Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah

15 reviews

bethsbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

A book that feels so new yet so familiar. I'll not forget it. Packed with heartache and brimming with hope, this novel tells the story of the powerful and resilient Afaf as she navigates a school shooting where she teaches while flashbacks of her past interrupt her thoughts. Her life has been punctuated by grief, self-discovery, loss, finding faith, being the victim of racism, and falling in love - yet it's all led to this moment. Will she survive the school shooting? Will her daughter, a student at the school, survive? How will her past help her in what could be, might be, her final moments? 

The writing in this novel is crisp, polished, yet lyrical. Each line flows from one to the next, each idea fluid as it weaves throughout her life, her mother's life, her father's, her sister's, and the school shooters. The author fills in every gap and every question you may have while still respecting the privacy of the characters when necessary. Ending on a poignant note, I don't think I have a bad word to say about this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Death, Murder, Blood, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Violence

theravenflight's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Mental illness and Alcoholism

Minor: Vomit, Car accident, and Infidelity

booklore_forevemore's review

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This was such an incredible novel. There are multiple timelines: one is the present day during a school shooting, and the others are various period from the main character’s life from her childhood to early adulthood. I initially had to put this book down after about 20% because it was so dark, but I’m glad I picked it back up a few days ago. 

I HIGHLY recommend this book to absolutely everyone. A vast majority of the book is from the perspective of Afaf, who is currently the principal of a Muslim girls school in NYC. From the eyes of Afaf, the reader gets the sense of what it’s like to grow up as a Muslim Arab girl in the United States (“spoiler alert” - there’s a lot of Islamophobia). There are also short chapters from the perspective of the school shooter (i.e., terrorist), which are infuriating to say the least. I think part of the reason his perspective was so upsetting was that it was eerily familiar - I have heard so many of his Islamophobic thoughts echoed in the words of people I was around growing up. 

As I was reading, I kept forgetting this book is not a memoir. Everything felt so real and personal; probably because the scenario is 100% realistic and the author drew from her personal experience. This isn’t a genre I typically read, but it’s definitely a stand-out of the year. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Suicide attempt, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Death

Minor: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

yoshisreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

I loved this book. The way the relationships and characters develop throughout the story is so interesting. The use of time jumps adds so much to the story because it's as if you're watching Afaf's life flash before her eyes. It's such a great use of narrative and I loved it! There were also a few unexpected twists that I was so shocked by throughout the book. Couldn't put it down!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Death

Minor: Alcoholism and Car accident

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Mass/school shootings, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, and Vomit

Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, Dementia, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Terminal illness, War, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Xenophobia

Sandy hook mention, lynching mention, Nazis mention, 9/11, Vietnam, Battle of Karameh, dialysis.

megelizabeth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

"You begin to see things in a new way. Or perhaps your losses have finally blunted to a bearable throb."

This wasn't quite what I expected. Above anything else, it's a character study and a look at trauma, race, religion, identity, and struggle. It covers a lot of topics, and it does so in a way that doesn't make it seem as if there's too much going on or as if some things are being brushed off. It's quite a slow, dense read, with a lot to unpack, and of course much of the subject matter is agonising, but it's definitely worth the read, and one worth taking some time with. The writing is also gorgeous and very visceral.

For me, this was a strong read throughout, but started to lose itself a bit by the end. The interactions between Afaf and the shooter didn't hit in the way I wanted them to, and I also found the way the storyline involving Afaf's sister ends up going a bit odd. I was ultimately left feeling a bit confused and not entirely sure exactly what I was supposed to have taken from the story, but maybe that was the intention. It definitely made me think about a lot of things, and maybe it being so devastating was enough of a point. It's for sure a book I'm glad to have read, and one I know will stick with me.

(Do check trigger warnings; there are many in addition to the obvious.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Racism, Gun violence, Murder, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Vomit and Child abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse and Animal death

common_nonsense's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Death, and Hate crime

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, and Sexual harassment

radfordmanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Infidelity, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic friendship

studiouspoppy's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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? No

4.25

I loved the writing and the evolution of Afaf, I enjoyed her perspective on migration, obviously did not enjoy the discrimination and hate she experienced but i was so interested in how she described her life, and how she survived it all. The pov of the shooter was truly disturbing, but that’s the point. There were some parts were it got confusing, and some tiny mistakes in the shooter’s perspective (using culturally appropriate language when he’s not an appropriate or a cultured man) so his voice got a little weird at times. It was still a really good book.

I specially enjoyed the final chapter were Afaf confronts the shooter and sees he’s so much more smaller and just a white old ignorant guy, and he’s so lonely he accepted her visit when he doesn’t even respect her as a human being.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Murder, Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, Bullying, Kidnapping, War, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infidelity and Infertility

jades1520's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Islamophobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Miscarriage