Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

17 reviews

codyemma's review against another edition

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5.0


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clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Woof, this book was a lot, in the best possible way. I don't usually read a lot of nonfiction, but a really good memoir is an exception, and this is a really, really good memoir. Sinclair's story is about being raised in a strict, patriarchal household, and although the specifics of having a Rastafari father and upbringing may not resonate with everyone (and certainly one hopes the violence and abuse Sinclair, her siblings, her mother experienced is not everyone's experience), the themes are universal. Societies putting different expectations and restrictions on girls and boys, sexualizing girls at a young age, policing their bodies and beings, and blaming them for any sexual violence men inflict upon them. Patriarchs of a family expecting their wives and daughters to be both wives and daughters: having no needs at all, never criticizing or demanding respect from the "man of the household," and their lives revolving around satisfying the man. Chafing at the strictures of the life and world you are raised in and trying to escape with any means possible. A family attempting to heal horrible, devastating ruptures in their very fabric and laying the groundwork for healthier families in the future. Sinclair captures all of this absolutely breathtakingly, with immense compassion for her younger self (and with more compassion than I could ever muster in her situation for her father) and a voice that is so grounded and evocative. Despite this book being heavy at times, I was glued to it and couldn't stop reading. There is something hopeful about this story: Sinclair and her family do eventually break free of their traumatic upbringing, and they strive to do better for future generations. This is a beautiful, unflinching, triumphant story, and I highly recommend it to everyone. 

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christy_lauren's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense fast-paced

5.0

My dear friend sophie made me own perfectly curated tbr list and it is the greatest gift. To be thought of when sophie is reading floors me regularly, to know they read such complex and emotionally challenging books and think ‘Christy would like this’ means that I get to exist in so many multitudes. Non fiction has never been something I have flocked too, fiction work has flooded my teens and early twenties but I made a promise I would venture into non fiction if only it meant I could share a little more love for books with sophie.

This book shattered me plain and simple, each word I read on the page felt like striking a match, every chapter devoured the flame burning with more fervour until I felt engulfed entirely. I felt like Safiya had bared her heart and soul on the pages, with such vulnerable retelling of her memories that It was like treading on her nostalgia with each page turned, the rawness of every time portion she described was so perfect I could not read this book fast enough.

To Safiya Sinclair this book is a marvel, a testament to your life and a reminder that woman are so much more than the rage they are born from. Thankyou.

And to my sophie, for thinking of me whenever you read, I ache to be closer to you in all the smallest of ways but getting to love the same books as you feels like an honour you will never full grasp.

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mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition

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4.0


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nellethebelle's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

5.0


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arayo's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring sad

3.75


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apthompson's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.5


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qqjj's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.0


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_aurora_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

4.75


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himpersonal's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Oh wow. Speechless. Ending was not what I expected. So much intergenerational anguish and fighting for survival. And I loved all the poetry too. Hoping to read more of her works after having finished this one.

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