Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli

36 reviews

sidekicksam's review against another edition

4.0

A novella that packs a punch. 

Minor Detail tells a story in two parts, starting with an atrocious event that happens during the Nakba in 1948. 25 years after it happened, a young woman reads about it, and decides to dive further into the story. 

Despite the novel being so short in length, I was transported to another time and place. Shibli's writing is incredibly sharp and dense with metaphors, but the build up to the climax of both parts of the story is very well done. As it's so short, it's possible to read it in one sitting, which makes it also more impactful (to be able to read it so fast).

I wish I read this for book club or a buddy read, because I think this novel needs to be explored and discussed to uncover all the layers of the story. Nonetheless, I would highly recommend you read this (especially if you want to amplify Palestinian stories and voices). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Rape, Death, and Physical abuse

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

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

Minor: Excrement, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Ableism

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Child death, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Misogyny, Genocide, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual content, and Rape

bookishbrenbren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

During the Nakba, colonizing? israeli? soldiers murder a family of Bedoins without cause and repeatedly rape the kidnapped daughter. Roughly 50 years later, a Palestinian woman becomes obsessed with the report of this crime. 

I did think this book was well-written and compelling but to be honest, the second half of the book was so boring that it ruined the book for me. And the first half was so grotesque, both with violence and body horror, that I was looking for the second half to save it, so was let down doubly. While the book had moments that were compelling, especially the character development of the MC, and the portrait of modern life under israeli occupation, the vast majority of it was just a list of uneventful actions, e.g., "she got in the car, she walked into the museum, she looked at this thing, she looked at that thing," ad nauseam. Whatever the point of that particularly literary tool was, it was lost on me and I can say confidently, it was over-used. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Animal death, Rape, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexism

rachelmansmckenny's review against another edition

informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Physical abuse and Animal cruelty

jbraith's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence