salam_'s reviews
597 reviews

I wish I had finished this book the year I bought it, when I was a teenager/young adult, because at that time I felt seen, represented, and validated. To me it was so interesting to find myself described in those pages, and to have my very presence in the world studied and affirmed. Now, however, it doesn’t hit quite the same- As I have grown and realized more things about myself and though I still identify as an introvert, I’m not keeping myself caged in that box. 

As I was growing up I started to “breakout if my shell” more and more and at times even considered identifying as an ambivert, but found my soul refusing that title as every single individual is an ambivert to an extent. I’ve come to see that the intro/extrovert dichotomy is actually more of a spectrum. So it didn’t sit right with me the clinical way “quiets” or “shy people” were examined and observed in the book. It almost felt like their introversion was being treated as an illness, and them as mental patients. 

I did like some observations and the book definitely brought up some interesting ideas to light. One thing that stuck to my mind is how classrooms do not represent “the real world” and how we are astonished when the quiet nerd makes it out after graduating when in fact s/he did not change but their environment did. I liked that bit and it made me think

I liked how horrendous this comic painted the Joker to truly be. The psychological horror he inputs into his victims. How truly twisted he is, and that this lunacy has an origin, a reason, and a motive. 
That being said, I expected lot more of the this as a story. The artwork was so vivid that it kept me engrossed that I didn’t realize how fast I finished it. 

Simply a transcript of therapy sessions that lacked depth or nuance. I didn’t care for it.

Everyone told me how good and twisted this book is gonna be and they were RIGHT! Such a page-turner that I didn’t want to stop reading it! I’m glad I read the book before watching the show and now I an ready for it! 

I enjoyed it, as a dentist myself seeing that experience through someone else’s perspective. The artwork was nice to look at as well. 
It didn’t leave a a long-lasting impression on me, but it did intrigue me enough to want to pick up Raina’s other books.

I was hooked since the first time I listened to this book on Stephanie’s BAM podcast. It was such a great recommendation and kept me hooked the entire time! The ending is the reason why it’s not a 5 star. 

From the first line I knew it’s going to be a 5 star read!! And despite the audiobook being 17 hours, I finished it in 3 days! 
Safiya’s words are magic! Now I’m ready to read everything written by her.
The way she told her story was mesmerizing and heartfelt! I teared up by the end of this memoir. 
 I learned a lot about Rastafari and it opened my eyes to so many thing I didn’t know! Safiya’s story was meant to be written by her.