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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
ishu being super intense and wanting to be a doctor reminded me a lot of people at my school
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Islamophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
This is everything I enjoy in a YA romance. Given I've been struggling to find much joy with the genre recently (be it due to the repeated themes/characterisation, first person narrative, etc) this was exactly what I needed to remind me of how fun and heartwarming that teen love can be at its peak.
My favourite thing about Jaigirdar is her ability to represent her interlocking cultures so naturally. Nothing is over-explained, nothing is heavily stereotypical, and things are criticised without being patronising. Islamic beliefs and prayer are sprinkled throughout as easily and realistically as snippets of Irish language and everyday, intrinsically-Irish things like the Leaving Cert and Luas. It's representation that is unmissable without being overwhelming, with that duality of the heartwarming sensation of seeing yourself depicted in the small details for the first time, and the familiar universal aspects that come with coming-of-age storytelling.
As for the story itself, it's a wonderful slowburn, friends-to-lovers queer story that had me smiling ear-to-ear and my heart aching in frustration in turns. It utilises the fake-dating trope with all its familiar plot points('I dropped your name when I was put on the spot, now please help'; 'I turned you down because we're ✨enemies✨ but now it might benefit me, let's do it'; 'hey, maybe you're not that bad, and I might actually like you'; 'I like you more than anyone else and that's awful, oh no, this wasn't supposed to happen'; 'wait, we like each other-but now outside forces are in the way :/'; *claw and climb to happily ever after, with a romantic gesture for good measure*) , while its characters make the story feel unique and refreshing.
Hani and Ishu are both lovable characters. They are not without their faults, and this makes them all the easier to appreciate. Together, their dynamic is humorous and sweet in turns. Their other relationships—with family and friends—are each developed and weighted with attention and care. There's a diverse cast of side characters, some of which are equally as lovable and some I loved to hate.
The only qualm I had was there wasn't much space for friendship(bar Hani's realisation that the friends she does have are rather unfriendly and Ishu's growing relationship with her sister) , leaving the slightly uncomfortable feeling that it'll become problematic with only each other to spend time with, confide in, or rely on, but even this seems rectified in the end with the late introduction of another character. In general, the ending is relatively open while being satisfyingly happy and hopeful, and I found myself feeling content and glad to have returned to one of Jaigirdar's worlds.
My favourite thing about Jaigirdar is her ability to represent her interlocking cultures so naturally. Nothing is over-explained, nothing is heavily stereotypical, and things are criticised without being patronising. Islamic beliefs and prayer are sprinkled throughout as easily and realistically as snippets of Irish language and everyday, intrinsically-Irish things like the Leaving Cert and Luas. It's representation that is unmissable without being overwhelming, with that duality of the heartwarming sensation of seeing yourself depicted in the small details for the first time, and the familiar universal aspects that come with coming-of-age storytelling.
As for the story itself, it's a wonderful slowburn, friends-to-lovers queer story that had me smiling ear-to-ear and my heart aching in frustration in turns. It utilises the fake-dating trope with all its familiar plot points
Hani and Ishu are both lovable characters. They are not without their faults, and this makes them all the easier to appreciate. Together, their dynamic is humorous and sweet in turns. Their other relationships—with family and friends—are each developed and weighted with attention and care. There's a diverse cast of side characters, some of which are equally as lovable and some I loved to hate.
The only qualm I had was there wasn't much space for friendship
TL;DR: Two young women fight expectations from people very close to them. They figure out they are awesome!
A young adult book about being true to yourself and friendships, new and old. The main characters in this book are both queer, Bengalis girls, one of who actively practices her Muslim faith, living in Ireland. It is a manifesto for loving yourself - and being yourself - even if it is not the social “norm.” There are a lot of heavy topics like racism, homophobia, and familial rejection that I think are covered well without being too heavy. I loved the “fake dating” story line and the relationship between Hani and Ishu, and I enjoyed learning about cultures I was not familiar with. However, the miscommunication trope was heavily used throughout and it was a little frustrating at times.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved every thing about this book! Jaigirdar was amazing at evoking emotion through her words and creating characters that are easily relatable. I've been wanting to read this for so long and I wasn't disappointed. I will definitely be picking up more of Adiba's works soon.
ya know what? 5 stars. this book fits perfectly into the niche it’s going for. it has realistic feelings and reactions and troubles. i can’t speak for the specific cultural pressures the characters went through, but as far as i could tell, they seemed really realistic too. i could actually feel my heart breaking for the people who unfortunately go through these consequences of being first generation citizens. the idea of your parents abandoning you because you don’t meet the hopes they had for you (hopes that definitely started as love) is just so saddening :(
anyway, i think this is definitely a book worth reading. it’s a overdone trope that is pulled off very well :)
anyway, i think this is definitely a book worth reading. it’s a overdone trope that is pulled off very well :)
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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