Reviews

i feel like this wanted to be more profound/smarter than it was?

i did really appreciate some of the plot lines (the arranged marriage, the disappearance), but there was so much happening in such a short book that i didn’t feel like the emotional fallout of any of the major incidents was ever really explored in depth. i didn’t mind the 2nd person pov but i wonder if it also diminished the emotional impact?

i never felt super connected to or invested in the characters. they felt kind of flat & their relationships didn’t make a ton of sense to me — especially the star-crossed long lost lovers arc, it felt forced & i didn’t really feel any of their chemistry or connection. there were some interesting things to explore in most of the characters (traditional gender roles, different immigrant family dynamics, grief/loss, views on marriage), but that would definitely need to happen off the page. maybe this would be better as a book club book to really read between the lines/pick apart?

my overall feelings are mixed, leaning ever so slightly towards positive because of the interesting themes. it was really giving tumblr john green a là paper towns & looking for alaska, but didn’t seem to reach its full potential

jennicourn's review

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

weirdmoth's review

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emotional hopeful sad medium-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

3.5

livingprose's review

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

anne_abundantcolors's review

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3.0

3.5 stars

readswithnatalieb's review

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4.0

Who knew a small little book could pack quite the punch. The themes were heavy with a young voice given the fact the first part of the novel occurs while the main characters are teenagers. The scenes were intense yet blended different cultures seamlessly.

It felt like a book where I was trying to get through mud, feeling as if I’m moving slow, only to look back and see all the steps I’ve taken. It felt parallel to our MC, Heera, whose future is dictated based on the tragedies she experienced as a teenager. Just when she feels like she’s stuck, she blinks and years have gone by.

It’s coming of age yet finding and finding your voice to create a different path than what’s expected of you.

Big thank you to Mariner Books for the gifted copy.

Content warnings: miscarriage, misogyny, death, chronic illness, infidelity, mass/school shootings, alcoholism

lklitup's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

I LOVED this book. The lyrical prose absolutely held my attention from the very start to the beautiful, heartrending end. Oof. I do wish there was more development of Marco/Crash’s “in between,” so there was a stronger sense of resolution at the end.

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