Scan barcode
succab's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
amna_a's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
rucha's review
3.0
3,5⭐️
Sometimes there is an emptiness inside him so large it would take the entire world to fill.
Nur, a British Pakistani guy, finally told his parents about the relationship he have been hiding from them for 4 years. He’s dating Yasmina, a British Sudanese Girl, and finally have the courage to tell about it to his parents.
The story tell us about Nur’s present life, how he trying to make his family understand his decision on dating Yasmina. It also brought you back to 4 years before the present timeline of Nur and telling you the story about how Nur met Yasmina. The story seems like a simple love story, but it wasn’t exactly like that. While we get to know Nur and Yasmina love story, we also get to see a much dire problem that exists inside Muslim community and Asian community. How, Nur as the good son, was actually worried of the prejudice he would get if his parents and people from his community find out that he date a black girl.
Outside of the racial problem, we also get to see Nur’s problem as an individual. He still fighting his own demon and the angst that always got the better of him or being the main factor that cause him to made stupid decisions.
The ending was already predictable when I reach half of this book. I really enjoyed this book even tho Nur’s character made me mad and frustrated.
Sometimes there is an emptiness inside him so large it would take the entire world to fill.
Nur, a British Pakistani guy, finally told his parents about the relationship he have been hiding from them for 4 years. He’s dating Yasmina, a British Sudanese Girl, and finally have the courage to tell about it to his parents.
The story tell us about Nur’s present life, how he trying to make his family understand his decision on dating Yasmina. It also brought you back to 4 years before the present timeline of Nur and telling you the story about how Nur met Yasmina. The story seems like a simple love story, but it wasn’t exactly like that. While we get to know Nur and Yasmina love story, we also get to see a much dire problem that exists inside Muslim community and Asian community. How, Nur as the good son, was actually worried of the prejudice he would get if his parents and people from his community find out that he date a black girl.
Outside of the racial problem, we also get to see Nur’s problem as an individual. He still fighting his own demon and the angst that always got the better of him or being the main factor that cause him to made stupid decisions.
The ending was already predictable when I reach half of this book. I really enjoyed this book even tho Nur’s character made me mad and frustrated.
richrosh3's review against another edition
4.0
AHHHHH I LOVED THIS BOOK UNTIL THE LAST CHAPTER
This was an amazing love story that was brought to ruin because of the lack of courage and selfish acts of our main character Nur.
I loved all the characters in the book. Nur is the eldest son of a Pakistani Muslim household, and although I am neither Pakistani nor Muslim, I lowkey understand the pressures he goes through as the eldest son of a South Asian family. He has anxiety due to his habit of overthinking and isn't the best with his words despite graduating with an English major and aspiring to become an author.
Yasmina is the eldest daughter of a Sudanese Muslim household. Her family is pretty chill, but she also has her own issues regarding her younger sister. Yasmina's dialogue throughout the book made me fall in love with her personality (also because as I read the book, the image of what she looked like in my head was absolutely gorgeous).
They met at Nur's ex's party and they hit it off from there. Their love story felt natural and made me smile as I read the book. They were quite literally meant for each other, but Nur basically had a thought in the back of his head that told him it was never meant to be due to the color of their skin. Although I liked Nur's character, I despised him as a person for some of his reckless words and cowardly actions. ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE LAST CHAPTER.
The other side character progressed the story perfectly. One of my favorite aspects of the book was seeing these side-character relationships grow and diminish with Nur; specifically with Rahat and Imran.
This story could have ended with a perfect romantic ending - but it didn't. Maybe that's exactly the type of ending this generation of Muslims, South Asians, etc. need. I just wish Nur did more.
Can't wait for more work by Kasim Ali :D
Overall Score: 4.5/5
This was an amazing love story that was brought to ruin because of the lack of courage and selfish acts of our main character Nur.
I loved all the characters in the book. Nur is the eldest son of a Pakistani Muslim household, and although I am neither Pakistani nor Muslim, I lowkey understand the pressures he goes through as the eldest son of a South Asian family. He has anxiety due to his habit of overthinking and isn't the best with his words despite graduating with an English major and aspiring to become an author.
Yasmina is the eldest daughter of a Sudanese Muslim household. Her family is pretty chill, but she also has her own issues regarding her younger sister. Yasmina's dialogue throughout the book made me fall in love with her personality (also because as I read the book, the image of what she looked like in my head was absolutely gorgeous).
They met at Nur's ex's party and they hit it off from there. Their love story felt natural and made me smile as I read the book. They were quite literally meant for each other, but Nur basically had a thought in the back of his head that told him it was never meant to be due to the color of their skin. Although I liked Nur's character, I despised him as a person for some of his reckless words and cowardly actions. ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE LAST CHAPTER.
The other side character progressed the story perfectly. One of my favorite aspects of the book was seeing these side-character relationships grow and diminish with Nur; specifically with Rahat and Imran.
This story could have ended with a perfect romantic ending - but it didn't. Maybe that's exactly the type of ending this generation of Muslims, South Asians, etc. need. I just wish Nur did more.
Can't wait for more work by Kasim Ali :D
Overall Score: 4.5/5
tlkpharm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
relaxing
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
3.75
bittersweetsun's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
fee_mak's review
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
An interesting plot that was poorly written, in my opinion. I questioned the target audience of this book at times and felt like it was more suited to teenagers than adults.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
3.0
The most interesting part about this was the cast of side characters and exploration of racism outside the Black/white binary. But overall I wasn't in love with it.
fernandame's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book as a giveaway here on Goodreads.
This book is a mixed bag for me. The things that I like is the inclusion of queer people, allows us to enter a little deeper into the lives of Muslim people and their culture, discussion about racism and minorities- specifically people of color.
I so related to Yasmina as I read this book. I married a person with a similar background - he is Hindu and also from a very traditional family. I felt her pain so much and agreed with her conclusion about Nur in the end. I went through very similar things before my marriage and oh did it bring back some not so great memories. I saw a little of my husband in Nur as well. In that sense I feel this book was able to transport me back in time!
My issues with this book has to do with the writing. I feel like the dialogues were off - they didn’t flow and felt unnatural. I know that this book was about Nur, however, I wish I knew a little bit more about the other characters. I would love to know more about Yasmina’s feelings as she was living with Nur - we find out a little more of what is going on in her head in the end but I wish I could have gotten more along the way.
The change in timelines - oh that was so very confusing - when we went to the past it was not linear - we were going back to different years. I did not like that at all..
Having said all of the negative things - I feel that it can be improved and I would read the next book from this author.
This book is a mixed bag for me. The things that I like is the inclusion of queer people, allows us to enter a little deeper into the lives of Muslim people and their culture, discussion about racism and minorities- specifically people of color.
I so related to Yasmina as I read this book. I married a person with a similar background - he is Hindu and also from a very traditional family. I felt her pain so much and agreed with her conclusion about Nur in the end. I went through very similar things before my marriage and oh did it bring back some not so great memories. I saw a little of my husband in Nur as well. In that sense I feel this book was able to transport me back in time!
My issues with this book has to do with the writing. I feel like the dialogues were off - they didn’t flow and felt unnatural. I know that this book was about Nur, however, I wish I knew a little bit more about the other characters. I would love to know more about Yasmina’s feelings as she was living with Nur - we find out a little more of what is going on in her head in the end but I wish I could have gotten more along the way.
The change in timelines - oh that was so very confusing - when we went to the past it was not linear - we were going back to different years. I did not like that at all..
Having said all of the negative things - I feel that it can be improved and I would read the next book from this author.