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tabby2920's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, Violence, Torture, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content
secre's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The Khan is one of those novels that has a gem of an idea behind it but is generally poorly executed. The idea of a Godfather style Mob Syndicate in Britain could have been an excellent one, but it felt lacking. It's a shame because the writing itself is lyrical and powerful. But the actual execution of the narrative and the building of characters felt disappointing.
Part of this was the lacklustre setting. The way both London and Yorkshire were described was... bland. They could have been virtually any city in any country. I often found myself confused as to where I actually was and - partially due to my lack of reading the blurb - it took me a while to realise that Jai hadn't gone back to Pakistan. I didn't get a sense of local or place at all.
The pacing was also problematic; there's too much back story and exposition for a thriller and is doesn't go anywhere fast. There are long sections dedicated to Jia's relationships with her ex-husband, her family, and to a much lesser degree her old colleagues. There's a lot of repetition and a lot of info dumping; some of it interesting info dumping, but there are better ways to do it.
The action is often seen from afar or even just as an aftermath, when you are in the centre of it then it's over quickly. This isn't helped by the fact that some of it is so unbelievable that you can't suspend your disbelief; come on, if a guy gets run over by one car there are going to be broken bones and internal injuries, but multiple cars over a prolonged period?!
This wasn't helped by the volume of characters and the character switching; you rarely stay on the same aspect long enough to become invested and there were too many characters to keep track of. Whilst some of the characters are well drawn and individualistic, others simply blur into the background and trying to remember how they slotted in when their name came back up chapters later was a problem. The antagonist was a two dimensional cut out who'd have been caught by the law long before the plot could unravel, he isn't even an intelligent criminal.
And there was a distinct lack of character development or progression. There are several sudden character switches, where a character changes direction at the speed of light with little logical progression as to how. I found myself typically peeved by the occasion at the end, which I guess counts as a twist and that's a particular pet peeve of mine; sudden shock twists just strike me as cheap. I saw at least part of it coming, but that was less due to character development and more due to the sinking feeling in my stomach, so the point stands.
At the end of this rant, it's a miracle we're still at a two star rating. And yet we are. Partially because there is real potential here and it's just a pity the execution lets it down. But it's also because I did enjoy the writing style and the exposition about Pashtun culture was often fascinating. It's a pity that a lot of this was done in info dumps, but I was still caught all the same. I can't really recommend it on that basis alone though.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
Part of this was the lacklustre setting. The way both London and Yorkshire were described was... bland. They could have been virtually any city in any country. I often found myself confused as to where I actually was and - partially due to my lack of reading the blurb - it took me a while to realise that Jai hadn't gone back to Pakistan. I didn't get a sense of local or place at all.
The pacing was also problematic; there's too much back story and exposition for a thriller and is doesn't go anywhere fast. There are long sections dedicated to Jia's relationships with her ex-husband, her family, and to a much lesser degree her old colleagues. There's a lot of repetition and a lot of info dumping; some of it interesting info dumping, but there are better ways to do it.
The action is often seen from afar or even just as an aftermath, when you are in the centre of it then it's over quickly. This isn't helped by the fact that some of it is so unbelievable that you can't suspend your disbelief; come on, if a guy gets run over by one car there are going to be broken bones and internal injuries, but multiple cars over a prolonged period?!
This wasn't helped by the volume of characters and the character switching; you rarely stay on the same aspect long enough to become invested and there were too many characters to keep track of. Whilst some of the characters are well drawn and individualistic, others simply blur into the background and trying to remember how they slotted in when their name came back up chapters later was a problem. The antagonist was a two dimensional cut out who'd have been caught by the law long before the plot could unravel, he isn't even an intelligent criminal.
And there was a distinct lack of character development or progression. There are several sudden character switches, where a character changes direction at the speed of light with little logical progression as to how. I found myself typically peeved by the occasion at the end, which I guess counts as a twist and that's a particular pet peeve of mine; sudden shock twists just strike me as cheap. I saw at least part of it coming, but that was less due to character development and more due to the sinking feeling in my stomach, so the point stands.
At the end of this rant, it's a miracle we're still at a two star rating. And yet we are. Partially because there is real potential here and it's just a pity the execution lets it down. But it's also because I did enjoy the writing style and the exposition about Pashtun culture was often fascinating. It's a pity that a lot of this was done in info dumps, but I was still caught all the same. I can't really recommend it on that basis alone though.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Torture, Murder, Violence, and Drug use
Minor: Police brutality
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Khan is a equal parts family drama and a story of organised crime . Think The Godfather but set in the Pakistani community of northern England, and with a female who becomes head of the family business - just when a rival syndicate is moving in to their territory.
Jia Khan is such a complicated, flawed character. Prior to the death of her father she had been a lawyer on track to become a high court judge, estranged from her family and their way of life. She can be ruthless, cold and calculating. She has a fine line to walk, balancing the cultural expectations of Pakistani womanhood with the realities of operating in the criminal underworld, trying to implement new ways of operating to a group very wedded to tradition and the past. Her backstory is fascinating, heartbreaking and includes more than one unexpected twist.
This is a story the clearly highlights the racial and religious discrimination faced by Pakistani migrants which is crucial to understanding the draw of this crime syndicate. It’s easy to highlight the harm done by organised crime but it’s not often the positives are acknowledged or the underlying reasons explored.
A compelling story, albeit one that’s not always easy to read, exploring themes of family, legacy, tradition vs modernity, culture, discrimination, community and honour which is told through a distinctly Pashtun lens.
Jia Khan is such a complicated, flawed character. Prior to the death of her father she had been a lawyer on track to become a high court judge, estranged from her family and their way of life. She can be ruthless, cold and calculating. She has a fine line to walk, balancing the cultural expectations of Pakistani womanhood with the realities of operating in the criminal underworld, trying to implement new ways of operating to a group very wedded to tradition and the past. Her backstory is fascinating, heartbreaking and includes more than one unexpected twist.
This is a story the clearly highlights the racial and religious discrimination faced by Pakistani migrants which is crucial to understanding the draw of this crime syndicate. It’s easy to highlight the harm done by organised crime but it’s not often the positives are acknowledged or the underlying reasons explored.
A compelling story, albeit one that’s not always easy to read, exploring themes of family, legacy, tradition vs modernity, culture, discrimination, community and honour which is told through a distinctly Pashtun lens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Racism
Moderate: Islamophobia
epellicci's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.5
The Khan drew me slowly into a world of drama and tension. Told from multiple perspectives, it follows the struggle for belonging, home and respect felt by a network immigrant families in the UK. The grirty crime syndicate plot runs, at times, parallel with and at times entwined with a much more powerful story of race, family, honour and strength. The books strength is in the quality of its character. I especially adored the main character, Jia, who is masterfully written. She is complicated, multifaceted and a natural leader. Allowed to be flawed but confident, strong, but have fear, anger and grace. What moved me most about The Khan was the way that love was entirely central for every character, in ways even they weren't aware of sometimes. It is beautifully written and utterly gripping.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
Minor: Sexual assault
claudia_bow's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
snapshotsofabookishlass's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Islamophobia, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
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