Scan barcode
criticalbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Car accident, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Islamophobia
ceciliabereadin's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Self harm, Islamophobia, and Death
booksandhalohalo's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Minor: Islamophobia and Self harm
yumnerd's review
- 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
Graphic: Self harm and Grief
Moderate: Toxic friendship
emordnilap's review
- 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
4.75
should have content warnings in the front(it is what prevents the story from having 5 stars)
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Grief, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Car accident and Islamophobia
katiiekhaos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Racism
Moderate: Death
nermen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Islamophobia, Self harm, Racism, and Chronic illness
Minor: Death and Car accident
princess72's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Self harm, Death, and Grief
shelbsies's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Don't go into this book expecting a typical plot, it's very much character and emotion driven.
I really do love Mafi's writing style, it's beautiful yet accessible and I always get in wrapped into it... and while I did get wrapped into this story I felt myself longing for more. I feel that this book could've had a lot more pages; this story could've been expanded and been a deeper dive into Shadi's emotions and the complexity and confusion of them. Perhaps, though, this is an appropriate amount of heaviness and pondering for a YA story and that's the adult in me wanting to be in the emotions more. Anyway, the ending just sort of fell flat for me and felt inconclusive.
One smallll, spoilery thing that bothered me was the relationship between Shadi and
Ali, I understood that they had liked each other for a long time but it when Ali kissed her while she was clearly not well (twice!!), that just felt weird and out of place for me.
Also, I can't speak for Muslim rep, but I've seen in many own voices reviews that people are not pleased with Mafi's Muslim representation in her stories. Something to look into and know if you plan to read this story.
Graphic: Islamophobia and Grief
Moderate: Self harm
elleisntabell's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
As someone who is not Muslim, the comment about burqas felt in poor taste. It seemed rather unnecessary.
It was very short and ended awkwardly. I don't usually love epilogues, but I feel like this book could have actually benefitted from one.
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts