Reviews

The Return of Faraz Ali by Aamina Ahmad

calliesalaymeh's review

informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

veka's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.75

I loved this book. The author’s descriptions of Lahore and the Mohalla were so beautifully written, I could imagine it myself. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

brianreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, War, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Abortion, Colonisation, and Adult/minor relationship

ruby_99's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

parimelanie's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

anishak4's review

4.0

I really enjoyed the storytelling and didn’t want it to end! I wished some of the characters were a little more developed - I felt like I got snippets of many but would have loved more.

jeweliette's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Couldn’t put it down I learned alot about Lahore and historical/culture of the time period 

vindaloo's review

5.0

Beautifully written and compelling. This novel is a glimpse into a world very few of us have ever seen. The characters are well-rounded and flawed, and despite their very realistic flaws they garner the reader’s empathy. This novel was hard to put down! This was a gripping window into other lives in other worlds, and reading it was a wholly worthwhile experience. I look forward to what the author brings us in the future!

njw13's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

girlglitch's review

4.0

The Return of Faraz Ali is an impressive historical debut, set in post-partition Pakistan.

It's more of a family epic than a mystery, which threw me a little at first, but I was soon swept up by the complex characters and rich historical detail. While it's a very personal story of Faraz's journey, Ahmad also manages to take wider political landscape of this turbulent era as the characters, trapped by their different circumstances, fight to survive.

It's a smart and sometimes heavy-going novel: one I would describe as a rewarding rather than enjoyable read.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*