11 reviews for:

Year of the Elephant: A Moroccan Woman's Journey Toward Independence

Barbara Harlow, Barbara Parmenter, Leila Abouzeid

3.56 AVERAGE

arisbookcorner's review against another edition

3.75

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

nmahmoud93's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

givemeallthememoirs's review against another edition

3.0

dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Poetic writing is the main feature of this book, but the plot and pacing stuffer from it. This book is short, but hard to get through. I only listened to the main novella, not the short stories that followed. 

I read it for insights into Moroccan culture and history and did find it effective for that, especially the historical elements (though much of this came from the long introduction in the version I read). 

boolose's review against another edition

2.5

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mallorymanley's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective slow-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

yotfus's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

kolymaarasto's review against another edition

2.25

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

frankiepooh's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

winter_pine's review against another edition

3.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

x_mon_x's review against another edition

4.0

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A really interesting discussion through the lens of a traditional working class moroccan women in a newly independent home land. Her struggle is one that is grossly under-represented in literature but people like the protagonist formed the very foundations of the resistance. The short story eloquently explores feminism, traditionalism vs modernity, marriage, colonialism, betrayal!! Btw- I didn't love the other short stories...