Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Φιρντάους by Nawal El Saadawi

23 reviews

meeksmidnightlibrary's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse

bookishbrenbren's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Hmm this is a hard book to review. I really admire the book and the story and Firdaus and yeah just the commentary it's making on society and the value of women. I think it's really powerful. I even like the flowery language and the circular events. I think it's a little daydreamy at times though. Like sometimes I just wanted to skip ahead of the la la la ness of the internal thoughts

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual violence, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Incest, Abortion, and Gore

serinas's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Woman at Point Zero is about Firdaus, a woman who has been sentenced to death after she killed a man. Firdaus speaks about her childhood in poverty, SA, being a sex worker and hating men. This is a true story, that Nawal El Saadawi is retelling, from Firdaus' perspective. 

  It's a short book, about 150 pages, but a powerful read about womanhood. Many women can probably relate to Firdaus and understand her hatred, and it was a story that greatly impacted me. This is a story about the character Firdaus and her life, and not a plot-driven story, so be aware of that.

I struggled at times with the writing style - there are many details that are described in depth, and sometimes it was too much. There were terms that I've never heard of, as I'm not muslim or Egyptian, but this was not an issue. A quick Google search helped, and it didn't make me enjoy the book any less.
It was a good pacing that I enjoyed, that was a great mix of not too slow, but not too fast.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Misogyny

shinsreading's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.0

It’s a dark, dark book. But I love it with all my heart.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

clairemarie00's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia

ginavulpes's review against another edition

informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, and Rape

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Child death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Incest, and Pedophilia

mia333's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow. Stunning. Compelling. Emotional. Haunting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

icarusandthesun's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.5

'you criminal. you deserve to die.'
- 'everybody has to die. i prefer to die from a crime i have committed rather than to die for one of the crimes which you have committed.'

a tale filled with great horrors, pain and truth.
this book was very special, something i've never read before, and wise in an unconventional type of way.
i liked the story in its simple complexity, but the pacing threw me off quite frequently. the storyline and structure were sort of jumpy and the lifeless ease with which the events were described took away most of the impact.

an important story, but the writing style was not for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Police brutality

Minor: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Abortion

lizzardbeth99's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Abortion, Addiction, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Gore, Grief, Incest, and Kidnapping