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rina_reads's review
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
cerilouisereads's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content
churrosmom's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- 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
Disclaimer: won an ARC through a giveaway.
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
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, and Suicide attempt
bookdragon217's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
"...it's not enough to tread the right books, to say the right things, to tweet your anger about police brutality or supporting Black people if you're going to come home and make your Black girlfriend feel like she is less than you."
Good Intentions by debut author Kasim Ali released yesterday and it's definitely a novel that gave lots to think about. It's a story about Nur, a British Pakistani and Yasmine, a British Sudanese who are in a serious relationship and trying to navigate interracial dating, family responsibilities, culture, and mental health while trying to forge their own paths for future careers. The story jumps around to different points in their relationship as Nur deals with his anxiety about telling his parents that he's been in a relationship with a black woman for 4 years. He thinks he is saving Yasmina from the hurt of anti-blackness in South Asian cultures but has not reckoned with his own internalized beliefs and struggles with mental health that have been showing up and causing him severe panic attacks. He brushes them aside as "not liking conflict" and projects them onto his family most of the time.
I loved that the author was bold in the ways he told the story and made certain choices for the characters. The non-linear timeline was confusing at first but once you get a sense of the characters it becomes easier to follow. The slow pace helped to build up the tension for the ending. I would definitely read this author's next book because I enjoyed the emotional storytelling. Thanks to @henryholtbooks for the gifted copy.
Final thoughts on this one:
💥 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.
💥 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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Xenophobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, and Gaslighting
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