Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Habibi by Craig Thompson

14 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.

---

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

sigerj's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment

whatisjordyreading's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Physical abuse, Excrement, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Classism, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Pedophilia, Racism, Trafficking, and Transphobia

Moderate: Confinement and Fatphobia

saorabh's review

adventurous emotional informative lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery

nicmcphee's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, Murder, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Violence, Confinement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Body horror, Physical abuse, and Self harm

rebel_rocketman's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Misogyny

Moderate: Murder and Racism

ecster's review

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Slavery, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion and Vomit

itzsupergirl's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Fatphobia

littlecake's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

1.0

Eventhough Habibi has beautifull art and is filled with lots of research on Muslim myths and Arabic language, the author's orientalist gaze made me deeply uncomfortable. I almost DNF this book so many times but out of curiosity and to criticise it adequately, I finished it.

So many things are wrong with this graphic novel so let me list a few :

• The orientalist interpretation on the main female character Dodola : she is constantly reduice to her sexuality. In the book, she goes through sexual exploitation and yet, the rape scenes are graphically deepicted again and again. Even during these scenes, her body is showed in an esthethic way, which is highly disturbing... In these pages, the panels with Dodola naked are more numerous then her with clothes... Even as a child she is shown using her sensuality. Westerners still exotise Muslim and/or arabic women and have a fantasy to unveil them (read Fanon or Said's work on that). This representation is highly rooted in sexism, orientalism and colonialism.
• The relationship between the main characters is disturbing and toxic on many levels. From Dodola being Zam's maternal figure to then being the object of his lust.. I mean it's such a creepy fondation for any love story...
• The story takes place in a fictional land called Wanatolia. This country is a mix of all brown people together. It has arabic language like Maghreb, a Sultan like Ottoman Empire, Hijras and salwar kameez like India, Slavery and so on. Again this emphasizes Thompson's Orientalist gaze : all this countries with so many different cultures, languages and interpretations of Islam are just crushed together in one joyous mix. Ultimately all brown people are the same.
• There is no positive representation of a male arabic/brown character. All of them are just lusty barbaric people, which reinforces stereotypes. Furthermore, these characters are caricatured (big or pointy noses, long beards, etc). 
• Eventhough the myths are nicely drawn, some interpretations or representations made me uncomfortable. I understand that Thompson is not a believer, but when you pretend to be fascinated by someone's culture then you should respect it while representating it. Showing prophets face or showing them lusting is honestly disrespectful to so many faiths. 

Honestly I could go on and on and pin point specific scenes or problems. But in the end, my conclusion would be the same : this is a book filled with white gaze, orientalist  stereotypes and sexism. It's yet another example that own voices books matter.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, War, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Slavery

Moderate: Transphobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

blairnecessities's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence