Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

36 reviews

tahmida's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism and Vomit

bookishbea's review

challenging emotional inspiring 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? No

4.75

Great book, but for mature teens. If you want to skip the graphic stuff, then just don't read the grandmother's journal entries. I didn't, and understood the story just fine. Other than the content issues (which really add to the gritty plot) it is an emotional book that is desperate yet hopeful. A truly moving (and harrowing) way of portraying being a lesbian within an unsupportive (downright hateful, actually) family.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, and Lesbophobia

A man is murdered (off-page) due to his sexuality.

turtlebrainlibrarian's review

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Rape, and Sexism

tintinmd's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I was in a dark place when I started this book. It was a beautiful journey, and helped me channel many feelings. It gave me hope and a very important affirmation that the life that you deserve to live the life you want to live. It's worth fighting for. And your story deserves to be heard as much as anyone else's.

The writing felt a little choppy in the beginning but I loved the story!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Rape

Moderate: Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Stalking

Minor: Islamophobia, Violence, and Vomit

abigailwantstoread_01's review

challenging dark sad 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexism, and Incest

rhaase0509's review

emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

3.5

This book was a little young for me, as the characters are in high school. It is difficult at times to read the choices they are making when a better alternative seems obvious. However, this is a book about teenagers, and teenagers do not always make good decisions. At one point the main character reads a diary including some intense subject matter that I did not feel like the book did enough to address. The abuse detailed in the diary seemed to be glossed over in favour of the main character's personal development. I do not think such subjects should be handled so lightly. 
Overall, the story was interesting and I enjoyed learning more about Islamic and Bengali culture.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Hate crime, and Homophobia

Moderate: Death, Islamophobia, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

bridgetdeveney's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Hate crime, Death, Murder, Child abuse, and Rape

gem114's review

emotional hopeful 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

This is one of the best books I have read this year.

Rukhsana is a high school senior, looking forward to heading off to college in California with her girlfriend. The problem is being gay is against her family's Muslim beliefs, and when her parents catch her with her girlfriend, all hell breaks loose.

Rukhsana's story really resonated with me, and I feel like anyone who is has experienced or is anticipating religious backlash when coming out could relate to this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Islamophobia, Confinement, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Rape, and Physical abuse

Minor: Murder and Hate crime

siyak_'s review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Death, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Vomit

lilatov's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book was a riiiide. 
Honestly and truly, a lot happens in this book, and some of it was very unexpected (maybe not all needed?). However, it all is beautifully wrapped up by the end. 
There were places where the writing was repetitive in distracting ways. 
Lightly addresses intergenerational trauma.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Death