Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir

3 reviews

theaceofpages's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

4.25

Set in the Darfur region of Sudan, this memoir follows Halima Bashir from her relatively privileged childhood (although she was already bullied and looked down upon by certain Arab teachers and students even then), to er becoming a doctor, studying medicine and eventually fleeing from the war after she is targeted for healing black people injured in the conflict.

If you are interested in the pain and struggles that come to those who live in a war zone, particularly women and children, I  can definitely recommend this book, although it is horrifying at times. Some parts (especially the chapters that deal with rape victims and dying families) were incredibly harrowing so prepare yourself before going in. 

I really enjoyed the parts about Bashir's childhood. I loved getting to know about her community and enjoyed seeing what school was like for her. There was definitely an essence of isolation in both her very different worlds due to her two very different lives and sets of experiences. Despite dealing with some rather unkind people, I'm glad she also met some good ones through her education and that she managed to follow her dreams (although things definitely didn't end up going quite how she hoped due to the rising conflict).

I appreciate that she didn't shy away from some of the horrors she saw as a doctor, even if she doesn't always go into graphic derail (probably good for the reader!). I can only imagine how traumatising it all was. Most people don't understand the kinds of atrocities people in these situations face and books that discuss them are so important, especially in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile. Although awareness of war and genocide is spreading, I rarely see it focus on the experiences of African people - voices that desperately need to be heard.

I don't know if it was intentional or even if it's just something just read into, but I found the change of tone as the book went on rather interesting. Even at its darkest times, I felt like there was a kind of warmth when she was writing about Sudan that wasn't there when she wrote about her experiences in the UK. She does talk about the cultural differences and the contrast between greater individualism and a tight knit community, but I could also almost feel it. How alone she felt and longed for those she loved.

Although not an easy read by any stretch (not because of the writing but the contents) I would definitely recommend this book to those who wish to understand the true impact of conflict. I hope the author managed to find her family and friends again one day (or at the very least learns what happened to them) and that all the people of Sudan will finally know the peace they deserve.

Some notes on some of the content warnings (all are individually spoilered)
 

Rape: 

both on page and the treatment of child victims

 
Medical trauma: 

Female genital mutilation

 
Medical content: 

Including treatment of those injured in war with very limited supplies

 
Fire injury: 

Includes children being thrown into burning huts and ending up covered in burns

 
Gun violence:

Mostly second hand

Deportation:

Struggling to not get sent back to a war zone

Animal death: 

Livestock and hunting

 
Pregnancy: 

Not an easy one - ends up hospitalised

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Torture, and Rape

Moderate: Deportation, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Classism, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Colonisation, Police brutality, Bullying, Child death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Misogyny

bookreviewswithkb's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense

5.0

a harrowing personal account of survival amongst intense tragedy, loss, and war. the author’s willingness to share her story in order to bring awareness of the war in Darfur is beyond remarkable, detailing the most personal of details about love and sacrifice and triumph. it’s certainly not an easy read but i highly recommend it, especially for part of a deeper understanding of the personal impact of war on human lives 

the conflict, genocide and war continues to rage in Sudan at this present moment. over 10,000 people have been killed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Genocide, Rape, War, and Sexual violence

betag1013's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Animal death, Death, Body horror, Stalking, Confinement, Chronic illness, Classism, Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Abandonment, War, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Child death, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Racism