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rustedtrains's reviews
81 reviews
The Drone Eats with Me: A Gaza Diary by Atef Abu Saif
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Cancer, Child death, and Suicidal thoughts
The Favor by Nora Murphy
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire by Jennifer Bing, Mike Merryman-Lotze, Jehad Abusalim
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Xenophobia, Murder, and Colonisation
Grit: Poems by Silas Denver Melvin by silas denver melvin
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I found it informative, but more of an introductory piece than anything else to the topic. It was also extremely liberal in some aspects and found myself viscerally disagreeing, but otherwise it was a genuinely good read.
Burn Lake by Carrie Fountain
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Suicidal thoughts
The Carrying: Poems by Ada Limón
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Gaza Writes Back by Refaat Alareer
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror and Blood
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Like all Steinbeck novels, the technical skill cannot be questioned - it is wonderful in that sense. His descriptive ability is second to none, no one is arguing otherwise - at least not to me. However, given that Steinbeck took the notes for this book from Sanora Babb’s Whose Names Are Unknown, it changes the whole tone for me from that of an earnest attempt at portraying an issue he cares a lot about - which, I am sure, given the foreword that he did, to an extent, care! - to something a little… I don’t know. The fact that he never once mentions her even before he dies is upsetting. He used her lived experience to write this book because he felt the ends justified the means of getting it out there, and sure. To some extent I agree. But didn’t she deserve a chance to do that, too, in her own words first? It just doesn’t feel right, and takes away from the whole experience for me. I plan on reading her book as well, because I’ve heard comparatively The Grapes of Wrath reads rather stale because of the lack of having lived it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Police brutality
Minor: Racial slurs