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rzh's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
i just... could not get into this book. the chapters were disjointed and, though i imagine the intended effect was to create little sketches of jawad's life, the actual impact was disjointed and lumpy. the book had no structure or discernable point. though the portrayal of war and violence was harrowing, and the writing at times was lyrical and impactful, the metaphors were overwrought, cliche, and at times just... bad.
the two female love interests were only viewed through the lens of sex: the first decided she was no longer worthy of love as soon as she didn't have a breast (written by a man, this is uncomfortable to read) and the second is only used for secret night-time trysts, and is portrayed as desperate for sex; there's a bit where jawad sees her sitting painting her toenails with part of her thigh exposed, which he takes as her flirting with him. NOT TO MENTION she is literally a teenager !! . the sex scenes read like bad fanfiction. though, granted, the way that jawad sees and tallks about women could be read as a result of his emotional numbness and pain, it is presented without comment or insinuation that this might be the case, that he could be an unreliable narrator of sorts. to be honest, its just uncomfortable to read and i can't believe no other reviews mentioned this. in fact, the only character who feels fully rendered is jawad, who narrates the entire story. the rest of the characters are sidelined and neglected. for a book which, by all accounts, has a lot of things happen in it, it is startling just how eventless it feels. characters appear, die, leave and come back, and all the while the book feels like it just trundles through these stand-alone chapters with nothing really happening. just a bit disappointing if i'm honest. 2/5
the two female love interests were only viewed through the lens of sex: the first
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Gore, War, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse, Child death, Sexual content, Torture, and Police brutality
katieconlon's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
itsmaryssae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rain_tea_and_books's review against another edition
5.0
There is something beautifully personal about the way this novel is written. The way it jumps between different times and events in Jawads life gives it a raw, almost messy feel which is reflected in that which drives the plot of the novel. I feel this is one I will always be able to find new meaning in every time I read it. I will definitely be giving this a reread soon!
g_umnut's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Violence and Sexual content
pardonmywritings's review against another edition
5.0
Read this in one sitting. It's absolutely beautiful, intricate, poetic and only 184 pages. Highly recommend.
~
Jawad defies his father, who washes the bodies of Iraq's dead, by pursuing art and sculpting. Only, he realises that there is death in one and beauty in the other.
~
Jawad defies his father, who washes the bodies of Iraq's dead, by pursuing art and sculpting. Only, he realises that there is death in one and beauty in the other.
pensive_cactus's review against another edition
5.0
I was struggling to find a reason why some people don't like this book until I saw a review, and I thought, oh perhaps the translation isn't as good as I thought.
I read the book in English but in my mind it was a mix of Farsi and Arabic, with vivid pictures of everything the author described which I thought he wrote beautifully.
Or maybe I just had the right context and background to relate to this book.
I read the book in English but in my mind it was a mix of Farsi and Arabic, with vivid pictures of everything the author described which I thought he wrote beautifully.
Or maybe I just had the right context and background to relate to this book.
omirl's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I enjoyed how the themes of art and death were interweaved and found the descriptions of Shiite corpse washing practices interesting.
Not 5 stars because I felt the protagonist's emotions were told to the reader rather than shown.
Not 5 stars because I felt the protagonist's emotions were told to the reader rather than shown.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, War, and Religious bigotry
doublyinked's review against another edition
5.0
A must read when you want to hear the other side of the story. And everyone should.
"Sinan Antoon is fast becoming the only chronicler of modern Iraq and its unspeakable nightmare, but also one of the most acclaimed authors of the Arab world."
"Sinan Antoon is fast becoming the only chronicler of modern Iraq and its unspeakable nightmare, but also one of the most acclaimed authors of the Arab world."