You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
lattefairies's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Characters:
I was so frustrated with both ishita and hani so much. The sister relationship and the friendship and the families. I only liked hani's mom for a good portion of this book.
The best part was the little hints of how ishita is actually on the inside (if she acted without inhibition) that made the way she treated hani towards the end not feel awkward or out of place.
Relationships:
It didn't make sense that ishu's sister kept contact with her horrible parents but not her sister. The last people I'd want to keep contact with are parents who only give me value based on grades, but I guess the guilt parents always install in us since childhood would prevent that. Im glad it got better half way through, that made me happy.
As for hani's friendship..... it was disgusting I gotta say. I was so frustrated partly because I saw my high-school self in her. But that made me love her Character development the most.
Community:
This book was so diverse. Arab restaurants being mentioned without it being drawn as "exotic" and "its..... different" was exciting. And then everyone wasn't the same ethnicity.
The author did really well showing white privilege and white tears and other micro aggressions woc face in white countries. I know people would say "im reading fiction to escape reality", but I'd rather the young poc would know what to expect from the world and be ready for it than to satisfy privileged queer people from the guilt of their privilege.
Lastly I'm very pleased with the muslim rep. It was so satisfying to see hani hold firm on her beliefs unlike everything else. That's where non-muslim authors fall short, when they think we take our faith as lightly as they do.
In conclusion. Im glad i didn't stop reading because I was frustrated, because the end was SO WORTH IT.
I was so frustrated with both ishita and hani so much. The sister relationship and the friendship and the families. I only liked hani's mom for a good portion of this book.
The best part was the little hints of how ishita is actually on the inside (if she acted without inhibition) that made the way she treated hani towards the end not feel awkward or out of place.
Relationships:
It didn't make sense that ishu's sister kept contact with her horrible parents but not her sister. The last people I'd want to keep contact with are parents who only give me value based on grades, but I guess the guilt parents always install in us since childhood would prevent that. Im glad it got better half way through, that made me happy.
As for hani's friendship..... it was disgusting I gotta say. I was so frustrated partly because I saw my high-school self in her. But that made me love her Character development the most.
Community:
This book was so diverse. Arab restaurants being mentioned without it being drawn as "exotic" and "its..... different" was exciting. And then everyone wasn't the same ethnicity.
The author did really well showing white privilege and white tears and other micro aggressions woc face in white countries. I know people would say "im reading fiction to escape reality", but I'd rather the young poc would know what to expect from the world and be ready for it than to satisfy privileged queer people from the guilt of their privilege.
Lastly I'm very pleased with the muslim rep. It was so satisfying to see hani hold firm on her beliefs unlike everything else. That's where non-muslim authors fall short, when they think we take our faith as lightly as they do.
In conclusion. Im glad i didn't stop reading because I was frustrated, because the end was SO WORTH IT.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
forcedtoland's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Xenophobia
paperbrownies's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
- fake dating, highschool romance, grumpy meets sunshine
- w|w
- rep: indian bengali bi mc, bangladeshi irish bengali-muslim bi mc
idk how to start this review which is why am going to be blunt with you:
i had never read books with bengali people as side characters let alone the mc, this book gave me that!!
the deep understanding of what being bisexual really entails mostly to ourselves and also to our family bc everyday we are making it one step closer to normalize our queerness, to see hani talk about her problems to her father, it gave me such unprecedented joy that i won't be able to fit it in words :)
one's relation with religion, the peace that comes in being connected to your roots while paving your own way at the same time, the sense of loss one associates with leaving their home country but also the faith and joy that goes into finding a home in the new one is so beautifully depicted, adiba jagirdar you are one masterful storyteller!! i am so glad i got to read this book!!
it was everything my queer little bangali heart needed!! :))
now that we can put the formal review aside, can i just say that hani and ishu y'all make my head and heart hurt with both of y'alls strong-headedness and love for each other!! am sitting here laughing out loud at their silly banter, and clutching my heart when they are pining, wanting to hug them when they are hurting, and just being with them throughout the entire time gave me a sense of belonging!! am going to treasure them forever!!!
also let's not talk about about the number of times i craved biriyani the entire time i was reading the book!!!
lastly.....i will finish this essay by saying that adiba writes with her heart on her sleeve!!
thank you for writing a story about us!!
ty for showing us that we can be main characters too!!
- w|w
- rep: indian bengali bi mc, bangladeshi irish bengali-muslim bi mc
idk how to start this review which is why am going to be blunt with you:
i had never read books with bengali people as side characters let alone the mc, this book gave me that!!
the deep understanding of what being bisexual really entails mostly to ourselves and also to our family bc everyday we are making it one step closer to normalize our queerness, to see hani talk about her problems to her father, it gave me such unprecedented joy that i won't be able to fit it in words :)
one's relation with religion, the peace that comes in being connected to your roots while paving your own way at the same time, the sense of loss one associates with leaving their home country but also the faith and joy that goes into finding a home in the new one is so beautifully depicted, adiba jagirdar you are one masterful storyteller!! i am so glad i got to read this book!!
it was everything my queer little bangali heart needed!! :))
now that we can put the formal review aside, can i just say that hani and ishu y'all make my head and heart hurt with both of y'alls strong-headedness and love for each other!! am sitting here laughing out loud at their silly banter, and clutching my heart when they are pining, wanting to hug them when they are hurting, and just being with them throughout the entire time gave me a sense of belonging!! am going to treasure them forever!!!
also let's not talk about about the number of times i craved biriyani the entire time i was reading the book!!!
lastly.....i will finish this essay by saying that adiba writes with her heart on her sleeve!!
thank you for writing a story about us!!
ty for showing us that we can be main characters too!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
More...