tamara_mousa's reviews
135 reviews

Taduno's Song by Odafe Atogun

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Odafe Atogun enchantingly narrated Taduno's Song that depicted the life of Nigerians under the rule of a treacherous dictator, who would do anything to stay powerful and become wealthier! This is a story of rebellion against a military regime via Taduno’s music. This epic tale is about Taduno’s dilemma whether to follow his heart or mind! Should he “go against his conscience and praise the tyrant to save his love” or should he “let his love suffer for the sake of his beloved country and Nigerians”!  
A complete summary is available in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com 
Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina

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adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Zuleikha is an enthralling book by Guzel Yakhina. It is the story of the powerless Tatar kulak woman Zuleikha, whose husband was shot by the Red Army after the Bolshevik revolution against the Tsar in 1917. This is a turn-page tale depicting the life of kulaks – the rich or prosperous peasants, whose properties were confiscated (ranches and farm animals) and gathered from different lands that was part of the Soviet Union. They were executed on the spot or taken to Siberia as hired labor, because of being considered enemies of Russia. It is believed that despite the ability of humans to live together harmoniously, they (unfortunately) stupidly choose to fight and kill each other. And for what? As the Hoopoe of the Magical Bird Semrug folk tale said to his birds: “What is the use in spending our time and energy on factions and feuding”! Mostly to satisfy the ego of the head of state and his generals!
 A complet  summary us available in my blog:
 www.tamarayousefmousa.com 
Butter Honey Pig Bread by francesca ekwuyasi

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challenging emotional informative medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

 In Butter Honey Pig Bread, Francesca Ekwuyasi smoothly narrates the life and complicated relationship between the Nigerian daughter and mother Kambirinachi(an ogbanje insightful soul, who keeps coming and leaving life before its birth, or during infancy or childhood) and her twin daughters – Taiye and Kehinde. This is a story about childhood wounds, betrayal by the closest family member, being able to forgive and having the compassion to forgive those who unintentionally hurt us, as well as about racism towards colored and gay people. A complete summary is available in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com
Crossing the Mangrove by Maryse Condé

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dark informative 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? No

4.5

Crossing the Mangrove is a story by Maryse Condé that depicts the life of Black and Creoles (White Latin Americans) in Rivière au Sel. This village is in Basse-Terre, which is one of the 6 islands of Guadeloupe - a French territory in the Caribbean. The book beautifully narrates the villagers’ reflections about their interaction with a mysterious man, Francis Sancher, during his wake ceremony. Moreover, it underlined that we can’t understand why someone acts bitterly because we don’t know the root of his problem or trauma! This tale also highlights racism in Guadalupe and enslavement of Haitians by Whites and pale colored-citizens that didn’t end yet! Haitians still suffer from this racism in their own land and in other countries, particularly in the US because they are not the right color!
A complete summary can be found in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com 
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

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dark informative reflective slow-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

4.0

In Open Water, Caleb Azumah Nelson depicts the struggle of Black Britons (who live in London) to stay alive. These British citizens never feel safe and live under huge stress because they are always seen as vulgar suspects and never as innocent humans. This story portrays this dilemma in the work-ship, friendship, and courtship relation between a Black male photographer and a female dancer over the four seasons of 2017. The tale highlights how Black British people are never treated in the same manner as a White British person. They felt that the country they live in is not their home! They were not free in the land where they were born and resided, as well as where their parents and grandparents lived! 
A complete summary is available in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com 
In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende

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adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

In the Midst of Winter is a novel in which Isabelle Allende portrays the dark life of Lucia in Chile between 1954 and 1973, and the suffering of Evelyn in Guatemala during the first 16 years of her life (1992-2008). For instance, Chileans suffered from the political unrest during the formation of a Marxist government, followed by a military coup and dictatorship. Guatemalans also lived a horrible life under the rule of gangs and soldiers who stole, raped, and slaughtered their own kin, and who cannot be deterred! Moreover, the injustice shown to illegal asylum seekers, who go through an arduous journey to cross to the US, either are returned to their country or offered residency depending on the temperament of the judge was highlighted. Allende also shed light on the amount of depression Richard’s wife has experienced after having numerous miscarriages followed by losing her 1-month son and 4-year-old daughter. a complete summary is available on my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

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challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

In Pachinko, Min Jin Lee beautifully depicted the horrible life of Koreans in Korea during the Japanese occupation between the years of 1910-1933; then being exposed to all kinds of hatred, racism, and inhumanity in Japan between 1933-1962. Finally, illustrating the unjust life of Koreans in Japan between 1939 and 1989 after Korea’s independence and the formation of North and South Korea in 1948. This story reveals the bigotry that the Japanese showed towards the low-class Korean-Japanese, forcing their assimilation into the Japanese culture. A complete summary is available n my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com/
Augustown by Kei Miller

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adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Augustown describes the life of Jamaicans in the 1970s and 1980s in a city named Augustown. In this tale that is based on true historical events, Kei Miller shed light on the history of this Jamaican city in the 1920, during the British rule, depicting the tactic of the high-income White occupiers to keep the majority of the Black and Brown Jamaicans ignorant and poor. the author also depicted how the British rule worked on wiping the Jamaican culture by intimidating Jamaicans, and breaking their spirit. A full review can be found in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com
Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

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adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


In her captivating story Stay with Me, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ depicted the life of a Nigerian couple during a time of unrest in Nigeria, between 1985 and 2008 in the cities of Ilesa and Jos. The author beautifully portrayed the struggles that Yejide faced to have a baby, and the spread of violence, theft, and corruption in the country during the military coup in 1986. This tale also described the pressure exerted on women to have babies but not on men since women are the ones who get pregnant, and how women resorted to witchcraft to get pregnant, ignoring the role of God and science or doctors!
A full review is available on my blog www.tamarayousefmousa.com/
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore

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dark informative reflective 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

5.0

In her tale Valentine, Elizabeth Wetmore portrayed the life in Texas, particularly in Odessa, during the oil boom in the 1970s. This is the story of the Hispanic-American teenager Gloria, and the 26-year old pregnant Mary Rose. Gloria is the survivor of a brutal rape in the middle of the desert near the oil fields. Mary Rose rescued Gloria, because of which she went through a war against the rapist's family and friends, who urged Mary Rose (via phone calls and yelling across her house's fence) not to destroy the life of a good White boy for the sake of a Hispanic slut. This tale shed light on lack of justice and racism in cases of rape and always blaming the victim, especially if she wasn't White. This story also highlighted the trauma of a rape survivor and the strength it requires to convince the jury/community that they are the victim not the rapist! A complete summary can be found in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com/