A review by itsyourgalyazza
By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah

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

4.0

Beautiful ending to a very sad story. While it was beautifully written (although sometimes a bit pompous, even when ironically intended) I can't say I enjoyed reading the 90% of the book prior to the ending. It made me tense and sad, and the
rape of woman and a child
repeatedly being referred to as 'seduction' and 'flirtation' was just hard to stomach as a snowflake millennial. Also, this book does not reflect well on the Brits, the Muslims, and the gays alike.
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