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maryq113's review
dark
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
i enjoyed infidels more but this one was also interesting
ossington's review
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ghostofefrant's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
tobeobia's review
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
grazzi's review against another edition
4.0
[3,5 stars]
I've read this book in my college's french book club, we read together in loud voice for everyone, and this made a very nice experience! It's not the easiest book to follow, if it were not for the group, I'd have dropped a long time ago.
The whole tone of the book is down, the characters seem to not believe in a better future even though they hope for it, the two main characters (out of three, I'd say) have open and very sad endings, Zannouba, a trans woman who desires to transition more than everything, ends up still hating herself because she can see her past self in her, and Zahira have this ambiguous ending (that the reader doesn't know if it's a dream or if it truly happened) that a past lover killed her, drank her blood and then killed himself.
However, I think the book ends in a more light tone, a contrast to basically the whole book. Zineb, Zahira's aunt that disappeared when her father was still a child, haunts the whole narrative: the ghost of Zineb, of her aunt that vanishe is everywhere, Zahira always remembers her aunt, and by the end of the book we finally get to know what happened to her! She also gets an open ending but differently from the others, hers end in a fresher tone, she's going to chase her dreams after so much suffering, and by this end, the whole book is turned upside down.
Maybe the country for dying can mean both how many times one suffers from colonization and erasure, but it can also mean how everyone just wants somewhere to spend the rest of their lifes. Maybe this book is both about unjustified hardships and the belief of a better life.
I've read this book in my college's french book club, we read together in loud voice for everyone, and this made a very nice experience! It's not the easiest book to follow, if it were not for the group, I'd have dropped a long time ago.
The whole tone of the book is down, the characters seem to not believe in a better future even though they hope for it, the two main characters (out of three, I'd say) have open and very sad endings, Zannouba, a trans woman who desires to transition more than everything, ends up still hating herself because she can see her past self in her, and Zahira have this ambiguous ending (that the reader doesn't know if it's a dream or if it truly happened) that a past lover killed her, drank her blood and then killed himself.
However, I think the book ends in a more light tone, a contrast to basically the whole book. Zineb, Zahira's aunt that disappeared when her father was still a child, haunts the whole narrative: the ghost of Zineb, of her aunt that vanishe is everywhere, Zahira always remembers her aunt, and by the end of the book we finally get to know what happened to her! She also gets an open ending but differently from the others, hers end in a fresher tone, she's going to chase her dreams after so much suffering, and by this end, the whole book is turned upside down.
Maybe the country for dying can mean both how many times one suffers from colonization and erasure, but it can also mean how everyone just wants somewhere to spend the rest of their lifes. Maybe this book is both about unjustified hardships and the belief of a better life.
mtimone's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
paradismaja's review against another edition
5.0
Franska författare levererar alltid! Älskade språket och så viktiga teman i boken. Var några stycken som blev lite otydliga men annars jättebra! 4,5!
maalinmariaa's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character