Reviews

Really colorful descriptions that pull you into the world with the characters. I got sucked into the story in no time, but felt a little disappointed with the ending.

bookishonereads's review against another edition

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4.0

Dramatic irony at its best. The story is told by a child narrator who brings a certain levity to the book while treating the tragic (and, tragically, real) subject with the utmost respect. Throughout the compelling narrative are semantic gems that made me love the book even more. "I'm cold and my teeth are talking among themselves." "The shops are so boring even flies haven't bothered to visit." "Didi is the ruiner of my happiness." Can't wait for more from this author!

notesonbookmarks's review against another edition

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3.75

I didn't actually know what to expect with this one, but I loved the child protagonists solving this mystery, and it got way darker than I anticipated!

cartogram's review against another edition

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dark sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

bookph1le's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

There's a lot I admired about this book. It has such a strong sense of place that I felt like I was walking alongside Jai, smelling what he smelled and seeing what he saw. I also thought the characterizations were phenomenal, particularly when it came to Jai, Faiz, and Pari. This book also incorporates a lot of meaty issues in an organic way, such as the rising Hindu nationalism sweeping India and how it's leading to hate crimes against Muslims, the problems with child snatching and trafficking, the enormous disparity between the haves and have-nots, and gender issues. This is one of those books you'll chew over long after you've finished it.

However, what held me back from giving it a higher rating was a pace that felt too sluggish for me at times. There were diversions that felt unnecessary, pulling me from the main arc and leaving me impatient to get back to it. Had this book been trimmed down a bit, it would have had more impact on me.

dawnjohnson's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-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

anneessdee's review against another edition

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sad

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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