic cleansing, this genocide of the Palestinian people - this is history that continues to play out today, over 75 years later, in as violent and unconscionable a way as never before. Israel and its supporters, shame on you. And to those of us sitting at home in countries supplying Israel with money and arms to carry out this genocide, too lazy, apathetic or afraid to speak up and do something, we are complicit, and we have blood on our hands. Shame on us.
Coincidentally, Nakba Day is on the same day as the anniversary of my dad's death. And coincidentally, the central event of the book, the day that so grips our Part II protagonist, not least because she was born 25 years later to the day, is my birthday.
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Murder, and Rape
brynalexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Rape, Colonisation, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Racism, Kidnapping, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Gun violence, Violence, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Alcohol and Genocide
maddiereadswords's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Death, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, War, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, and Rape
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Colonisation, Death, Child death, Sexual assault, War, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, Animal death, and Torture