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anniesher23's review
- 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? It's complicated
2.0
All of this could be okay, but the writing was just really not good. The dialogue felt like watching a bad teen Netflix drama and the prose could get cringey as well.
There were parts of the story/certain relationships that I really loved, but I wanted more from the author even in those parts.
Finally, I didn’t love how men were depicted generally. It’s not my place to criticize how an Arab woman depicts Arab men. It made me a bit uncomfortable that all the Arab men were various levels of shitty people, but I recognize it’s the author’s choice to depict misogyny in her own culture and that’s completely fair. But then why were the white men SO GREAT? Go ahead and write a story where one of the themes is misogyny in your own culture, but why pretend it doesn’t exist in others? It felt very unbalanced and unrealistic.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape
jillaay_h's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
lupro20's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Abortion and Rape
makbrandt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse
clairebartholomew549's review
- 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
5.0
One thing that I find problematic, though - which other reviewers have extrapolated on far more eloquently than I will - was that the white love interests are depicted as "good feminists," while the Arab Muslim love interests are depicted as misogynistic, controlling, abusive, and all around awful men. Obviously everyone has their own experiences, and if that is the author's experience then I don't want to judge that or argue it is wrong. But I do think it's worth interrogating that juxtaposition, and the idea that every Muslim man - or at least most - are sexist and demeaning to their partners and writ large, especially given the raft of Islamophobia in the West and the persistent stereotypes about Muslim men and Muslim relationships. There are certainly many Muslim men who are not domineering and possessive; there are certainly many Muslim women who do not chafe at the societal and family expectations placed upon them (and we all have societal and family expectations thrust upon us, regardless of our religion, ethnicity, or nationality); and there are certainly Muslim families who do not subscribe to the mentality of the families in this book. It's not that I don't think narratives like this are meaningful - they are incredibly meaningful, and I get so much out of them. But there are a lot of books about chafing against Muslim expectations (as there are of chafing against any religion or culture, of course), and I wonder if that's a monolithic experience. Again, I am not Muslim, so I am not at all an authority on this - just wanted to name it.
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexism, Classism, and Domestic abuse
kitwhelan's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Rape
mgyannon's review
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Domestic abuse, and Rape
znvisser's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Abortion
Moderate: Alcohol, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Minor: Islamophobia
ericarobinson's review
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Abortion
wordssearched's review
- 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
This story about the importance of female friendships and the way life can slowly unravel when your chosen family falls apart speaks specifically to the experience of Muslim women, but is also replete with moments of relatability for any woman trying to balance family, love and her own wishes and desires. Lifelong friends Jenna, Malak and Bilquis have a falling out as they begin their post-college life, and it's easy to judge their choices as they pull further away from each other and into life-altering mistakes. And I did, often. I took a while before I finally trusted that the author wasn't just putting these characters through the paces just for the sake of doing so, but somehow she does bring them (and me) back to their humanity. These women, like all women, go through some things. This isn't exactly a light read, but there is the light that only a friend who knows you inside and out can provide.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape