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Hate Is Such A Strong Word (2013)

by Sarah Ayoub(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0732296846 (ISBN13: 9780732296841)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

HarperCollins Australia

review 1: I reviewed this book for my school library for teens and I highly recommend it. I really enjoyed this book as it was great to see the other side of the story. The author raises very important issues for Sydney in particular. Plus, the story is told from the point of view of a Lebanese Christian. This is an important aspect of the story as the author emphasises the fact that the issue is not straightforward. The media tend to place Lebanese Muslims and Christians into one group. The main character is open minded and accepts people from other cultures. She is also very frustrated at the blatant racism by others, both in her community and outside. The author presents a very balanced point of view. I'm from Cronulla, I have an Irish Catholic background and this book c... moreonfirms that, underneath it all, we are all the same. The Irish Catholic community thrives on gossip (especially the mothers/grandmothers!), we believe in family loyalty, girls are careful of their reputation (because "those" girls are called terrible names and aren't respected), boys can go out and do as they please, higher education is very important. Growing up, I remember our community being very insular and we didn't really get to know other communities over Tom Uglies Bridge, as we used to say. At Cronulla High, there were no racial tensions, we had a couple of Greek families, a couple of Vietnamese families, Italian families, kids came from all sorts of backgrounds, but everyone just fit in. The first I knew about racial tensions was when I was about 25, around 1996, my best friend - a Lebanese Muslim - told me things about the Lebanese community, that they didn't like Australians and they thought all Australian girls were promiscuous - I was shocked! She told me that her family refused to talk to her because she married an Australian. One day, we were walking down the street and she said to me, "There's my sister, don't be offended, but she won't talk you, she doesn't like Australians." Then, the gang rapes and of course, the Cronulla riots where someone assaulted a lifeguard and thugs from all over Sydney turned up for one thing - a fight! It's a contemporary book, dealing with issues facing the Sydney community and teenagers today. It's a great read that promotes acceptance. Teenagers from all backgrounds should read this book.
review 2: I absolutely loved every aspect of this book - In fact, I could not put it down. I stayed up in anticipation, hooked onto the unfolding sequence of events and is proud to say I completed it in one night. I believe that to be a testament to the novels greatness. It was truly an encapsulating reading experience and took me on an emotional and thought-provoking journey, one where I could understand on a deeper level. The characters, the setting, the exploration of culture and identity. It was something I immediately connected with and could relate to. The depth it possesses and more importantly it's message was well-articulated and expressed through Sarah's passionate writing style. She illustrates emotions without merely 'telling' but rather creatively 'showing'. The development of character was also really well-done. I I truly recommend this book!! It was a not simply a 'good' read but a 'fantastic' one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Congratulations Sarah, a truly outstanding first novel. Look forward to many more! less

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