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prunesquallor's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Incest
interesting failure, misguided, beautiful artnatalybueno's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Slavery
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.
Content Warnings
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
gabbyjc's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- 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? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicidal thoughts
skeptista's review
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.5
mild spoilers, mentions of rape
when i first stumbled upon this graphic novel, i didn't know what to expect seeing that the author is a white man.
when i started reading it, i really enjoyed the art style and the incorporated elements of islam and arabic, but as i continued reading, i looked up some reviews to try and see how muslims and/or arabs (and generally bipoc) felt about this kind of representation. i saw a few reviews going into details about the problematic nature of this novel so i looked up some blogposts and continued to do some research. i must admit, i'm in the middle of exam season so i couldn't dedicate much time to exploring other people's views on the book (something i plan on doing during summer break) but most of what i had seen has opened my eyes and made me think more critically of the rest of the novel.
what i personally found very problematic since the beginning was the way rape is romantised and the weird dynamic between the two main characters. Dodola is oversexualised and made out to be this beautiful woman who looks perfect and is hairless in spite of her living conditions. as for the romantic relationship between her and zam, i just felt so fucking weird and uncomfortable. ever since that first scene where zam was lusting after a girl he perceived as his SISTER/ MOTHER i knew this was going to play a big role in the novel and was admittedly going to bother me for the rest of the book.
i stumbled upon an interview the author did with a muslim man (Nadim Damluji) who had previously written a post stating the problematic aspects of habibi. i didn't read the whole interview but i read enough to know i won't be reading anything from this author again. i will leave the link down below if anyone wants to read it themselves and form their own opinion.
https://www.hoodedutilitarian.com/201...
i'm also adding this part because i was in pure disbelief while reading it.
"ND: This brings us back to how Dodola’s body functions primarily as a commodity, how even when the resources run out her body remains a marketable asset. I’m curious about if you ever felt aware of the baggage of her being sexed the whole time, even if that is purposefully through Zam’s perspective. If you ever felt wary of the contradiction between putting a feminist character into a societal position where there is perpetual forced sexualization of her body. I understand you as a “feminist” by putting Dodola out there in a way readers can sympathize with her, but then there’s an aspect of some readers maybe living out their own perverse sexual fantasies through the ways she’s treated. Do you see a danger in that?
CT: I don’t see a danger in it, but I definitely see a contradiction in it. So when you define me as a feminist, I’m OKAY with that, but there’s an irony in men claiming to be feminist to some degree. You can be sort of intellectually feminist, or claim to be, but there’s still a more primal animal instinct. You know, it’s the irony that some men who claim to be so intellectually feminist are the exact same people who are womanizers. Every time I meet another sensitive male it just bores me. And there’s nothing more painful than hearing a guy say he’s a lesbian trapped in a male body. So I’m exploring that contradiction: any man claiming he’s feminist is bullshitting, because your still animalisticly male. Again, I’m talking about heterosexual desires, but this crosses over to all sexual genders from transsexual people to homosexuals. That’s what I was exploring in my own life, that your sex drive is in conflict sometimes with ethical beliefs and you have to recognize both energies. If you put all the negative aspects of your sexuality in the shadow, then you’re probably going to fuck up and make some sort of mistake in your life, the way that politicians and televangelists do when we hear about their sexually deviancy. It’s the classic Catholic Priest scenario: if you don’t own up to your own shadow elements then they’ll emerge anyways and much more destructively."
do with that what you will.
all in all, i will steer clear from craig thompson and will look into reading books from muslim and arab authors as well as continue educating myself on the harmful stereotypes and misconceptions of such.
edit: can't believe i forgot to say this: the part where dodola forgives her first husband for molesting and raping her because he... what? can't control himself? i cannot believe craig thompson thinks this is how women should/do think. disgusting.
when i first stumbled upon this graphic novel, i didn't know what to expect seeing that the author is a white man.
when i started reading it, i really enjoyed the art style and the incorporated elements of islam and arabic, but as i continued reading, i looked up some reviews to try and see how muslims and/or arabs (and generally bipoc) felt about this kind of representation. i saw a few reviews going into details about the problematic nature of this novel so i looked up some blogposts and continued to do some research. i must admit, i'm in the middle of exam season so i couldn't dedicate much time to exploring other people's views on the book (something i plan on doing during summer break) but most of what i had seen has opened my eyes and made me think more critically of the rest of the novel.
what i personally found very problematic since the beginning was the way rape is romantised and the weird dynamic between the two main characters. Dodola is oversexualised and made out to be this beautiful woman who looks perfect and is hairless in spite of her living conditions. as for the romantic relationship between her and zam, i just felt so fucking weird and uncomfortable. ever since that first scene where zam was lusting after a girl he perceived as his SISTER/ MOTHER i knew this was going to play a big role in the novel and was admittedly going to bother me for the rest of the book.
i stumbled upon an interview the author did with a muslim man (Nadim Damluji) who had previously written a post stating the problematic aspects of habibi. i didn't read the whole interview but i read enough to know i won't be reading anything from this author again. i will leave the link down below if anyone wants to read it themselves and form their own opinion.
https://www.hoodedutilitarian.com/201...
i'm also adding this part because i was in pure disbelief while reading it.
"ND: This brings us back to how Dodola’s body functions primarily as a commodity, how even when the resources run out her body remains a marketable asset. I’m curious about if you ever felt aware of the baggage of her being sexed the whole time, even if that is purposefully through Zam’s perspective. If you ever felt wary of the contradiction between putting a feminist character into a societal position where there is perpetual forced sexualization of her body. I understand you as a “feminist” by putting Dodola out there in a way readers can sympathize with her, but then there’s an aspect of some readers maybe living out their own perverse sexual fantasies through the ways she’s treated. Do you see a danger in that?
CT: I don’t see a danger in it, but I definitely see a contradiction in it. So when you define me as a feminist, I’m OKAY with that, but there’s an irony in men claiming to be feminist to some degree. You can be sort of intellectually feminist, or claim to be, but there’s still a more primal animal instinct. You know, it’s the irony that some men who claim to be so intellectually feminist are the exact same people who are womanizers. Every time I meet another sensitive male it just bores me. And there’s nothing more painful than hearing a guy say he’s a lesbian trapped in a male body. So I’m exploring that contradiction: any man claiming he’s feminist is bullshitting, because your still animalisticly male. Again, I’m talking about heterosexual desires, but this crosses over to all sexual genders from transsexual people to homosexuals. That’s what I was exploring in my own life, that your sex drive is in conflict sometimes with ethical beliefs and you have to recognize both energies. If you put all the negative aspects of your sexuality in the shadow, then you’re probably going to fuck up and make some sort of mistake in your life, the way that politicians and televangelists do when we hear about their sexually deviancy. It’s the classic Catholic Priest scenario: if you don’t own up to your own shadow elements then they’ll emerge anyways and much more destructively."
do with that what you will.
all in all, i will steer clear from craig thompson and will look into reading books from muslim and arab authors as well as continue educating myself on the harmful stereotypes and misconceptions of such.
edit: can't believe i forgot to say this: the part where dodola forgives her first husband for molesting and raping her because he... what? can't control himself? i cannot believe craig thompson thinks this is how women should/do think. disgusting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Incest, Murder, and Abandonment
castrationanneschreurs'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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Abortion, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Death of parent
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Religious bigotry
blueblips's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I love this book and the way it touches upon so many things at the same time, the way it portrays very difficult and wry situations in a very digestible way. I remember the thing that stood out to me most when I read it (already a good couple of years ago) was the inclusion of both biblical stories and stories from the Qur'an and the way they are interweaved into the character's stories.
That said, the story is very long and complicated, so it really took me a while to get through it. Worth it though.
That said, the story is very long and complicated, so it really took me a while to get through it. Worth it though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Slavery, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Trafficking