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hollsbookshelf's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Violence
lilanye's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
I did not like this book one bit. The narrative structure is uneven, descriptions often rambling and uninteresting, characters flat.
But my biggest problem with this book is its blatant racism. It is riddled with racist stereotypes. I saw someone describe it as ”French colonial propaganda” and I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Ick.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
But my biggest problem with this book is its blatant racism. It is riddled with racist stereotypes. I saw someone describe it as ”French colonial propaganda” and I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Ick.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
astrono9's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
Slow start and often boring. The writing style isn’t for me as it’s scattered at times, and drags with the overly descriptive paragraphs. Maybe my expectations were too high with wanting to learn more about the fight for Morocco’s independence and having that plot be more of a background story. This clearly isn’t the book for learning about this period in history.
I was also getting white savior vibes and cliche stereotypes about women, Moroccans, and Romani people/former slaves. Also very French centric/French superiority vibes. It claims to be anti colonial but all the characters (so far) except for the white woman are actually against the Revolution?! So they apparently need a white advocate now and for her to talk down to them. And the language used does not give me “oh yes the author clearly is against the colonization of Morocco” it feels the opposite.
Racist language reproduced a lot with seemingly no commentary to the contrary? An author can show us the racist and colonialist attitudes of the time in different ways, rather than constantly using racial slurs. I just found it jarring and inappropriate at times because it was not relevant to the context of the stories.
Racist language reproduced a lot with seemingly no commentary to the contrary? An author can show us the racist and colonialist attitudes of the time in different ways, rather than constantly using racial slurs. I just found it jarring and inappropriate at times because it was not relevant to the context of the stories.
Multiple perspectives from all kinds of characters making them all feel flat and lacking depth. Just when I begin getting interested and connecting to a character, it moves on to someone else.
This is book 1 of a trilogy and I got book 2 from Netgalley before I knew it was part of a series 🙈 (I do this way too often). And I’ve heard that book 2 is better and you don’t necessarily need to have read book 1 so I’ll still try the next book and hope that I enjoy it better and maybe it’s less white savior-y.
Also one last note on this being part of a trilogy: if this book is supposed to follow Mathilde and her husband, Amine, and book 2 follows their children then why are we getting a POV from their 6 year old daughter now?! Especially so early in the book. Her chapters sound nothing like a 6 year old, and feel too mature in language and perspective.
This is purely based off what I’ve read so far (and that hasn’t been much). I found an amazing review on Goodreads that discusses some of the problematic things in better detail, and made me ultimately decide to DNF. Highly recommend checking it out as the reader is Moroccan and can speak better on the (lack of) representation and cultural nuance in the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse
astronautin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Blood, and Antisemitism
kirstym25's review against another edition
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Colonisation
beatriks's review against another edition
dark
informative
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? It's complicated
3.0
I read in another review that the book is meandering, and I fully agree. I don’t think this is a good thing. While I enjoyed the read to a certain limit (otherwise I would have DNFed), the writing annoyed me.
There are a lot of matter-of-fact descriptions mixed with the attempt of being poetic.
Characters appear and disappear randomly.
There are lots of changes of perspective, also at times of minor characters.
What I liked was the insight into Moroccan life in the 1940s and 50s, the racism from French toward Moroccans and from Moroccans to former slaves.
There are a lot of matter-of-fact descriptions mixed with the attempt of being poetic.
Characters appear and disappear randomly.
There are lots of changes of perspective, also at times of minor characters.
What I liked was the insight into Moroccan life in the 1940s and 50s, the racism from French toward Moroccans and from Moroccans to former slaves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Racism
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Infertility, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
philineselavy's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and War
pagesintranslation's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Colonisation