Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, عدنية شبلي

55 reviews

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a harrowing story about the horrors of settler-colonial violence, one that makes clear that these aren’t a thing of the past and that they will keep repeating so long as the settler-colonial state exists.

The simple writing style employed here is incredibly effective, allowing the reader to look beyond the denotative to the connotative. There was so much to think about, such as the potential insect metaphor for the futility and brutality of colonisation found in the first part (I could be wrong with this interpretation). Also, and I may again be off the mark here, but I believe the only time direct speech was used was when an Israeli character was glorifying the settler-colonialism of Israel. I thought this was significant, as it suggests that even within her own story, the Palestinian main character’s voice is given less weight (through indirect speech) than her oppressors, again illustrating the ills of settler-colonialism. There are countless more examples of deeper meaning to be found.

The book being split into two parts was another skilful choice as it provided the opportunity for parallels which demonstrated, sickeningly, the repetition of settler-colonial violence as well as providing clear contrast between the voices of the Israeli military officer and the Palestinian civilian.

Gut-wrenching is not a strong enough word for this story. I could not put it down. Shibli did not deserve to have her ceremony cancelled. Read books by Palestinian authors!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Physical abuse, and Grief

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Excrement

bchantele15's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty

rosie135790's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

so I believe the old woman and the girl we see in the end or the same girl in the beginning. Also once we found out that this was a military shooting area, I thought they would use her as target practice. Then when she put her hand in her pocket for gum I was like well she is going to die now. Then she did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Murder, and Sexual harassment

sophiareads_'s review

challenging dark emotional

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Animal cruelty

etbliss's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and War

shelvesofivy's review against another edition

sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Vomit and War

arachnophobia

readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Heavy book that’s not for the faint of heart but important and the author fits so much of Palestinian present and past in the short novella and I will have to reread to get the symbolism with the dogs and the smell of gasoline 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Xenophobia

yomireads's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and War

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

 A Minor Detail unfolds in two sections. The first is set in the summer of 1949 and follows an Israeli soldier in charge of a platoon patrolling a border area. He and his soldiers commit an horrific act of brutality. This section was sparse and haunting, with a cold detached character and very precise prose that built up a sense of dread and anticipation. The second section, set 25 years later, follows a Palestinian woman who travels to Israel in the hope of learning more about the incident. What really struck me here were the details that mirrored those from the first chapter - a spider, the smell of petrol, the barking dog. A chilling reflection of the Palestinian experience highlighting the violence and disempowerment which mar their lives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty

emilily's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is hard to review, and harder to read. 

Utterly challenging, this book feels sluggish and repetitive at times, but shocking and jarring at others. This books is divided into two parellel stories of Israeli soldiers in 1949 who capture, assault, and kill a young girl, followed by the modern day story of a young woman who learns of the historic tragedy, and becomes obsessed with uncovering more about the murdered girl. 

The prose is carefully considered, but uncomfortable to read. 'Minor details' are ever present -- the storytelling often gives much attention to little, mundane details, to the point of feeling irritating. I often wanted the author to get on with it, instead of spending such a long time on seemingly irrelevant details... but I think that was the point. The author seemed to want the reader to feel uncomfortable while reading these passages. It hits harder when you realise that exceptional care is taken to describe these minor details in the commander's life, while virtually no detail is provided about the captured girl. This creates space to reflect on the fact that 'history is told by the victors', while victims seldom have their stories recorded in the same detail. 

The book is also filled with minor details drawing attention to the similarities and differences between the region in 1949 vs the present. Throughout the story of the modern day women, readers are provided insight into the current challenges of living as a Palestinian, while noting how little has changed since the troubles of 1949. 

Minor Detail is not an easy read. It is horribly uncomfortable and challenging, yet there is no denying that it is impactful. I'll be thinking about this read for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Sexism, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and War