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robinks'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Dementia, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Terminal illness, Torture, and Colonisation
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Rape, Murder, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Death of parent, War, Drug use, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Death, Genocide, Islamophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Racial slurs, Alcohol, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
turtlebrainlibrarian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
The writing is lyrical and easy to follow. You will find many wonderful quotes as you read the book. The narrative does jump between each character, but we do get to see those characters grow and change in the other perspectives, so they are well rounded. It is a character driven novel, which I enjoy.
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism and Torture
apple_atcha_reading'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? It's complicated
5.0
This is merely the beginning of frequent uprooting, uncertainty, loss, and trauma for the Yacoub family. We follow their movements from the beginning of thr Six Day War, all the way to the near lresent day of 2014 where the Middle East is still in perpetual conflict. Each generation of the Yacoub family through one way or another is sent into exile from what they have come to know as their home, although each character mentions they have no real concept of home or belonging. They are refugees before they are born, and their children inherit their trauma and loss without anyone truly realizing at the time.
The way Alyan crafts such well rounded characters made me want to hug them, hit them, scream at them, comfort them all at the same time. They were real people; complicated but trying their best under the circumstances of their heritage and birth through no wrong doing on their part. Each generation became more and more separated from their lives and connection to Palestine. At times, the younger generations attempt to explain their ethnicity and home country to American or European friends, but they don't understand. How can you be one thing if you've never been there, and you're not this thing even thought you were born there? Each generation was an excellent example of no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your family and their past. The trauma of simply being Palestinian followed each member of the Yacoub family, even those born in Europe or America. They fall into the same patterns and mannerisms, all attempting to cope with never ending war and repeated displacement and never truly belonging for a number of reasons.
All in all, this was an excellent read about one family's generational trauma, but also their resilience and tenacity to overcome and return to their home, wherever that may be for them.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Colonisation, Terminal illness, War, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Racism, Vomit, Alcohol, and Xenophobia
katharina90's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
The story pulled me in from the first page, but towards the end I felt less connected to the characters.
I found myself wanting to return to the POV of previous family members rather than focusing on the younger generation.
Graphic: Dementia and Colonisation
Moderate: Grief, Confinement, War, Sexual content, Body shaming, Torture, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism
mads1706's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: War, Terminal illness, Death, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
nicoleisalwaysreading'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Torture, Death, and Sexual content
katievh'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
4.25
Moderate: Torture, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Islamophobia, Classism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and War
Minor: Fatphobia, Cursing, and Sexual content
perfectplaces's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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hala alyan gets it. like i simply cannot stress enough how much she gets it.
this reminds me of khaled hosseini’s and the mountains echoed which is a book i love for its form if not for its content. except salt houses has much more heart and nuance to its portrayal of war and conflict and cyclical trauma and identity and exile than any of hosseini’s books. like mountains, a lot of the reviews for this book complain about its style of incorporating short vignettes from different povs that make up a multi generational story. but like. i like that. i think it’s fun and good and i just love the yacoub family so much (atefTT_TT) and i started to see myself and the people i know in all of them. so i don’t rly agree with any of the reviews saying we didn’t have time to get to know the characters like yes. we did. the girls that get it get it.
anyway this is a new favorite and i think i will recommend forever.
Graphic: War, Torture, Dementia, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Grief, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Rape, and Fatphobia
Minor: Alcoholism and Vomit
chloehamburn'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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Police brutality, Rape, and Fatphobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Dementia, and Racial slurs