Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Good Intentions

In this story, we follow Nur as he navigates the difficulties of figuring out his life as far as dating and work goes but also the pressure of living up to his family’s expectations. Now not saying this is every household, but I do feel like, as Americans, we latch onto that mindset of “Ima do me” and we’re so quick to cancel those opinions on our life if it’s just not feeding us the way we want to be fed. But there’s always a flip side, and I believe we see that here, where family and tradition are so engrained in this character that he really truly struggles to find peace within himself. And it’s to the extent that he tends to make not the best choices, like hiding his relationship of 4 years to someone outside of his race.

This story is told thru dual timeline which really does benefit the story and the growth of the character. You get glimpses of, Nur responding a certain way because of what he experienced in his past. Tugs in your heartstrings a little bit😢

There were some triggering moments but I think this could be a great Bookclub pick for discussion or just a buddy read. It really opens the door to empathy for people who do still struggle with YOLO vs tradition. And sometimes it’s not as easy as walking away and closing that door.

⚠️: self harm (off page but does reflect on the action), panic attacks and hospitalization, colorism and dating outside your race, intense familial/cultural expectations

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the_maccheroncini's review

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emotional funny fast-paced

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

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lja207's review

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Not a bad book but the wrong vibes for what I need right now. Too deep and emotional perhaps?

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rina_reads's review

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reflective slow-paced

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’ve gotten past halfway and trying to reach the end but I’m getting bored. So I have no idea what happens at the end.

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.

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