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noraquigs's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
wish there were 100 more pages
halb17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
Moderate: War and Homophobia
howard's review
3.0
This was mostly just okay, but it was also very engaging. I always wanted to keep reading it and got through it rather quickly (which I feel like hasn't happened for me in a while). I liked that Hussam and Wassim had their own separate stories, that they each got to grow on their own. Their stories mirrored each other, with Wassim starting at the bottom and making his way up while Hussam slowly spiraled throughout his chapters. Hussam's story started more grounded in reality while Wassim's began more disconnected and out of touch with reality. Their respective ghosts also played a large part. I definitely liked the ending, how long it took them to reconnect. That felt very real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Death of parent
ad_92's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
tinafrederikke's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
anotheranxiousace's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
wodime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
man... was looking forward to this one, but it was so disappointing 😠basically sunk-cost-fallacy'd myself into finishing it, which... oof.
wassim's plot was fine, but hussam's was fucking insufferable. difficult to buy into his struggles with queerness and diaspora when he's so unsympathetic, has no positive qualities, AND uncritically reproduces all the most obnoxious parts of cis gay culture (including transphobia lol). and while it's insane how much hussam sucks, that's reinforced by the flimsiness of the other canadian characters. he has two interchangeable gay friends; a sugar daddy who, even taking his white-saviour complex into account, doesn't deserve the way hussam treats him; and dawood, who's less of a character and more of a gender-studies curriculum. the sum total is a novel that sells itself on the back of diversity, but then proves itself crushingly un-intersectional, from start to finish. noxious.
oh, and i hated the prose, but what else is new. fork found in kitchen
wassim's plot was fine, but hussam's was fucking insufferable. difficult to buy into his struggles with queerness and diaspora when he's so unsympathetic, has no positive qualities, AND uncritically reproduces all the most obnoxious parts of cis gay culture (including transphobia lol). and while it's insane how much hussam sucks, that's reinforced by the flimsiness of the other canadian characters. he has two interchangeable gay friends; a sugar daddy who, even taking his white-saviour complex into account, doesn't deserve the way hussam treats him; and dawood, who's less of a character and more of a gender-studies curriculum. the sum total is a novel that sells itself on the back of diversity, but then proves itself crushingly un-intersectional, from start to finish. noxious.
oh, and i hated the prose, but what else is new. fork found in kitchen
mattgroot1980's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
hoang_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-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