Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Written in the Stars

I do not know where to begin while describing this book. What an emotional rollercoaster. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and painted a vivid picture of the horrors of some arranged marriages. It really opened my eyes to an issue I would never have thought is still around in today's world. A beautifully written book that I would recommend to everyone.

Content Warnings

sammymilfort's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book is horrifying and focuses on such a prevalent issue happening all around the world.

This book follows a high school senior named Nalia who is from a conservative Pakistani family. Her family allows her choice in everything except who she marries, as that is seen as a form of respect from child to parent. One problem is she is deeply in love with her secret boyfriend, Saif.

This book truly showcased the detrimental effect of abuse and family generational upbringing. Nalia’s parents while I understood their thoughts and why they retained their beliefs- they ultimately destroyed their daughter and any semblance of remorse in the process. What Nalia endured was horrific and no one deserves to go through any of what she went through but sadly, so many survivors and people are in forced marriages every day.

Saeed’s writing style was simplistic but truly engaging showing the vulnerability and suspense of the situation. I truly felt like I was right beside Nadia and wondered and truly doubted if she would ever return home and make it out alive

I am glad I read this book and for anyone thinking of reading this I strongly encourage you do if you are in the right headspace and feel like you can handle some of the heavy topics.

TW: Forced Marriage, Emotional/Physical Abuse, Rape, Drugged, Forced Abduction, Mention of Miscarriage, Brutal Attack and imprisonment,

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lizardinhat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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maryamthehobbit's review against another edition

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emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

What a wonderful book. This was not the book that I was expecting when I picked it up, or even after the first few chapters, and I’m so glad that I read it. It deals with very dark but very real situations. I would recommend anyone to read it.

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aristosaep's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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dlrosebyh's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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watermelonsugar's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Although the book is challenging and eye-opening in exposing traditional culture practices and immigrant family dynamics, it’s lackluster in it’s descriptive language at times. A large part of the book is focused on building the tension that the reader can suspect from the beginning will reveal in the main character’s consequence of disobedience. The ending is very much hopeful and unexpected in what you could expect from a mirror story in real life. Overall, this could be a safe book for people who have been victims for SA and domestic abuse or someone who may share same pressures of non-Western cultural beliefs.

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nonbinarylibrarianwitch's review against another edition

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emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book was heart-wrenching and at times, hard to read. As it should be! If you read this book and are not horrified and angry, then I don’t want to know you.

Naila grows up in Florida and is a typical American teenager. She goes to school, makes straight A’s, is planning on going to university in the fall, and plans to be a doctor. Yet, her conservative immigrant parents will choose her husband. Following their cultural tradition, they will plan an arranged marriage for her, and until then dating, and even friendships with boys, is forbidden.

Naila breaks the rule by falling in love with Saif, who is also Pakistani and Muslim. But his family was shunned from the rest of the community when Saif’s older sister married a white man and her parents didn’t mind. Naila is caught out when her and her best friend plan for her to sneak out to go to prom. Her parents decide that all of this was their fault as they didn’t teach her enough about their culture. They decide to plan a trip to Pakistan to visit relatives and explore their roots. What Naila doesn’t know is that her parents are planning for her arranged marriage and soon Naila’s life is a nightmare she cannot escape.

I seriously read this book in about 3-4 hours one night due to it being a short book but also needing, desperately needing, to know what happens to Naila.

At first, Naila and her family’s trip to Pakistan seems fine. They are all enjoying the time with family and discovering her family’s culture. Yet, she is meeting with suitors and she doesn’t realize it. Also, everyone in the family is aware of what is going on except for Naila. Her family’s trip back home keeps getting pushed back making Naila worry for her future. Finally, Naila’s cousin tells Naila what is going on and they come up with a plan for Naila to escape. Yet, Naila’s uncle discovers her and she is sent back home. Not only is she locked into her room but the family actually drugs her to keep her complacent. This was one of the worst parts to read, and almost made me physically sick. They keep Naila this way until the day of her wedding.

She is then left completely alone in a country she doesn’t really know and in a marriage she doesn’t want. Thankfully, the man she married is pretty decent, as he doesn’t touch her nor force her to do anything. Her in-laws are not as kind to her as her husband, but she decides to give this the best chance she can, as this is her life now (also her mother-in-law basically tells her that if she does get out of this marriage her uncle will probably kill her and honor killings in this situation are perfectly legal).

But, one day Naila sees Saif at the market, and him and his dad are here to bring Naila home. They do end up bringing Naila home, and once she does, her and Saif’s relationship is a bit rocky again but they do end up together. Saif’s parents also become Naila’s “adoptive parents” and in the epilogue we do see that Naila’s parents are coming over for dinner for the first time since this whole experience.

Again, this book was heart-wrenching and horrific to read, but also so, so important. The reason that I didn’t give this a full five-stars was just due to the epilogue chapter where everything seemed too nicely wrapped up. Aisha Saeed gives a beautiful and needed book that more people need to read!

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