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jb4nay's review against another edition
5.0
Man, this book made me feel a lot of things. As someone whose parents have done irreparable harm to my own life, a lot of Rukhsana’s anger resonated with me. I enjoyed Khan not pandering to a non-SE Asian audience by explaining every Bengali term or cultural thing. The arc of the story was very satisfying by the end and gave me a lot to think about. I’ll definitely be picking up my own copy when I can!
littlemissvi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
cocopurplebooks's review against another edition
3.0
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. A part of me enjoyed it but another part found it kinda meh. Like I love the theme of the book and Rukhsana's pov was beautifully written but her parents were so terrible. I know parents like that exist in real life but it was so uncomfortable and heartbreaking to read about the pain that they caused Rukhsana throughout the book. I felt like it was kinda justified in the end since the mom had a traumatic childhood. But I felt like it wasn't a strong enough reason for her treat her daughter like literal shit.
But I did enjoy the relationship Rukhsana had with her brother and her cousin Shalia. These two people were probably one of the best characters in the book because they were so supportive and kind. I also love Ifran and Sara. The tragic death of a close friend of Rukhsana's made me really sad since I loved this character so much. This book made me a lot more aware of the homophobic behavior that LGBT people face in India. It was extremely sad to read certain parts of the book because it was honestly really sad and painful to read.
The ending was bittersweet and hopeful and while I really did enjoy the boom, I find myself not really connecting to the parents apology. I'm happy Rukhsana forgave them though. And I'm happy that the book ended in a good note.
But I did enjoy the relationship Rukhsana had with her brother and her cousin Shalia. These two people were probably one of the best characters in the book because they were so supportive and kind. I also love Ifran and Sara. The tragic death of a close friend of Rukhsana's made me really sad since I loved this character so much. This book made me a lot more aware of the homophobic behavior that LGBT people face in India. It was extremely sad to read certain parts of the book because it was honestly really sad and painful to read.
The ending was bittersweet and hopeful and while I really did enjoy the boom, I find myself not really connecting to the parents apology. I'm happy Rukhsana forgave them though. And I'm happy that the book ended in a good note.
rachelwrites007's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this one A LOT. It reminded me and would be a good fit for fans of Written In the Stars by Aisha Saeed (it's like the LGBTQ version).
charvi_not_just_fiction's review against another edition
5.0
Honestly, my emotions are all over the place- THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD? I LOVED EVERY BIT 😭❤️
Review coming soon!
Review coming soon!
pleasejustletmeread's review against another edition
4.0
An important story to tell, as it gives insight to the struggles that a lot of many people are going through. It can, as the novel also describes, be hard to imagine what it's like being the one struggling if you haven't experienced it by yourself, - but isn't that one of the reasons we need literature like this? It's very educating, very emotional and very much worth a read.
That being said, the language could need a bit more editing and rewriting - it's not terrible, and better than most, but it still needs that extra that would make the story impossible to put down.
That being said, the language could need a bit more editing and rewriting - it's not terrible, and better than most, but it still needs that extra that would make the story impossible to put down.
ashleyholstrom's review against another edition
5.0
Rukhsana and Ariana have been dating for a while now, and things are great. Except for when they’re in public and have to pretend they’re not a couple. Anyone could see them—more particularly, anyone in Rukhsana’s mother’s circle could see and spread the word to the Bengali community. It’s difficult for Ariana to understand, and even more difficult for Rukhsana to explain. But then Rukhsana’s mom catches them making out, calls them horrible names, kicks Ariana out of her house, and swiftly comes up with a plan to whisk Rukhsana off to Bangladesh to find a nice boy to marry. Once there, she bonds with her grandmother, who shares her diary with her, giving her the perspective she needs to be true to herself and get through this awful season.
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali is incredible and I had every feeling imaginable while reading it. Trigger warnings (that I wish I’d had before reading): extreme homophobia, islamophobia, domestic violence, sexual assault.
From The Best Books We Read January–March 2019 at Book Riot.
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali is incredible and I had every feeling imaginable while reading it. Trigger warnings (that I wish I’d had before reading): extreme homophobia, islamophobia, domestic violence, sexual assault.
From The Best Books We Read January–March 2019 at Book Riot.
lightqueer's review against another edition
5.0
this book shook me to my core with fear and with love. rukhsana's story is terrifyingly similar to one that i have mapped out in my head and her courage is something i aspire to one day have.
rocketbride's review against another edition
3.0
It was ok, I guess. I'm not really the target audience. The writing was fairly flat but, like the similarly flat Internment, this is a very timely and needed book. I didn't really believe in her relationships with her white friends - the food was more skillfully described than their emotions - and I didn't really believe in her attraction to Ariana. Seemed very mechanical. What I really didn't like was how her parents' abusive behavior was so easily "balanced" by their apologies and cooking elaborate meals. They isolated her, imprisoned her, hit her, and coerced her into a marriage she was clearly against; they essentially set up a situation for her to be raped until she was "fixed." That shit is TRAUMATIZING, even if she escaped in the end and her mom has a tragic backstory. The importance of the abuse is really minimized by the "happy" ending, where Aunty Meena starts pushing Bengali lesbians at her.
steel_city_peach's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Disheartening
This book turned out to be heavier than I expected. The sad part is that it was so realistic. The way Bengali girls are encouraged to shrink themselves to be deemed as good marriage material is heartbreaking. The element of classism and colorism in this story was another hard pill to swallow. The story highlighted the suffocating homophobia in their culture. It all made me want to rescue Rukhsana and the other women in her family. She was such a tenacious main character. She refused to let her family’s beliefs and traditions extinguish her light. That was the highlight of the story for me.