Reviews tagging 'War'

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

10 reviews

rachrreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

“Rage can fuel you. But grief gnaws at you slow, a termite nibbling at your soul until you're a whisper of what you used to be.”


I read this as a buddy read and WOW. This book was so heavy, so please proceed with caution and check trigger warnings before reading. The author has the trigger warnings at the beginning as well. 

This story is told from the perspective of Salahudin, Noor, and Misbah. Misbah is Salahudin’s mother and these are mainly all from the past! The book does go back and forth in time due to this, but it works really well here! 

Salahudin and Noor have gone through so much at such a young age and my heart was hurting for them. This was my first Sabaa Tahir book (I have some of her other books on my shelf!) and the writing was phenomenal. I would definitely recommend picking this one up!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Islamophobia, Child abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: War

Minor: Sexual assault

jenniferj's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: War

jordynkw's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Islamophobia, Alcoholism, Racism, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Bullying, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Medical content, Sexual assault, War, Cursing, Vomit, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, and Terminal illness

historianvik's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautiful and tremendously sad. The hope sinks into your soul the more you sit with the book. This book will hurt you so please take care of yourself <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racial slurs, War, Alcoholism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

halfass_reviewer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Racism

Moderate: Islamophobia

Minor: Violence, Rape, Child abuse, and War

kelsielovesbooks's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Racism

uyen_ii's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

  Tldr: 5/5, lots of trigger warnings, the immigrant experience, “American Dream”, literally a heartbreaking book, but so so important 

 

I don’t think I have words to express how utterly heart-wrenching but beautiful this book was. 

 

Everyone needs to read this book. All My Rage not only elucidates the raw experience of being an immigrant in a country that hates you and wants to push you down but is also a deep dive into grief, loss, despair, and rage. 

 

This story is told through three alternating perspectives. Misbah, a Pakistani immigrant tells her story of moving from Pakistan to Juniper, California where she runs a motel while dealing with her alcoholic husband. Not only is she battling with financial struggles, she is also very ill. 

 

Salahudin is the son of Misbah and Taufiq. In his last year of high school, he’s trying to keep his head up while dealing with the loss of his mother, the motel, and his father’s alcoholism. While trying to keep his family afloat, he gets into some shady ways to make money. The book journeys him discovering what it means to be the only “man” in the family while simultaneously being a boy who was forced to grow up too early. 

 

Noor is an immigrant who comes to America at the age of six. Sal becomes her best friend, helping her navigate the chaos of being different than other kids. If it wasn’t for her Uncle Riaz who dug her out from the rubble, Noor would have died along with her entire family during the earthquake in Pakistan. She should be so grateful to her Uncle Riaz, but his desire to give up his culture and religion puts pressure on Noor. He is mean and doesn’t want Noor to go on to college or have any future besides working at his liquor shop. 

 

The most devastating things happen to everyone in this book, and rather than these bad situations being forced or added to the story to amp up on shock value, it is delicately touched upon and carefully expressed with integrity. The book delves into issues of racism, Islamophobia, alcoholism, drug use, sexual assault, physical assault, and grief. 

 

Tahir captures the emotional weight and raw rage that these characters feel, trapped in a cycle of poverty, loss, and abuse. It also made me angry too, and each chapter made me feel more heartbroken. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, and Addiction

Minor: War

greenlivingaudioworm's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, War, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Death of parent, Drug use, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

eleek0609's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Addiction, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Blood and War

Minor: Sexual assault

ksuazo94's review

challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Domestic abuse and War