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littlepepperguy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
If you like a book that basically no events/things happen this is for you. It's a sequence of thoughts, feelings, dreams, recollections, and a "manuscript" by side characters. Almost nothing actually occurs in real time.
A syrian woman meets a man at her therapists office. They somehow start dating, they like don't even talk. Both are writers. The lady hates when her mans talks. They stay together for 15 years, she stays going to the therapist. He like leaves to Germany basically out of nowhere and is like yo you can have keys to my place in Syria, I am not coming back figure it out b. She reads his manuscript and is like woah woah woah this is based on me wtf. but actually it's more closely associated with another woman in his life and her foil. The revolution happens and people become more real to her.
It's def interesting, you really get a feeling of how dysfunctional this woman is and a feeling of how the environment affected that.
A syrian woman meets a man at her therapists office. They somehow start dating, they like don't even talk. Both are writers. The lady hates when her mans talks. They stay together for 15 years, she stays going to the therapist. He like leaves to Germany basically out of nowhere and is like yo you can have keys to my place in Syria, I am not coming back figure it out b. She reads his manuscript and is like woah woah woah this is based on me wtf. but actually it's more closely associated with another woman in his life and her foil. The revolution happens and people become more real to her.
It's def interesting, you really get a feeling of how dysfunctional this woman is and a feeling of how the environment affected that.
dirtydima's review
3.0
لعلّ ما انتقده الآخرون هو ما أعجبني في الرواية. فالارتباك الذي لاقاه البعض في تداخل الاسماء والشخصيات والعوالم هو ما جعل من هذا العمل تجربة فريدة ومحاولة جديدة في ما أود أن أسميه التجريد في الرواية. الخوف كما وصفته الكاتبة ومشاعر الهلع التي تلازم شخوص الرواية بالإضافة إلى حالات من جنون الارتياب التي تدور في خلد أبطالها تعبر بدقة عن حقيقة وواقع كل سوري عاش داخل البلاد خلال الخمسين عاما المنصرمة. أحيي الكاتبة على جرأتها في معالجة مأساتها الشخصية من خلال هذا العمل.
bookishmillennial's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
This was incredibly slow-paced and a true character-driven novel. That means it may not be everyone's cuppa but I thought it was beautifully written and translated!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Violence
nuhafariha's review
3.0
Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available August 25th 2020
Mind blowing and psychologically taut, Dima Wannous's "The Frightened Ones" is a provocative glance into the mind of a Syrian refugee. When Suleima receives an advanced copy of her past lover's novel, she is at once struck by the similarity between herself and the novel's protagonist. As the novel develops, the reader is drawn more and more to question the line between reality and memory, fiction and truth. The novel with the novel structure is used to deepen Suleima's constant tension and fear as she tries to keep her two worlds apart. I really enjoyed reading this innovative novel, especially the samples of Naseem's novel.
Available August 25th 2020
Mind blowing and psychologically taut, Dima Wannous's "The Frightened Ones" is a provocative glance into the mind of a Syrian refugee. When Suleima receives an advanced copy of her past lover's novel, she is at once struck by the similarity between herself and the novel's protagonist. As the novel develops, the reader is drawn more and more to question the line between reality and memory, fiction and truth. The novel with the novel structure is used to deepen Suleima's constant tension and fear as she tries to keep her two worlds apart. I really enjoyed reading this innovative novel, especially the samples of Naseem's novel.
gurofl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
4.0
Took me about 100 pages before I got really engaged with the book. Well written. Important.
elliejmatthews's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kevinmccarrick's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
israology's review
4.0
Confused the hell out of me. I liked it. The character chemistry with their personality and their own wants for their personhood was so well done. The character types built in “The Frightened Ones” are memorable ones. I promise.