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rebel_rocketman's review
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Racism and Murder
forgetmenaught's review
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking
ecster's review
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Slavery, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Abortion
fools_egg's review
Definitely a white dude just exploiting racist stereotypes and tropes to create a traumatizing read.
Write what you know.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Cultural appropriation
audrey88's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Rape and Slavery
Moderate: Racism
itzsupergirl's review
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Classism
littlecake's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
prunesquallor's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Incest
interesting failure, misguided, beautiful artnatalybueno'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? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Rape and Slavery
alicecrow's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Abortion and Abandonment