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betag1013's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexism, Chronic illness, Violence, Confinement, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Grief, Misogyny, Death of parent, Classism, Death, Murder, Blood, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Cancer, Stalking, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
tigeryear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"Ally turned a seasick green.
'I never wanted to cause trouble,' she said. 'I'm such a fool, just like my mom.'"
Yes, yes, you are.
"'It's my fault.' The words leaped from Huda's mouth before there was time to think...
'You're not to blame. And neither was your mom.' She took Ally's hands in hers. 'The informant would have drawn her close. Just like I did to you.'"
No, it's not your fault. Good ownership, but who are you to take blame for actions you were coerced into doing under threat of your and your loved ones' lives?
Something I annotated on page 92:
White women endanger and profit off of the suffering of brown women. Ally's selfish desire to posthumously learn about her mother via her travel log directly correlate to Huda's suffering.
Ally knows she is endangering everyone around her by making this her priority. Huda realizes she is going against her own moral compass by lying, deceiving, and threatening, but feels powerless in the presence of her aggressors -- who regularly visit her home and threaten her family.
I think this kind of writing is dangerous, especially when Huda apologizes to Ally. Glossing over and forgiving Ally's ignorance of others' suffering is detestable to me and an inexcusable tenet of the work.
I understand the author wrote this fictional story based on her real-life experiences working in 2000s Iraq in the OIP as a way to cope/find closure from being "betrayed" by an actual informant. The fact that she writes fictional forgiveness of ignorance on the atrocities world governments inflict upon the peoples that live under them is bullshit.
I admire the context of the story. I was overjoyed that I found a book that could explain through firsthand accounts the tension and danger of the era in this corner of the world. However, the white savior complex written into Ally's character and the ideal that culture can be disregarded -- that we can all live in peace and happiness without reparations or even critical examination of the effects of colonization and racism make this book exactly what it is: coffee table Suburban wine mom garbage reading. It could have been a MUCH better story if Iraqi voices were not merely referenced and consulted but put at the forefront rather than have a third of the novel be a wild goose chase by a well-to-do white woman.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Genocide, Classism, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Drug use, and Kidnapping
Minor: Blood, Abandonment, Colonisation, Child death, Fatphobia, and Kidnapping