Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed

14 reviews

chris_reads's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Grief, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Colonisation, Terminal illness, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Murder, Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Medical content

culpeppper's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

This offers really significant insights into human desire, necessity, confidence,  resilience, generosity, and empathy, or the lack of those things. Each of the stories are engaging in their own way, building of the narrative of the previous section to bolster it, and provide affirmation to the stories themes. The art is beautiful, with characters distinct and reflecting their personality when words wouldn't do justice. The storylines are engaging, offering love and reality to each of their plights. The world building is fantastic as well, and the intermissions between stories fill in gaps are fun additions. Really happy this came across my path!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Cancer

Minor: Infertility, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and War

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

Based on the blurb, I thought this book would be "wishes + capitalism." And it is. And it's also "wishes + capitalism + classism + government corruption + colonialism + depression + mental health stigma + religious zealotry + regret + secrets + ... a lot of other incredible things." Shubeik Lubeik has so many layers, I'll be chewing it over for days to come. Plus, the art is wonderful, and there are infographics!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Cancer, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Child death, and Classism

Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexism, Ableism, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Transphobia, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Drug use, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Body horror

Graphic: Police corruption Moderate: Saneism, Child marriage

abookwormspov's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

This story is both beautiful and bizzare. I loved every second of it. Nour's story in particular hit so close to home for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Cancer, Child death, Drug use, Grief, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Classism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, and Murder

clarabooksit's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Grief, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Classism, and Mental illness

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Police brutality

Minor: Miscarriage, Transphobia, Car accident, and Murder

phrasecollector13___'s review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

My first five star of the year!!!  I really loved these book and the stories it gave us.  I went into the reading with the typical (Disney) idea fo a genie: in a lamp, big and blue man and three wishes.  I didn't expected been hit by a whole system of wishes, law/rules to handle and use wishes.  It was an amazing ride and emotional ride to go through every story of the characters in the book.  Honestly, Deena really created a world between 500 pages.  And I'm not starting with the genies, I'm sorry, I love the images of the genies in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Mental illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Terminal illness, and War

streberkatze's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

Another favorite read of the year! Even though magic is at the center of this story, what it examines is life under late-stage capitalism. In the book's world — as i the real world — everything is possible, for the few. And true justice is only ever achieved through human connection. The beauty of the artwork was matched by the complexity and thoughtfulness of the storytelling, a rare feat for any graphic novel. So much beauty and tragedy in these 500 pages!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Mental illness, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Child death, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Infertility, Animal cruelty, and Murder

hannahgarstang's review

A hard hitting comic that I couldn't put down. 

This parallel world Deena Mohamed builds where wishes are real is well thought out. She explores many implications of wishes and their comodification 
 on the world's history, politics, religion, and people. 

This story is about people (and one donkey) and their life experiences.  What it's like to struggle with depression, or the loss of loved ones. How systemic oppression and colonisation affect people. 
She tackles these really big issues whilst always humanising the characters. I became very invested in their wellbeing. And despite the heavy content their is a lot of humor and levity at different points without being jarring.

The artwork cleverly expands how feelings and ideas are articulated. The graphs were really emotionally moving. The genies embodying the language of the land they are from was beautiful. 

I also learnt about Egypt through reading this. Everything from slang, to commentary on corrupt police, colonization and economic inequality. But also you could see the love for the homes of our characters and their family and communities.

All in all, would definitely recommend, given the content wouldn't be triggering for someone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Cancer, Mental illness, Police brutality, Death, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Infertility, and Pregnancy

acornett99's review against another edition

4.25

Gorgeous, I especially love the way the genies are drawn

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts

ferdie's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I am so happy to be finishing the year with this book because it is easily my favorite of 2023. The stories are each beautiful and unique, and hold each other sweetly. The art style is gorgeous- there is details galore that each add into the story. The book helps you understand cultural references in a way that doesn't pull you out of the story. I am so excited to share this book- it's a good read for folks wanting a story about human wants, morality and connection. I am in love ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Confinement

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Murder