Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

92 reviews

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

 How to Say Babylon is a memoir about the author growing up in a Rastafarian family in Jamaica, suffering at the hands of an increasingly abusive father, and then finally figuring out who she is, developing her own voice, and finding a way out. The story was interesting, particularly the insights into Rastafarianism which is a belief system I know little about, and has some obvious parallels to Educated. Definitely a hard read in places with physical and emotional abuse, controlling behaviour and gaslighting. What really stood out though was the writing which was phenomenal - lush, lyrical and evocative. I went into this book blind but within the first paragraph it was obvious that that author was a poet. The audio, narrated by her, was also excellent with the rhythm of the language really coming through. The book was a real pleasure to listen to but it also left me with plenty to think about - things like the intersections between religion and men trying to control women, the difficulty of escaping a traumatic upbringing, the factors that enable some people to succeed in a world that they’d been led to belief was evil, the ability to forgive, and the healing power of writing and of poetry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

sapphire's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault

mondovertigo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death and Racial slurs

emzireads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry

kirstym25's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying and Drug abuse

bookdragon217's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

"There is an unspoken understanding of loss here in Jamaica, where everything comes with a rude bargain—that being citizens of a 'developing nation', we are born already expecting to live a secondhand life, and to enjoy it. But there is hope, too, in our scarcity, tolerable because it keeps us constantly reaching for something better." 

There are not enough words to describe the beauty that is found within the pages of How To Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair. She cracks herself open to show us the deep roots of her family trauma but still manages to hold the ones she loves tenderly with her poetic prose.  Her words are captivating & in true poet form, she delivers magical sentences that dance off the page & stick with you. She interrogates the misogyny of the Rastafarian lifestyle her father subjected their family to while at the same time connecting it to the history of colonialism in Jamaica. She calls out the mental abuse she was subjected to but also gives greater context & explanation about how her father could also be viewed as vulnerable to a corrupt system that is fueled by patriarchy. 

What struck me deeply was how Sinclair explores such deep themes through a child's perspective. She places us in her stream of conscience and allows us to see her observations and how she comes to make sense of her world in order to save herself. You see Sinclair develop an astute emotional intelligence that allowed her to survive her circumstances on a daily basis. Sinclair's mother offers poetry & literature as a form of liberation & this was so beautiful to see, especially since her own choices were limited by her own father. The books she read opened doors to understanding the world & provided the keys to free herself from her circumstances. This act of love from her mother is what ultimately helps her find her voice in the midst of chaos. 

I can still feel the power of Sinclair's narrative voice. This memoir is not only a testimony but an indictment on the systems of oppression that enforce & perpetuate patriarchy. It also serves a reminder that the consequences of colonialism are still being felt today. Sinclair is an author to watch in the future.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Classism

jenilen's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

atreegrowsinbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

5.0

I’ve finished this memoir and can hardly form a coherent sentence. I am, simply in awe of Safiya Sinclair.

HOW TO SAY BABYLON is a magnificent piece of literature. I’ll shout it from the rooftops “READ THIS MEMOIR!” What an incredible memoir showing the resilience and strength of one phenomenal human, Safiya Sinclair.

In this memoir we follow Safiya Sinclair’s childhood through adulthood living under an incredibly strict Rastafari household in Jamaica.

There was so much heaviness that occurs during Safiya’s life, that I was constantly blown away by her strength. I urge you all to read this! There are some difficult topics mentioned so go in with that understanding.

With that said, this memoir is incredibly written. Safiya Sinclair has an amazing way with words! Please read this memoir, you’ll be changed by it!

Thanks to the publisher @simonbooks for sending me a copy #SimonBooksBuddy, this memoir comes out tomorrow 10/03/2023!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

estam1's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

sierraburrell's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective tense slow-paced

5.0

Safiya's story is powerful and her writing is expansive. It feels unique and familiar at the same time. While her familial lived experienced is far from mine, I can still relate to the obstacles, barriers, and encounters she had. It's wild how similar the world can treat Black girls that have vastly different home lives and origin stories, but it makes me feel closer to her. This book was delightfully dense. It forced me to slow down and savor the words. I couldn't rush through this story. I am thankful that Safiya shared her world with me. She painted an intense picture that had me questioning how I interact with those around me, especially children. Her memoir is vivid, heart wrenching, and hopeful. I'm looking forward to reading her poetry and following her story moving forward.  Thank you to Safiya Sinclair, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexism