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rachel_j's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Homophobia
ladygetslit's review
- 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
3.75
Teacher Notes: more appropriate for high school due to the near-constant reference to alcohol. Seriously, why is Reggie’s alcoholism her entire personality? 😑
Graphic: Physical abuse, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Islamophobia, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
cboddie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse and Homophobia
booksgamesvinyl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Have I read a completely different book than everyone else?
Genuinely, I can't think of a single thing about this book that was good. It's poorly written, the plot is unbelievable nonsense, the characters don't speak or act like people do in real life, and it feels as though the author has tried to make the book fast-paced, but by doing so has not allowed the characters to react to some of the heavy issues that they have to deal with.
This book is full of racism, islamophobia and homophobia. The MC (Sy) is subjected to violent abuse by his father (and this is on page) and has been so for years. After being subjected to a horrible beating and then being made homeless, Sy then travels to London and is detained during airport security, subjected to questioning and is about to be subjected to a strip search. He's 17. Seriously wtf. It basically seems to be blamed on Brexit and because of the colour of his skin but there's a brief conversation once he's released and then it's completely glossed over and never brought up again. He goes through so much trauma in this book that he just doesn't seem to process or even given the chance to address what has happened to him. Almost everyone except Sy's best friend (who's barely in the book) is homophobic, and Sy himself is a gay stereotype which honestly just felt a little bit sad.
Sy also goes to a bathhouse for a naked massage provided by another teen which is just very sketchy in multiple ways.
Plot wise, the entire book takes place over about a week. In this time, the MC
The romance as well just didn't feel convincing to me. We're given insight into this through flashbacks that show random moments in their relationship but it didn't give enough context as to why Sy was willing to go across the world to find Farouk. I didn't see the chemistry between them and didn't believe in their love. The conflict between them as well didn't make sense to me either.
I was just left wondering why this was even written in the first place. I don't know what the message or the purpose of the story was because it ends pretty abruptly and we don't really spend time with Sy after he's done what he thinks he needs to do (or at all throughout the book). I can't believe I'm saying this but it felt too plot heavy and there wasn't any room on the page for the characters to grow or be heard, it just felt like a sequence of events that they went through.
There is the potential for a decent book here but some major tweaks would have been needed for that book to actually be the one that was written.
And sorry, but a white(?) woman calling a gay Indian teen 'little curry puff' just really does not sit right with me.
Graphic: Racism, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Hate crime, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Islamophobia, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, Violence, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking
Minor: Death and Sexual content
13anna17's review
- 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
Graphic: Homophobia and Physical abuse
baylan's review
- 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? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry
tahsintries's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Islamophobia
bookwormbullet's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism and Islamophobia
berodatheelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Islamophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Racism
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Racism and Outing