Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion: A Novel by Bushra Rehman

15 reviews

elliv's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Islamophobia, and Pedophilia

neonskylite's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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

3.75

Usually when I read books like this I find the romance to be a plot tumour and its the exact opposite this time -  I felt the pacing got very rushed at the ending and I barely had time to settle in with Razia's high school life and relationship with Angela before it started getting complicated, so I wasn't as upset or disturbed when it comes crashing down rather than a bit disoriented. I am going to miss Razia for a long time, though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Outing, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

samantha1960's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-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

3.75

Rehman writes beautifully but I found the first half of the book quite difficult to follow. The second half get significantly more easy to read as it becomes chronological. Wish the first half had been done better. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Child abuse, Grief, Racism, Violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Incest, Misogyny, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Outing, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Colonisation, Murder, and Toxic friendship

lemonem's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty

detailedshrimp's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Disappointed by a few unfinished storylines. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

eeemily666's review against another edition

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

4.75

Really enjoyed this and flew through it. About moms and daughters, duty, Islam, feeling like/being an outsider, friendship, girlhood, queerness. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Homophobia

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Animal death

shelby1994's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

 

TW: animal cruelty 

“But I knew “religious girl” was code for something that had nothing to do with Allah. It had to do with how a girl did whatever her husband and community said, how a girl wouldn’t question the way things were set up.” 

I read this after listening to Lamya H. (author of Hijab Butch Blues) begin interviewed on The Stacks podcast. She recommended this as a book being in conversation with her own writing about being a queer Muslim woman in the U.S., and while I originally wanted to read them back to back, I still have **updated Libby for the 6th time in an hour** 7 WEEKS until my hold comes through on HBB. 

The first half reads like a series of core memories - the ones that you spill out of you on drunken first dates, trading them like playing cards with whoever is sitting across from you at the bar that night. It’s feeling each other out and casually sliding a religions reference into your banter, then shrieking with delight when they catch it and throw it back in your court. 

Rehman’s characters show that for an immigrant community, the traditions and community building that religion and its rules and comforts provide, can be the only thing keeping people above water. At the same time, deviating from that path can close off  the world of your childhood. When rebellions are made, their consequences are permanent. 

Also recommend this book for anyone looking to recapture the ironic satisfaction that gay girls get when they realize that their parents have spent all their time on alert for boys (commonly referred in my childhood as the ‘spawn of satan’ (™)) that they’ve missed all the gay shenanigans going on under their roof. 

Read If:

• You were always a little jealous of your ultra-devout friends, for reasons you couldn’t pinpoint. 
• Your best fashion finds happen in Goodwill 
• You and your mum will put aside any drama to combine forces against the one relative you all hate. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Domestic abuse

thissagreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.0

This novel was bittersweet. I loved and appreciated getting an inside look at the Muslim culture and religion in the 80’s. It was especially nice reading the journey and development of the main character, as she came into her own. But I found myself frustrated with the main character’s mother and cultural stifling the main character was experiencing. I wish there were less stories about her childhood and more more story as a teen, into adulthood. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual assault, Violence, and Racism

spec_tacles's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Outing

Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty

Minor: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

wynnie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Outing, Sexism, Bullying, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Incest, Hate crime, Pedophilia, and Animal death