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mesy_mark's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Sy and Farouk broke up when Farouk was off somewhere in the world while Sy is in America. Then he meets Reggie who offers him three wishes and it is his chance to get his love back.
This is a fast-paced book. Ubfortuebtly I think the pacing was too fast as it only allowed surface-level stuff of some very traumatic shit just to occur and then be moved on with like it was a change of the channel. We're talking abuse and riots. But I was able to lose myself in the book as it was interesting to see what next big thing would happen next. Reggie, a problem drinker, with connections everywhere, is our Jinn for this book takes on a mathyology approach having some chapters telling the story of the Jinn.
I can see where this book isn't for everyone where the traumatic situations are way too glossed over and believe me they are, but I was looking for a book to just have fun in. And while this book is more of going from event to event without any depth for this time point of my listening to it it was what I needed.
This is a fast-paced book. Ubfortuebtly I think the pacing was too fast as it only allowed surface-level stuff of some very traumatic shit just to occur and then be moved on with like it was a change of the channel. We're talking abuse and riots. But I was able to lose myself in the book as it was interesting to see what next big thing would happen next. Reggie, a problem drinker, with connections everywhere, is our Jinn for this book takes on a mathyology approach having some chapters telling the story of the Jinn.
I can see where this book isn't for everyone where the traumatic situations are way too glossed over and believe me they are, but I was looking for a book to just have fun in. And while this book is more of going from event to event without any depth for this time point of my listening to it it was what I needed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Miscarriage
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Police brutality, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Domestic abuse
ladygetslit's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.75
My biggest struggle with this book: trying to figure out what tone we were in at various points. On the one hand, this is a story about a 17-year-old who finds a cross between a benevolent rich girl and a straight up genie. On the other hand, it’s a story about a gay kid getting kicked out of his house and going off to find his ex and apologize for letting him go in the first place. I appreciate both aspects of the story, but sometimes the emotional shifts left me feeling whiplashed.
Teacher Notes: more appropriate for high school due to the near-constant reference to alcohol. Seriously, why is Reggie’s alcoholism her entire personality? 😑
Teacher Notes: more appropriate for high school due to the near-constant reference to alcohol. Seriously, why is Reggie’s alcoholism her entire personality? 😑
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Islamophobia, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
alexture's review against another edition
An ending that shows character growth is better if the story also has character growth. This book was a complete disappointment for me, unfortunately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, and Alcohol
booksgamesvinyl's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- 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
content warning: child abuse, islamophobia, homophobia, racism, alcoholism, mentions of character death, mentions of bigamy, bullying, mentions of surgery, stillbirth, emotional abuse
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 MCmeets a stranger at his place of work who knows an alarming amount of information about his life, is given $1m by said stranger, is beaten and made homeless, travels to multiple countries, gets caught up in a riot, gets caught up in an air raid, then gets in a car crash. All in the search of his ex boyfriend who isn't even in his life but who he can't stop thinking about. Lowkey, there was stalking from multiple parties in this book - Reggie, who knew who Sy was and all about Farouk (and we're never given a reason for why she knows so much about him when they've never met) and Sy, who goes to every place that has been posted on his ex's Instagram to find him and basically harasses anyone who's had contact with him in order to track him down. Does Farouk even want to be found? Well that doesn't even crosses Sy's mind. Everything leading up to the ending just seems awfully convenient. The fact that out of thousands/millions of people, Sy finds the exact people he needs in order to gain information on Farouk just isn't believable, but I guess that's the magic realism element? And saying that Farouk is dead but oh wait, no he isn't, was just plain ridiculous. There are also multiple factual inaccuracies in the book but that's a minor problem considering everything else.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
delz's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
5.0
This story is so well written and paced, with well developed, lovable characters. This is three stories tied together by Reggie, Sy’s benefactor who is sarcastic;inebriated all the time and truly has a heart of gold. The story begins with Sy who is moping over his ex, Farouk, while working his barista job, when a girl slams into the front window of the store. No one goes to help her so Sy takes the initiative, the girl is Reggie and she’s so appreciative she gives him three wishes. He thinks it’s a joke and immediately wishes for a million $’s, but low and behold a million dollars appears in his account. We then meet the family Sy loves, his mom and his sister and then there’s Baba, a sour, misogynistic, homophobe who has no issue beating his son. Woven throughout the story there’s a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice. There’s adventure while Sy claims his wishes and a touch of magical realism. Loophole is an endearing story everyone will fall in love with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Child abuse, Infidelity, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Medical trauma and Miscarriage
tahsintries's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Islamophobia
noyastan's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Moderate: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Outing
Minor: Car accident
berodatheelf's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Islamophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Racism
ribs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
the loophole takes on a coming of age narrative about a 17 year-old sayyed “sy” nizam who, after being accidentally outed as gay and got kicked out of a conventionally toxic asian household, traveled the world to find his missing ex-boyfriend (farouk) with nothing but an alcoholic djinn, reggie, as his company.
the groundbreaker of this book, aside from its modern-day aladdin plot, is the orpheus and eurydice parallels that kept going back and forth between reggie’s backstory and sy’s enthralling journey.
it was a fun ride reading this because i liked naz kutub’s storytelling but it’s too fast-paced for my liking; the characters, especially reggie, had inconsistencies—it was very hard to put my finger on her because her attitude kept going on opposites in every chapter. the chapters are short and even though the direction of where the story is going is well-paced, the destination is stale compared to the build up.
this book passably discussed the struggles felt by muslims and brown people. i did not like the fact that this book made it seem like its main brown character couldn’t care less about those struggles just because he had been sheltered by his parents from the conflicts his own people experience—not to mention, he had visible experiences of said struggles. there’s a scene, however, where he briefly acknowledged his privilege, but it was brushed off and the story focused on finding farouk again.
i felt like the ending bit was rushed and it could have been more detailed. i felt that this book had a shortage of putting enough details in a scene, which made them lack solidity and felt hollowed out when read.
overall, i did like the premise of this book. it was fine for a debut but the progression could’ve been better.
the groundbreaker of this book, aside from its modern-day aladdin plot, is the orpheus and eurydice parallels that kept going back and forth between reggie’s backstory and sy’s enthralling journey.
it was a fun ride reading this because i liked naz kutub’s storytelling but it’s too fast-paced for my liking; the characters, especially reggie, had inconsistencies—it was very hard to put my finger on her because her attitude kept going on opposites in every chapter. the chapters are short and even though the direction of where the story is going is well-paced, the destination is stale compared to the build up.
this book passably discussed the struggles felt by muslims and brown people. i did not like the fact that this book made it seem like its main brown character couldn’t care less about those struggles just because he had been sheltered by his parents from the conflicts his own people experience—not to mention, he had visible experiences of said struggles. there’s a scene, however, where he briefly acknowledged his privilege, but it was brushed off and the story focused on finding farouk again.
i felt like the ending bit was rushed and it could have been more detailed. i felt that this book had a shortage of putting enough details in a scene, which made them lack solidity and felt hollowed out when read.
overall, i did like the premise of this book. it was fine for a debut but the progression could’ve been better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Homophobia
Moderate: Outing
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Racism and Outing