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the_maccheroncini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Self harm, Racism, Outing, Homophobia, and Drug use
rina_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I’m a bit disappointed to be honest. I was expecting something more but the entire book felt repetitive. I’m a South Asian Muslim woman and anti-Blackness and colourism is a huge unspoken problem within the South Asian culture. I felt like the author just touched the surface of the subject but didn’t go in-depth. The rest of the books seems to be about Nur, his anxiety and the weight of his culture’s expectations burdening him. But his character practically stays the same for most of the book. He doesn’t develop and I got fed up of hearing his perspective and hoped that I would hear Yasmina’s side of the story. Though the book is about the two of them, I did not feel invested in their relationship. It felt flat because it’s all about Nur. Nur hides what he feels from Yasmina yet needs constant reassurance from her. Majority of chapters was hearing how Nur feels sorry for himself for not knowing what he wants and feeling like everyone hates him. I understand this because of my own similar upbringing but it got passed of point of sympathy and Nur just got on my nerves.
The writing style was okay but to me it felt like the story was being told and not described especially the parts around anti-blackness and Yasmina. Nur strongly assumes his parent won’t accept Yasmina due to her skin colour and ethnicity but why not actually have a scene in the book that shows what colourism/racism in the Pakistani, Desi culture. It was blatantly being explained in dialogue between characters why Desi folks are intolerant in accepting other races.
I also didn’t understand the purpose of the dual timeline. One minute we’re in 2019 and the next we’re in 2015. I’d rather read the book chronologically because I couldn’t feel there was a plot and a climax with the story jumping around like that. Nur in 2015 was still the same Nur in 2019. You wouldn’t feel a difference in character or writing when you’re reading it.
The repetition of Nur loathing everything about himself made the pace slow and plot didn’t develop as fast I had hoped. The side characters were okay. I wondered if the book should have just explored being Muslim, brown and British. The friendships and family themes were stronger.
There’s also just too many issues that tie with each other like age, aspirations and coming of age. The uncertainty in your early 20s after having left university is something relatable. Nur is anxious about the future a lot and misses his family/home. But these themes felt separate to the plot and could’ve been woven better.
Moderate: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
vj_thompson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As a warning, this are parts where suicide and anxiety/depression are discussed. Look up other content warnings as well.
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
d0505's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Racism
serendipitysbooks'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
4.0
It’s the story of the relationship between Nur and Yasmina. Both are Muslim but his family is British-Pakistani and hers is British-Sudanese. There are cultural barriers and prejudices of both sides, but he is certain his family will not be able to overcome theirs. So rather than tell his family, give them a chance to do know Yasmina as a person, to learn and to grow, he keeps Yasmina and the fact that they are living together secret. For four years!
What I really liked about this book was the way it highlighted the bind many second-generation immigrants face, caught between traditional cultural and family expectations and the new mores of the society in which they live. Wanting to make choices which go against those expectations, the fear of disappointing family members, possibly estranging them, the fear that what you want to do may be wrong - it contradicts everything you’ve been brought up with- can be paralysing, possibly contributing to anxiety and other mental health issues. It also highlighted racism towards Blacks from other non-white communities, a topic which doesn’t get as much attention as racism from white communities.
Where I struggled a bit was with Nur himself and his lack of growth. Four years was an awfully long time to be paralysed with fear, to keep such an important person and part of your life secret from those you are supposedly closest to. I understand that he was partly trying to protect Yasmina from hurt, but he failed to consider the ways his own actions and inactions were hurtful. He never changed over the course of the story which made the plot somewhat repetitive. It would have been nice to see him stand up for Yasmina and to take actions to try and dismantle the racism he saw in his community. I’d also loved to have heard directly from Yasmina.
I liked the issues raised but think the book would have been stronger with more of a character arc for the main character.
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Homophobia
kirstym25'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
2.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
churrosmom'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
2.0
This book was exhausting. It felt so repetitive and long because the entire time we are stuck in the main character, Nur's head, and he thinks in circular anxiety patterns, and the timeline jumps back and forth. At a certain point I was just spite reading the book to see what happens with the relationship. Nur has serious mental health issues, treats Yasmina absolutely horribly, and is constantly judging other Muslims as backwards and conservative. The author does have other characters call him out on these issues, but something about the writing just feels off. This book would be 3 stars but the way Blackness is treated in this book is just off. I can't really articulate what it is exactly.
Also, this is NOT a romance, do not go into this expecting a romance, though the romantic relationship between Nur and Yasmina is the center of the book.
TWs for explicit descriptions of anti-Blackness, self harm, mental illness, suicide attempt, panic attacks, toxic/emotionally abusive relationship, Islamophobia
Graphic: Self harm, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, and Suicide attempt
bookwormjoshua's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness and Self harm
isobelk_18's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide
bookdragon217's review against another edition
4.0
💥 To reckon with race, the work must start by dealing with internalized biases.
💥 Being anti-racist requires action not complacency.
💥 There is anti-blackness in many cultures including South Asian.
💥 The pressures to lead lives that honor your immigrant parents can be taxing on mental health.
💥 It's ok to choose yourself or your partner if your family is not accepting of aspects of identity.
💥 Mental Health in black and brown communities needs to be a priority.
💥 Interracial dating requires that you do the hard work to learn about and support your partner's cultural group.
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Xenophobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, and Gaslighting