Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Φιρντάους by Nawal El Saadawi

19 reviews

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

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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

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.

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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

laedyred's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

The writing and literary devices. The powerful observations and fearlessness to say some hard truths. The subject material is hard to read sometimes, but is never used for shock value. A quick read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Incest, and Domestic abuse

lilaceous'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? Yes

4.5

characters - ⭐️

plot - .5⭐️

engaging to read - ⭐️

would recommend - ⭐️

would read again - ⭐️

this book was one of my favorites in high school, and i can see why. it’s a tough, thought-provoking, and moving read with a main character who is so important (even though she would hate to be described that way).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

_itsmejay_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexism, and Domestic abuse

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

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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

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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

brebrivera's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Adult/minor relationship

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.

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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

purplehulk713's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Beautiful and terrible. Truthful. Firdaus is an indomitable woman, pulling away all of the veils placed over her eyes by the men in her society. El Saadawi wonderfully captures the hypocritical horrors of misogyny and male superiority through the eyes of a prostitute who you will learn is not at all disgraceful, but clever, wise, and honorable enough to realize that all the men in her life, all men who claim to protect women and describe each other as devout and heroic are the most sinful of liars. Firdaus spits upon all of these men, and finally conquers her own fear of repercussion by literally hitting it in the face. She realized the price of herself could never be paid by even the wealthiest man in the world. Read this book and remember that truth is both simple and savage, and that only the brave can acknowledge it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death