Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Habibi by Craig Thompson

5 reviews

imartine's review

challenging medium-paced

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

The fact that the author is a white man and the two main characters are people of color makes me feel like there is some type of misrepresentation going on. The illustration and image composition is beautiful, but there is a heavy amount of sexual content that feels more like it’s forced on the characters than a part of their lives. The author is a white man, who I believe did his research, but no amount of research can make his lived experience equivalent and justify his use of these characters. My personal belief is that white folks should not use the n-word in any way ever, and this author did write it out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Body horror, Addiction, Physical abuse, War, Fatphobia, Gore, Chronic illness, Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Trafficking, Child death, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Blood, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, and Vomit

fools_egg's review

Agree with most reviews: I read when I was young and just discovered Craig Thompson.
Definitely a white dude just exploiting racist stereotypes and tropes to create a traumatizing read. 
Write what you know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Pedophilia, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Cultural appropriation

alicecrow's review

adventurous dark sad fast-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

3.5

While the art is impressive and the story carries you away, there were moments I was unsure what it all meant. I found it difficult to understand what the author meant by certain parts of the book. Thompson is obviously an impressive storyteller and artist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Racial slurs

Minor: Abandonment and Abortion

anneschreurs's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

really good read and the art is beautiful and suits the story very well. it is a book full of heavy topics and it is a good idea to check with yourself if you have the right mindset to read it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Rape, Trafficking, Death, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Kidnapping, Infertility, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Abortion, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent and Bullying

taylor29harty's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Whew! While I do not agree with banning books and censorship, I can UNDERSTAND why this book was challenged / banned in schools. I, as an adult, was not prepared for the graphic images of (TW) rape, castration, child neglect, and more. I also didn't totally "get it". Was it just about sexual awakening and exploration? Is anyone else grossed out that Dodola was Zam's mother, then sister, then...lover? The ambiguous timeline really threw me off. While I can see that it was purposefully done in this way I do wish that it had been a little more clear WHY it was done this way. Is it a critique on industrialization and technological advancement? Like I said, I just don't get it. I need to do a little bit more research on the meanings I may have missed and why the author (from small town Wisconsin) chose to tell a story of two young former slaves in this Arabic society. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit