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A review by serendipitysbooks
Straight from the Horse's Mouth by Meryem Alaoui
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.0
Straight from the Horse’s Mouth is set in Casablanca and tells the story of Jmiaa, a sex worker, whose life takes a major turn when she is introduced to a filmmaker. Much of her story is dark and depressing but Jmiaa - mostly - refuses to be bitter and resentful. Rather she is an unabashed, resilient survivor. I loved her voice. She is witty, an astute observer of people, irreverent, independent and loyal. She lives life large and is unapologetic about doing so. She is straight-shooting rather than self-pitying. The ending was definitely fairytale-like, but I didn’t care. I was cheering for Jmiaa all the way.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault