Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah

55 reviews

kirstenleah's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

samants's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.75

I am always gutted by stories of school shootings, and this was no exception -- but the school shooting isn't even the heart of the book. This is a story about family, Islamophobia, religion, and what makes someone an American and/or a terrorist. The characters felt so real and human. What a book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia

bookreviewsgr's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia and Racial slurs

Moderate: Mental illness and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Suicide attempt and Vomit

joanagsilva's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Islamophobia

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

hankatcol's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Suicide attempt, 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.

mcmontgomery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

This book is evocative and terrifying, and it gutted me. The pacing and organization of the various stories and moments in time are incredibly effective, as is the (very jarring) use of the two focal characters' perspectives on opposite sides of the story. If you can handle a very emotionally challenging read, I can't recommend this enough. This may be the best thing I've read this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Islamophobia, and Murder

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, and Death of parent