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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is a book for readers. [if you have read it you see what i'm doing there].
this book made me want to read zorba the greek [which i embarrassingly have not]
i thought that this book might be too much in these times where authoritarianism is not longer just a whisper but is here at our doorstep [if not already inside]. but in fact it left me hopeful. the way it tackles resistance, imagination and ultimately the deep love of books is really lovely. the characters and their literary doppelgängers, the child, the way no one has a name and the book how the book censor slips into being the guardian of the library and then the inspector... it's all very clever, but not at all overstated or irritating [which it easily could have been].
i'm very curious how this book feels and resonates in its native tongue.
also the child is a DELIGHT. as are the rabbits.
this book made me want to read zorba the greek [which i embarrassingly have not]
i thought that this book might be too much in these times where authoritarianism is not longer just a whisper but is here at our doorstep [if not already inside]. but in fact it left me hopeful. the way it tackles resistance, imagination and ultimately the deep love of books is really lovely. the characters and their literary doppelgängers, the child, the way no one has a name and the book how the book censor slips into being the guardian of the library and then the inspector... it's all very clever, but not at all overstated or irritating [which it easily could have been].
i'm very curious how this book feels and resonates in its native tongue.
also the child is a DELIGHT. as are the rabbits.
really promising and engaging for most of the book but did not love the ending
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Book Censor's Library by Bothanya Al-Essa, translated from Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain, might be my favorite read of the year so far. This book could be the prequel to 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 except that those books also exist in this books universe.
The Book Censor's job (as the newest hire he is the 7th Book censor) is to read books and manuscripts to ensure that they follow all of the Post-Revolution rules for literature. Anything that breaks any rules. There is no reading into anything other than it's meaning on the surface. Books are no longer allowed to have imagination inspiring scenes or ideas, no religion, no politics, no sex, nothing that can challenge the governments ideology, and nothing thay reminds people or teaches them of the world before. After reading several books The Book Censor gets bored. He wants to read books that actually have violations, books that have been banned... which is crazy, as The First Book Censor explains, he is too new... he's not ready. Until he agrees to read a new transaction of Zorba the Greek (which no I haven't read that one yet).
I just loved everything about this book. The white rabbits everywhere. The Book Censor's Daughter who has an incredible and dangerous amount of residual imagination leftover in her from the previous world. The Secretary, a man who used to be a book censor until reading changed him. The Gaurd of the book labyrinth who helps smuggle out book contraband.
I love the fact that nobody has a name, but I never was lost about who the author was talking about. Dystopian and satirical.
The Book Censor's job (as the newest hire he is the 7th Book censor) is to read books and manuscripts to ensure that they follow all of the Post-Revolution rules for literature. Anything that breaks any rules. There is no reading into anything other than it's meaning on the surface. Books are no longer allowed to have imagination inspiring scenes or ideas, no religion, no politics, no sex, nothing that can challenge the governments ideology, and nothing thay reminds people or teaches them of the world before. After reading several books The Book Censor gets bored. He wants to read books that actually have violations, books that have been banned... which is crazy, as The First Book Censor explains, he is too new... he's not ready. Until he agrees to read a new transaction of Zorba the Greek (which no I haven't read that one yet).
I just loved everything about this book. The white rabbits everywhere. The Book Censor's Daughter who has an incredible and dangerous amount of residual imagination leftover in her from the previous world. The Secretary, a man who used to be a book censor until reading changed him. The Gaurd of the book labyrinth who helps smuggle out book contraband.
I love the fact that nobody has a name, but I never was lost about who the author was talking about. Dystopian and satirical.
pretty decent with its message and prose. i dont think it's doing anything extraordinary, but still a good read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
This is very well written and very thought provoking. It really seems like it could be written in 2025 USA but it was written in Kuwait during censorship that is as extreme as what is happening in the book.
However, if asked if I enjoyed it, I would have to say, not really. I thought I enjoyed magical realism but I found I enjoy it with far more realism. I prefer to understand what is going on rather than feeling more and more like I went through Alice's looking glass.
However, if asked if I enjoyed it, I would have to say, not really. I thought I enjoyed magical realism but I found I enjoy it with far more realism. I prefer to understand what is going on rather than feeling more and more like I went through Alice's looking glass.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"And it dawned on him then: a library was the closest thing humanity had to the idea of the Absolute."
Over the course of reading this book, I regularly woke thinking about it and the characters. Wondering what mischief the Censor would get into, and how he would interpret and accept his 'calling'. This morning, with the final 17 pages left to read, my first thoughts were that my job doesn't define me and there is not one meaning to it all.
Happy reading 📚 💜 ☠️
Over the course of reading this book, I regularly woke thinking about it and the characters. Wondering what mischief the Censor would get into, and how he would interpret and accept his 'calling'. This morning, with the final 17 pages left to read, my first thoughts were that my job doesn't define me and there is not one meaning to it all.
Happy reading 📚 💜 ☠️
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense