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himasha90's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
simsbooks's review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
suebarsby's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this. It is revealing and galling and funny and sad. Essentially The One Who Wrote Destiny shows us the messes we make for each other - in the broadest terms, as a result of colonialism, of ignorance, of assimilating, and in the smallest, among our families - and how we all seem to be tied into something hectic that’s greater than any of us. It’s about family and about the many different ways we find to oppress each other, especially through race.
The parts of the book about assimilation, about racial attacks or casual comments, are thought provoking and hard hitting - this is the reality. It doesn’t offer answers, it embraces confusion and is better for it. It opens up a whole dimension to look at this country, riven by division as we are, by exploring how others have to face down constant aggression and oppression and how set we all are in not challenging this.
Where I felt the novel could have been better was in this thread around destiny - which came across as confusing and in need of clarity. It was perhaps buried beneath all the wandering thoughts of the four main narrators. But this is a minor quibble.
It’s a shouting statement that is apt for our times, and deserves to be widely read and discussed.
The parts of the book about assimilation, about racial attacks or casual comments, are thought provoking and hard hitting - this is the reality. It doesn’t offer answers, it embraces confusion and is better for it. It opens up a whole dimension to look at this country, riven by division as we are, by exploring how others have to face down constant aggression and oppression and how set we all are in not challenging this.
Where I felt the novel could have been better was in this thread around destiny - which came across as confusing and in need of clarity. It was perhaps buried beneath all the wandering thoughts of the four main narrators. But this is a minor quibble.
It’s a shouting statement that is apt for our times, and deserves to be widely read and discussed.
aagyaprdhn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
wanted to like this so badly + it sounded amazing from the blurb but couldn’t get behind the main character at all - has very weird plot points too
anna_s1's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.25
heathssm's review
challenging
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
4.5
technomage's review against another edition
3.0
I heard about this author through the backlisted podcast and this was the only ebook by him that I could get out of the library. I new nothing about it so when I started reading I thought it would be the usual love story/journey type tale. Its not that really; yes its a tale of love but its also about loss, memory, hurt, saying goodbye, giving up the past but holding on. Its a tale of how the only thing we control in our lives is the moment we are in now and the past is past and the future if it is written is unknown to us.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
The One Who Wrote Destiny is an engrossing family saga. Told from the viewpoint of four members of the same family, it covers some big themes: immigration, racism, loss, grief and destiny.
The first section is about Mukesh. He comes to North Yorkshire in the late seventies where he meets Nisha, and against a backdrop of racial tension and violence they fall in love. They have two children, Neha & Rakesh, and the next two sections are about them. Neha has inherited her mother's genetic disease, but before she dies she has a plan to cheat destiny. Raks is a professional comedian who doesn't want to make his act about race, but following his sister's death finds himself thinking about family, culture and heritage.
The final section is about Nisha's mother who returned to Kenya following her husband's death, and the time she spent looking after the twins when their mother first died.
It's an entertaining and interesting read with some strong characters - especially the women. And by humanising some meaty topics it gives the reader plenty of food for thought.
The first section is about Mukesh. He comes to North Yorkshire in the late seventies where he meets Nisha, and against a backdrop of racial tension and violence they fall in love. They have two children, Neha & Rakesh, and the next two sections are about them. Neha has inherited her mother's genetic disease, but before she dies she has a plan to cheat destiny. Raks is a professional comedian who doesn't want to make his act about race, but following his sister's death finds himself thinking about family, culture and heritage.
The final section is about Nisha's mother who returned to Kenya following her husband's death, and the time she spent looking after the twins when their mother first died.
It's an entertaining and interesting read with some strong characters - especially the women. And by humanising some meaty topics it gives the reader plenty of food for thought.