Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

92 reviews

narrnaul's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

amy_park's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This book really solidified my love for poetic prose. I loved this book. I listened to it via audio which was lyrical and heart wrenching. A memoir about childhood within a Jamaican rastafari family. Going in I hardly knew anything about the rastafari religion and I learnt alot about this through Safiya's memoir. The misogynistic and strict household she lived in whilst growing up, especially her relationship with her father was hard to read at times, but the power of her words and expereince were so vivid, you couldn't help but connect with her.
I would definetly recommend to read via audiobook as you hear the authors words driectly from her which enhances the listening experience with her emotion and poetic voice.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Self harm

Moderate: Racism

courtknoc's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Pregnancy and Racism

adawada's review against another edition

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Death, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use

nadia's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

A really good memoir with great writing! I didn't really know much about the origins of the Rastafari religion, so it was interesting to learn more about it in this book, interspersed with Sinclair's journey from a difficult childhood to the poet/writer she is today.

Current Women's Prize 2024 Non-Fiction Shortlist rankings:

1. How to Say Babylon
2. Code Dependent
3. A Flat Place  
4. Thunderclap
5. Doppelganger

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Child abuse

froon's review against another edition

4.5

what a meditative, thoughtful book. the way that sinclair weaves the large with the small is so impressive⏤the larger history of the rastafari with the history of her family, a legacy of injustice with the injustice in her lineage. the care in which she approaches her parents without pulling punches is expert. 

i saw a goodreads review frustrated with the “lack of structural payoff,” and i find that so deeply annoying. this is one of the most satisfying endings of a memoir, especially one that spans such a range of time and history, that i’ve ever read. there is a distinct and emotional climax AND the payoff of the aftermath at the end. again, a sign of the skill that sinclair has.

my biggest issue, keeping this from a true five star read, was how slow the beginning was to get through. the pace was slow to the point that it felt dense and difficult to traverse.

there is nothing like a memoir written by a poet. i’ll chew on some of these sentences for some time. maybe i’ll really apply for grad school this time :)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Child abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

darcygabe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child abuse, Racism, and Self harm

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Bullying, Classism, and Colonisation

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

every single word of this book was so beautifully thought out. such a heart wrenching story that was so poetically told and one of the realest portrayals of the struggle of forgiveness and the aftermath of abuse. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny

mmccombs's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

The writing was very well done and I really enjoyed learning more about Rastafari and the ways in which Sinclair navigated her family life. Making connections between the colonial past and present of Jamaica, the abusive control exacted by her father, and the long line of women who persevered and carried her was very well done. I did think it was fairly repetitive and slow, I most enjoyed the first few chapters and the last because that’s where she was able to round up and bring together her ideas. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

emelynreads's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

4.5

Incredible writing that is lyrical and illustrious. I could so easily picture myself in the Jamaican setting. Which comes with warning as the author delves into darker topics, because it is very tense to read at times and all the emotion/ reality is laid bare. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Adult/minor relationship