Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab by Priya Huq

14 reviews

ninahuynh's review

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I like the exploration of different experiences with the hijab and Islam. I learned about the Bangladesh Genocide, which I did not know about prior to this book, how that trauma can affect one's relationship with one's culture, religion, and identity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Genocide, Grief, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Islamophobia, and War

rainbowrocky's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Bullying

Minor: Colonisation, Rape, Genocide, Violence, War, and Death

krys_kilz's review

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I really loved this graphic novel! It dealt with some very heavy subjects in a sensitive and thoughtful way. The art was breathtaking! I also really appreciated the book report style appendix at the end with more information about Bangladesh. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, and Hate crime

Moderate: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Genocide, Rape, War, and Death

keljo484's review

emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Death, Genocide, Rape, Violence, and War

emily_mh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This graphic novel felt short, but it really packed a punch. It is widely about the relationship Muslim women have to the hijab: what the hijab represents, why Muslim women might choose to wear the hijab or not, and also how outside forces can impact on how they experience this practice. I also loved the focus on relationships, especially on Nisrin and Firuzeh's relationship and the nuance that was given there. The art style was absolutely unique: colour and art were both used in a way I haven't really seen in graphic novels before. It was so emotive and expressive, and metaphoric as well. I think the best way to describe it is that it placed the importance on telling the story through art, not words. Finally the extra material of Nisrin's project on Bangladesh was a wonderful addition. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, War, Colonisation, and Genocide

Minor: Racial slurs, Medical content, Misogyny, Child death, Rape, and Ableism

Moderate: PTSD (or similar) experiences, depiction of a neo-Nazi, mass death Minor: loss of a loved one

knockoffrainbow's review

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Blood, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Genocide, War, Gun violence, Murder, and Death

ashylibrarian's review

challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

This is a powerful book. 

Within the first handful of pages, Nisrin becomes the victim of a horrific hate crime. Nisrin is attacked while she and her friend walk home from their school's World Cultures Day presentations. There are not many words exchanged during this scene, but the illustrations give power to all that is not said. After this attack, Nisrin spends her summer isolated in her home, fearful of leaving its safety. 

After visiting family before school started for the year, Nisrin decides that she is going to wear hijab and learn more about Islam. This initially outrages her grandfather and worries her mother and grandmother. Initially, her family does not tell Nisrin why her wearing hijab upsets them, and this leads to her feeling as though her voice is not being heard. Self-educating and asking questions, Nisrin becomes more and more confident in the person she is building herself up to be. As her family sees this, they start to tell her more about her family's history, including why they left Bangladesh.

Partnered with beautiful watercolor-style illustrations that bring so much to the words that are written as well as those that are not, this story is one that needs to be shared with young readers. Though this book can be extremely heavy during certain scenes, it brings light to discussions around identity exploration, familial history, and becoming happy in your own skin. Huq has crafted a beautiful story that will touch the lives of many readers in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Bullying

Minor: Rape, Genocide, Sexual violence, and War

rosegoldteacher's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime

Moderate: War and Genocide

kayladaila's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, and Violence

Minor: Death, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Blood, and Colonisation

sometimes_samantha_reads's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I learned so much from this book. I sincerely appreciated the history and culture index at the end. The art was lovely but also harsh. This book was challenging to read because of the violent events depicted but I felt proud for Nisrin when she took a stance for herself and for her culture. There are too many feelings in my head and chest right now since I just finished the book. I can't articulate them all but this was a swift reminder to love and protect the diversity of people in this world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, Genocide, Colonisation, Bullying, Blood, Racism, Violence, War, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Islamophobia, and Injury/Injury detail