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oraclement's Reviews (158)
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
They're not lying when they said or recommend this book as introduction to literature on Palestine and especially Gaza. This is a non-fiction: collection of essays about daily life in Gaza, observations made & experiences lived for years & decades by Gazan voices. It has chapters on Gaza & Palestinians agriculture, architectural design, family life, arts & culture, food and how all that ties to a sense of connection, belonging, and emotional attachment to one's identity as Gazan & Palestinian; one that has been weakening by years as the occupation continues, by intentional effort from Israel to separate Palestine from their identity & who they are. It really makes me think & an eye opener, sure bombs & building collapsing with lives being lost are terribly gruesome. But being tortured, controlled, limited in micro ways for every single day of your life? It felt much worse and sinister, true spirit breaking method, yet Gaza & Palestinians persist.
If you ever wonder what to start with when it comes to reading books on the matter, please highly consider this one.
I had a free copy of the ebook on my shelf as well as an audiobook. The quality of the audio and narrator was amazing: I love how I can listen to how the Arab words are pronounced by the narrators, and btw, they have different narrators for each essay piece! The speed was great. A bit too slow for me, but I can always speed it up personally while others with limited English would be able to comprehend it very fine.
If you ever wonder what to start with when it comes to reading books on the matter, please highly consider this one.
I had a free copy of the ebook on my shelf as well as an audiobook. The quality of the audio and narrator was amazing: I love how I can listen to how the Arab words are pronounced by the narrators, and btw, they have different narrators for each essay piece! The speed was great. A bit too slow for me, but I can always speed it up personally while others with limited English would be able to comprehend it very fine.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an interesting read & allows me to imagine even people there, at least during the time this was written (1976, btw) may as well held different attitudes, views & response to the occupation. Lots of characters' heads to follow along & memorize, so I took my time despite the short length. A bit heavy seeing how they all differ, as a reader we too intuitively weigh each other's actions & its consequences... definitely a must read, but probably tough one for a starter.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an eARC provided by NetGalley and publisher, and I just found out we didn't actually get a full version of the book to review, so.. I'm confused? The ending seems like it hangs rather than answers everything that was laid out so far. There were side characters & smaller conflicts that I thought would be explored more, but it just hangs midway. So, that's probably why: the different version we receive.
Anyway, this review will be based on the 205 pages we get to read. First, the choice of cursive handwriting-like font was quiteeee a headache. Although the art style & color palette works well, maybe not the typography. So hard to read I had to keep pinching my screen in & out to zoom. Story wise, this book explores a lot of family conflict but everything feels... unresolved. These are not lovable characters, mind you, all of them are. And it explores topic like rape, sexual assault, family trauma and poor bond, trans life. So.. lots to unpack yet many left unexplained. Overall.. I would love to know more, but it was kinda frustrating to follow through? The ending doesn't satisfy the despair that the book has cost me :(
Anyway, this review will be based on the 205 pages we get to read. First, the choice of cursive handwriting-like font was quiteeee a headache. Although the art style & color palette works well, maybe not the typography. So hard to read I had to keep pinching my screen in & out to zoom. Story wise, this book explores a lot of family conflict but everything feels... unresolved. These are not lovable characters, mind you, all of them are. And it explores topic like rape, sexual assault, family trauma and poor bond, trans life. So.. lots to unpack yet many left unexplained. Overall.. I would love to know more, but it was kinda frustrating to follow through? The ending doesn't satisfy the despair that the book has cost me :(
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn't know what to expect, I find at first, the storyline and motives were unclear & confusing. But also, the lush description of the settings: villages, forest, everything? Stood out immediately, top notch. This is what I look for from a fantasy book.
This was a short read, and upon going further I would describe 80% of it like being taken on an escape sprint, an endless hide-n-chase adventure through a dark, magic forest. Not exactly a high stake but no no-stake either. As we rear towards the end, there were some important & touching backstory about Veris the main character that really.. finally wraps the book beautifully. Since I've been wondering about that a lot throughout the reading, wishing to get to know more about our lead. It was satisfactory (though I can implore moreee.. actually?)
Although? Seeing the ending, this does kinda sound like author is open to the possibility of story continuation? I would definitely tune in if she ever continues! 4.5 Rounded Down! Thank you to NetGalley and TOR Publishing for allowing me this eARC access in exchange of my honest review.
This was a short read, and upon going further I would describe 80% of it like being taken on an escape sprint, an endless hide-n-chase adventure through a dark, magic forest. Not exactly a high stake but no no-stake either. As we rear towards the end, there were some important & touching backstory about Veris the main character that really.. finally wraps the book beautifully. Since I've been wondering about that a lot throughout the reading, wishing to get to know more about our lead. It was satisfactory (though I can implore moreee.. actually?)
Although? Seeing the ending, this does kinda sound like author is open to the possibility of story continuation? I would definitely tune in if she ever continues! 4.5 Rounded Down! Thank you to NetGalley and TOR Publishing for allowing me this eARC access in exchange of my honest review.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot is simple, if you think about it why do we have to wait so long lulling around for an answer to a simple question; but yet the slow journey to get there was beautiful and the answer we finally get was... cathartic. "Oh.. so there's that.." like that.
But like life I suppose, maybe it's more about what we learn along the way & how to get there that matters more than the answers we're trying so hard to find (maybe the journey is THE answer itself?)
But like life I suppose, maybe it's more about what we learn along the way & how to get there that matters more than the answers we're trying so hard to find (maybe the journey is THE answer itself?)
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
the dystopian world just gave me preview of brain tumor thank you
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Moving prose, crafted tenderly & treaded carefully with love and honor for someone you 'love' distantly. Remote, but in its own way, love is love. Very personal, touching, it hits right to your heart. I feel warm & emotional despite their on and off bond. Amazing writer, the way she writes the experience & pour it to the pages. Thank you to Net Galley and publisher for allowing me this eARC in exchange for review.