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vkjarrett's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.0
It was a really thought provoking perspective of how immigrants must feel when they come to white Australia.I have mixed feelings about the ending and would have liked to see more of a resolution but I also appreciate the open ending it gave
I would have liked to see Ayat open up more to Harry. I almost need a part two!
I would have liked to see Ayat open up more to Harry. I almost need a part two!
lynsket's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
booksthroughmyveins's review
sad
tense
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? Yes
- thanks to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy of this book
In Once a Stranger, debut author Zoya Patel explores the lives of an Indian Muslim family that immigrates to Australia searching for a better life. Here, Patel explores intergenerational trauma, death, tragedy, loss, and the life-changing intricacies of the immigrant experience, mainly through her characters and the consequences of their choices.
Unfortunately, I could not connect with this story and its characters as I would have liked to. I understand entirely what Patel tried to do here, but I believe the identifiable intentions did not translate to execution.
Although the pace is stable and the plot is easy to follow, the characterisation —the greatest asset of a novel like this one— was underdeveloped. Sisters Ayat and Laila felt two-dimensional and stereotypical: the rebel and the good girl. There is nothing new about this trope, yet novelty is not the problem: the absence of nuance that trumps the characters' potential is.
In general, the dialogues felt disingenuous and forced, which only contributed to the overall lack of depth. It is hard to believe in the humanity of made-up humans when their interactions with others feel structured and stilted. There were pivotal moments in the novel —like when Ayat speaks with Laila for the first time in six years, both over the phone and in person— that were reduced to a few mere pages with functional dialogue that were not enough to convey the impact and importance of those moments. Something similar also happens when Ayat is reunited with her mother, Khadija, reiterating the incredible missed opportunity to add layers of meaning to the story.
I also struggled a lot with the overuse of similes and metaphors. This creative choice is personal and inherent to the author's writing. Still, too many similes and metaphors become distracting and interrupt the natural flow of the narrative.
Overall, Once a Stranger was not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I will most definitely read whatever Patel writes next. Debuts are usually just the beginning of the road.
In Once a Stranger, debut author Zoya Patel explores the lives of an Indian Muslim family that immigrates to Australia searching for a better life. Here, Patel explores intergenerational trauma, death, tragedy, loss, and the life-changing intricacies of the immigrant experience, mainly through her characters and the consequences of their choices.
Unfortunately, I could not connect with this story and its characters as I would have liked to. I understand entirely what Patel tried to do here, but I believe the identifiable intentions did not translate to execution.
Although the pace is stable and the plot is easy to follow, the characterisation —the greatest asset of a novel like this one— was underdeveloped. Sisters Ayat and Laila felt two-dimensional and stereotypical: the rebel and the good girl. There is nothing new about this trope, yet novelty is not the problem: the absence of nuance that trumps the characters' potential is.
In general, the dialogues felt disingenuous and forced, which only contributed to the overall lack of depth. It is hard to believe in the humanity of made-up humans when their interactions with others feel structured and stilted. There were pivotal moments in the novel —like when Ayat speaks with Laila for the first time in six years, both over the phone and in person— that were reduced to a few mere pages with functional dialogue that were not enough to convey the impact and importance of those moments. Something similar also happens when Ayat is reunited with her mother, Khadija, reiterating the incredible missed opportunity to add layers of meaning to the story.
I also struggled a lot with the overuse of similes and metaphors. This creative choice is personal and inherent to the author's writing. Still, too many similes and metaphors become distracting and interrupt the natural flow of the narrative.
Overall, Once a Stranger was not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I will most definitely read whatever Patel writes next. Debuts are usually just the beginning of the road.
nina_reads_books's review
2.0
Zoya Patel is a local Canberra based journalist and writer and I was so keen to read her first novel Once a Stranger.
This is a book about an Indian family and their Muslim traditions and the grief of watching a family member slowly dying. The key character is Ayat who has been estranged from her mother Khadija and sister Laila for six years after she baulked at the prospect of an arranged marriage. Instead she meets and falls in love with Harry a white Catholic and her mother gives her an ultimatum. Ayat chooses Harry and leaves Canberra for Melbourne. When her mother becomes gravely ill Laila reaches out and Ayat finds herself back in Canberra tentatively trying to restore her family relationships.
I really, really wanted to love this book but sadly I did not. While the storyline showed lots of promise it was the writing that let the experience down. It was very obviously a debut that to me was not well edited. The writing felt immature. There was too much repetitive language and so many similies! The author also committed the cardinal sin (in my eyes) of using the phrase “a breath she wasn't aware she was holding”. Unfortunately this book was just not for me.
Thank you @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
This is a book about an Indian family and their Muslim traditions and the grief of watching a family member slowly dying. The key character is Ayat who has been estranged from her mother Khadija and sister Laila for six years after she baulked at the prospect of an arranged marriage. Instead she meets and falls in love with Harry a white Catholic and her mother gives her an ultimatum. Ayat chooses Harry and leaves Canberra for Melbourne. When her mother becomes gravely ill Laila reaches out and Ayat finds herself back in Canberra tentatively trying to restore her family relationships.
I really, really wanted to love this book but sadly I did not. While the storyline showed lots of promise it was the writing that let the experience down. It was very obviously a debut that to me was not well edited. The writing felt immature. There was too much repetitive language and so many similies! The author also committed the cardinal sin (in my eyes) of using the phrase “a breath she wasn't aware she was holding”. Unfortunately this book was just not for me.
Thank you @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
rookjupiter's review
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.0
kahlia_rose's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
lauziereads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
4.0
hannahmayreads's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Patel is brilliant at building up the tension of loving someone who is lost to you, especially as she is able to do this from both sides without making the reader feel either is necessarily wrong. It's almost perfectly balanced. But the ending, or lack thereof, felt like a cop-out and it tainted the whole book for me. It's ok to have an ambiguous ending. It doesn't need to be neat and tidy, but an epilogue wouldn't have done a disservice to the book's purpose. If an author decides against a happy or convenient ending, they should be prepared to take their characters to difficult places. Not having her characters face the aftermath of their trip was a lost opportunity. The exploration of the complex tension in the family and all the meaning and feeling that has built up has been lost to ambiguity. I really wished she'd gone there. I can't let it go, which is unfortunate because it was an otherwise enjoyable and interesting read.
ashlo26's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Well written, factual and without emotion yet drawing strong emotions from me as I read. A wonderful insight into a migrant family.