Reviews

Savage Tongues: A Novel by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi

fullmetalmaya's review against another edition

most of these reviews are upset at how much she talks about hating israel but i actually think this book was far too nice about it! and a little weird too!

misspalah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I sat in bed and let out a long repressed cry. I cried quietly, silently. I held the blanket against my mouth. I was afraid of belting out my pain, afraid that woven into the fabric of my grief was the violence and cruelty of my relationship with Omar, what had happened between us, and all of the people— family, strangers, animals— who had cleared the path for us to meet. The last thing I wanted to do was unleash that cruelty back out into the world. I'd taught myself to regard my pain as my greatest asset, productive, instructive, generative; but only if I could figure out how to hold it kindly, gently. There was something transcendent in that pain. And for that reason, I'd wanted to avoid unleashing its unfiltered storms and dark shadows on another. I'd thought that if I held on to my suffering long enough I'd be able to metabolize it; it would dissolve and never again be recycled back into the currents of the world. But no. I'd been eclipsed by Omar. The injustices he'd assailed against me— against that wild boar and the birds he kept in cages, and who knows what other beings — could not be contained in a single temporal dimension. That's violence's greatest asset, I thought; the ability to make time itself servile to the deviousness of its will. We are left to manage the discrepancy between the scale of the event, its limited temporal duration, and its boundless posthumous influence over our hearts and minds.

• Savage Tongues by Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi

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I know we are in March and its too early for me to say it but this is one of the visceral read i’ve had this year. The tremendous guilt (especially when our main character, Arezu described the SA and the R*pe that happened to her), the non-stop frowning (on why Arezu try to justify or equally blamed herself for putting herself in that situation and chasing the danger afterwards), the countless sighs (of trying to really understand the complexity of feelings that Arezu had towards the perpetrator) and occassionally ‘whyyyyyy?’ (because i try not to judge The MC stupid decision but sometimes its hard not to) while reading this book is just too real. The prose is gorgeously written - its heartfelt and evocative and it is a testament to why the author won the Pen/Faulkner Award. However, i have to warn that this is not for everybody. As the story did not get anywhere and it was not written in linear manner. What we’ve got is the regurgitation of emotions / feelings / sinful confessions / hidden & dark desires that has been kept inside of our main character, Arezu for so long after the incident. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for me - afterall, i love literary fiction but i can understand the frustration of others who rated this book lower than 3. The book also highlighted one of the most beautiful female friendship that happened between Arezu, Ellie and Sahar. While Sahar is already out pictures (not because she’s being abandoned - she’s literally difficult to be contacted as she lives in Palestine) but Arezu and Ellie continued to become best friends which is why Ellie agreed to accompany Arezu to Spain to confront and recount the whole memory of what has been described as painfully haunting during her journey to the adulthood. Another surprising aspect to this book is how the main characters is Pro-Palestine including Ellie, being an Israeli herself. She recognised the occupation, the injustice and oppression inflicted by Israel towards Palestine. Arezu, being an Iranian recognised the struggle of living under the governing of the oppressive regime. If you choose to read this, be prepared to feel uncomfortable as the elements of grooming, Stockholm syndrome and unresolved daddy issues is apparent that despite reading it in the perspective of victim herself, you will see that she kept on defending Omar’s action, her rapist & perpetrator and to why it happened in that manner and why he acted that way. Overall, this is truly heartbreaking read. I think the intention would be in showing that so many girls out there fell for the false security provided by the older guys they knew in their life only to be preyed on later. They mistaken the lust with affection and in turn, they thought they will be cherished forever. Once these girls grew into womanhood, they finally realised that they were the victims and what they thought was love was just a way to ravage their body and soul. 

stacevox's review against another edition

4.0

I know this book is pretty controversial but I flew through it and felt it viscerally. I genuinely wish more of my mutuals had read this and I’d love to discuss the various themes with people!

cami19's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.0

stinas_fav_books's review against another edition

3.0

I found the actual story being told through this book was a great one. It was filled with emotional moments, both highs and lows, but I did find it hard to keep up. Sentences seemed to run on and with each new paragraph it seemed to switch to a different place, past/present event, or a different person. It seemed like some paragraphs should/would have indicated a new chapter. It was a bit (quickly) back and forth throughout a given chapter. The story itself was compelling and heartbreaking. Being an adult and looking back on the life events that have changed you, or made you have the "what ifs" is sometimes a very hard thing to do. It is necessary to do this in order to grow and overcome current struggles. To have a best friend who understands you and is willing to go on that journey with you says a-lot. Disclosure - I read an ARC copy so some of these things I am pointing out could have been changed a bit in the final copy!

leahsbooks's review against another edition

1.0

This was definitely a DNF for me. I couldn't make it more than 16% of the way through it, as hard as I tried.

There wasn't even a semblance of a plot that had made any appearance by that point, aside from the author's obsession with anti-zionist rhetoric, relying on false information and buzzwords like "settler-colonial project." However, I couldn't quite see how that would have fit into the story, let alone being brought up repeatedly.

Instead of an intriguing story with engaging characters, the MC just rambled and bored me. The 16% I did listen to didn't hold my interest at all, as much as I tried to get interested in the story. However, with no discernible plot and a character that I couldn't force myself to care about, I couldn't justify continuing to listen to a barely coherent diatribe.

Save yourself the trouble and skip this one. It isn't worth the time.

callmeamelia's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Grief, Violence, and Toxic relationship

jessiejoelle's review against another edition

2.0

Just couldn't get going on this one. I labored through it. Lovely, haunted writing, never found a rhythm for me.

kmaa's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

__whatsrachelreading__'s review against another edition

3.0

Savage Tongues is an interesting read that was unexpected and at times difficult to continue. It started strong with Arezu with her friend,Ellie, going back to the place where she was in an abusive relationship with and older man. I really enjoyed the first few chapters. The writing was very very well done and addressed important themes. My issue is there are too many theme occurring in a fairly short novel. Also, the themes are heavy; abusive relationship with an older man, cultural oppression, cross cultural friendships. I feel the themes we’re rushed. I love Arezu and Ellie friendship and bond throughout this healing journey.
Overall, I can’t say I ”enjoyed” Savage Tongues because of the powerful messages and trauma that is in the story. But it was definitely a powerful read and shows how our past trauma effects us in many different ways