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Tears of the Desert: One Woman's True Story of Surviving the Horrors of Darfur by Halima Bashir
fjette's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I’m not going to rate a memoir like this - it feels cheap. Overall, a beautiful portrait of life in Sudan and the ongoing conflict there. Was especially wrenching to read after having read “Who Gets Believed” and having a glimpse of how asylum decisions are made. I thought this was an excellent, warm, moving story. The only qualm I had was that the way broad groups were stereotyped - Arab and Somali people, specifically - was troubling. I can’t imagine what Bashir has gone through and won’t pretend to understand, but dehumanizing entire populations is a concerning thing to legitimize.
gracemuelle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
5.0
this book taught me so much about darfur and sudan. i cried for so much of it. i don’t know how i’ve never heard of these atrocities, and to see what is happening in sudan in 2024 is heartbreaking. i’m so grateful to halima bashir for sharing her story with us.
tammyanne's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
excuseme_mam's review against another edition
5.0
Bashir speaks out for a people who have been silenced through horrifying violence and oppression.
colleengeedrumm's review against another edition
5.0
Better to have died and preserved one's dignity, than to have suffered the soul death of rape-that's what the Massalit and the Zaghawa, believed.
At least God, let me die quickly. Please God, let it be painless. Please God, don't let them torture my soul.
At least God, let me die quickly. Please God, let it be painless. Please God, don't let them torture my soul.
theaceofpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Set in the Darfur region of Sudan, this memoir follows Halima Bashir from her relatively privileged childhood (although she was already bullied and looked down upon by certain Arab teachers and students even then), to er becoming a doctor, studying medicine and eventually fleeing from the war after she is targeted for healing black people injured in the conflict.
If you are interested in the pain and struggles that come to those who live in a war zone, particularly women and children, I can definitely recommend this book, although it is horrifying at times. Some parts (especially the chapters that deal with rape victims and dying families) were incredibly harrowing so prepare yourself before going in.
I really enjoyed the parts about Bashir's childhood. I loved getting to know about her community and enjoyed seeing what school was like for her. There was definitely an essence of isolation in both her very different worlds due to her two very different lives and sets of experiences. Despite dealing with some rather unkind people, I'm glad she also met some good ones through her education and that she managed to follow her dreams (although things definitely didn't end up going quite how she hoped due to the rising conflict).
I appreciate that she didn't shy away from some of the horrors she saw as a doctor, even if she doesn't always go into graphic derail (probably good for the reader!). I can only imagine how traumatising it all was. Most people don't understand the kinds of atrocities people in these situations face and books that discuss them are so important, especially in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile. Although awareness of war and genocide is spreading, I rarely see it focus on the experiences of African people - voices that desperately need to be heard.
I don't know if it was intentional or even if it's just something just read into, but I found the change of tone as the book went on rather interesting. Even at its darkest times, I felt like there was a kind of warmth when she was writing about Sudan that wasn't there when she wrote about her experiences in the UK. She does talk about the cultural differences and the contrast between greater individualism and a tight knit community, but I could also almost feel it. How alone she felt and longed for those she loved.
Although not an easy read by any stretch (not because of the writing but the contents) I would definitely recommend this book to those who wish to understand the true impact of conflict. I hope the author managed to find her family and friends again one day (or at the very least learns what happened to them) and that all the people of Sudan will finally know the peace they deserve.
Some notes on some of the content warnings (all are individually spoilered)
Rape:both on page and the treatment of child victims
Medical trauma:Female genital mutilation
Medical content:Including treatment of those injured in war with very limited supplies
Fire injury:Includes children being thrown into burning huts and ending up covered in burns
Gun violence:Mostly second hand
Deportation:Struggling to not get sent back to a war zone
Animal death:Livestock and hunting
Pregnancy:Not an easy one - ends up hospitalised
If you are interested in the pain and struggles that come to those who live in a war zone, particularly women and children, I can definitely recommend this book, although it is horrifying at times. Some parts (especially the chapters that deal with rape victims and dying families) were incredibly harrowing so prepare yourself before going in.
I really enjoyed the parts about Bashir's childhood. I loved getting to know about her community and enjoyed seeing what school was like for her. There was definitely an essence of isolation in both her very different worlds due to her two very different lives and sets of experiences. Despite dealing with some rather unkind people, I'm glad she also met some good ones through her education and that she managed to follow her dreams (although things definitely didn't end up going quite how she hoped due to the rising conflict).
I appreciate that she didn't shy away from some of the horrors she saw as a doctor, even if she doesn't always go into graphic derail (probably good for the reader!). I can only imagine how traumatising it all was. Most people don't understand the kinds of atrocities people in these situations face and books that discuss them are so important, especially in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile. Although awareness of war and genocide is spreading, I rarely see it focus on the experiences of African people - voices that desperately need to be heard.
I don't know if it was intentional or even if it's just something just read into, but I found the change of tone as the book went on rather interesting. Even at its darkest times, I felt like there was a kind of warmth when she was writing about Sudan that wasn't there when she wrote about her experiences in the UK. She does talk about the cultural differences and the contrast between greater individualism and a tight knit community, but I could also almost feel it. How alone she felt and longed for those she loved.
Although not an easy read by any stretch (not because of the writing but the contents) I would definitely recommend this book to those who wish to understand the true impact of conflict. I hope the author managed to find her family and friends again one day (or at the very least learns what happened to them) and that all the people of Sudan will finally know the peace they deserve.
Some notes on some of the content warnings (all are individually spoilered)
Rape:
Medical trauma:
Medical content:
Fire injury:
Gun violence:
Deportation:
Animal death:
Pregnancy:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Torture, and Rape
Moderate: Deportation, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Classism, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Colonisation, Police brutality, Bullying, Child death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Misogyny
missmim's review against another edition
3.0
After reading so many statistics and academic writings on Darfur, it was great to be able to read something that made the conflict feel personal. The writing isn't great, but the story is amazing. That Bashir made it out of Darfur alive seems nothing short of miraculous. It was also a great way to get some background on the Zaghawa tribe and its way of living before the war.
justicepirate's review against another edition
4.0
I truly felt as if I was Halima while reading this. I felt her emotions so much and saw the images she described. It was really amazing how real and raw it was.
Halima's dad seemed like a really great man. He was invested in his children and never looked down on Halima for being a girl, but helped her pursue her dreams. He was very loving and caring. I truly appreciated hearing her fondness in her descriptions of him.
The reader did a really beautiful job and had a soothing voice.
This book explains FGM and rape. It is not easy to handle, so beware that you will learn things that might really upset you and make you mad.
Halima's dad seemed like a really great man. He was invested in his children and never looked down on Halima for being a girl, but helped her pursue her dreams. He was very loving and caring. I truly appreciated hearing her fondness in her descriptions of him.
The reader did a really beautiful job and had a soothing voice.
This book explains FGM and rape. It is not easy to handle, so beware that you will learn things that might really upset you and make you mad.