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martha_is_reading's review
3.0
This is a graphic non-fiction charting the experiences of Iraqi Jews who were persecuted following WWII through to their expulsion in the 1960s and 70s. It's a period of history I had no awareness of at all, and this opened a door to yet another area which my school education failed to reference - namely that Naziism was not just confined to Europe, it extended much much further and much later in history.
While I found the content to be important and illuminating, the style was too sparse for me. There is very little narrative here, and I was left wanting so much more. This may have been due to unfair comparisons to [b:The Complete Persepolis|991197|The Complete Persepolis (Persepolis, #1-4)|Marjane Satrapi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327876995l/991197._SX50_.jpg|13344769] which had a similar artistic style and the overlap of being about Middle Eastern history, but gave a lot more narrative text.
3.5 stars for opening my eyes to an underrepresented period of history, I wish I'd been given just a little bit more information to be able to bring it up to 4.
While I found the content to be important and illuminating, the style was too sparse for me. There is very little narrative here, and I was left wanting so much more. This may have been due to unfair comparisons to [b:The Complete Persepolis|991197|The Complete Persepolis (Persepolis, #1-4)|Marjane Satrapi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327876995l/991197._SX50_.jpg|13344769] which had a similar artistic style and the overlap of being about Middle Eastern history, but gave a lot more narrative text.
3.5 stars for opening my eyes to an underrepresented period of history, I wish I'd been given just a little bit more information to be able to bring it up to 4.
chaiandspices's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
As a Muslim Iraqi, when I first came across this book and found out it was from a Jewish Iraqi perspective and about the Jewish Iraqi community, I felt it was important for me to read since their history is just as much mine and yet it is actively erased and ignored.
This memoir evokes a range of emotions; nostalgia, joy, curiosity, sadness, heartbreak, a sense of loss and many more.
It’s very easy to follow and understand,
Carol Isaacs has done an amazing job with this memoir and has only urged me to learn and do more.
I highly recommend this to everyone of all interests.
This memoir evokes a range of emotions; nostalgia, joy, curiosity, sadness, heartbreak, a sense of loss and many more.
It’s very easy to follow and understand,
Carol Isaacs has done an amazing job with this memoir and has only urged me to learn and do more.
I highly recommend this to everyone of all interests.
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