Reviews

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

cathurynn's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

aqsaa_adil's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

kircarl's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad

4.0

vanessamarie19's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

erin_marie_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

An absolutely lovely book about the powerful meaning of books and their ability to bring people together. Highly recommend ❤️

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

marieeveduchesne's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

J'ai pleuré pour ses personnages auxquels on s'attache dès les premiers chapitres.

weasel8109's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.25

emsuiko's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense

3.5

twellz's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The Reading List is set in present-day Wembley, London. The main characters are: Mukesh Patel (a 70ish retired widower) & Aleisha (a 17-year-old library clerk). They meet at the Harrow Road Library. Mukesh is mourning the death of wife, Naina, who was an avid reader. He wants to reconnect with his granddaughter (also an avid reader) so he picks up The Time Traveler’s Wife, the last book his wife checked out from the library before her death. The librarian, Aleisha is not a reader & spends most of her time caring for her chronically depressed mother. She doesn’t yet understand what a privilege it is to work at the Harrow Road Library.

I loved both Mukesh and Aleisha, and the side characters you meet throughout. They each had something really difficult in their lives to overcome, so to escape from the reality of life, they embark on a “Reading List” found tucked into a library book. You’ll hear snippets & see parallels from the books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Beloved and A Suitable Boy. The way the author depicts grief was really well done & reminded me of my Dad who is still coping with the loss of his wife, Denise. You can watch Mukesh & Aleisha grow & learn to adapt to their new worlds.

The Reading List reaffirms the power of books & libraries and the beauty of genuine friendship. For me, it explains perfectly why I love to read & don’t watch much TV. Side note: it does help if you have read the book list that they parallel.

francesusifo's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

dnf 14%. just wasn’t for me