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imaant's review against another edition
4.0
I gave it the fourth star because of her unflinching honesty.
violet_primroses's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
aylinniazai_reads's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
Since this is a biography/memoir I will try to be honest without being too harsh.
First of all, I loved the Shi'a representation. I'm a Sunni Muslim with barely any knowledge on Shi'a so this was refreshing.
The arab roots and growing up in a diaspora community is something I love reading about, since this is what our kids are going through as well. Especially the Western influence and expectations they bring to the table, is something that is not talked about enough .
That being said, Huda starts off as childish and selfish in the beginning, but stays that way throughout the book.. As soon as something doesn't go her way, she starts crying or threatening to leave her husband. If this was a western marriage, that guy would have walked out on her a million times and it wouldn't have been too soon. Does she not see that she expects him to be a COMPLETELY different person and all he wants from her is that she loves him? Astagfirullah, I don't even know if she fully comprehends what marriage is about.
And has she heard of depression and seeking professional help? Because it wouldn't be a bad idea to try that..
Overall I did not like this book, especially the main character, sorry Huda.
First of all, I loved the Shi'a representation. I'm a Sunni Muslim with barely any knowledge on Shi'a so this was refreshing.
The arab roots and growing up in a diaspora community is something I love reading about, since this is what our kids are going through as well. Especially the Western influence and expectations they bring to the table, is something that is not talked about enough .
That being said, Huda starts off as childish and selfish in the beginning, but stays that way throughout the book.. As soon as something doesn't go her way, she starts crying or threatening to leave her husband. If this was a western marriage, that guy would have walked out on her a million times and it wouldn't have been too soon. Does she not see that she expects him to be a COMPLETELY different person and all he wants from her is that she loves him? Astagfirullah, I don't even know if she fully comprehends what marriage is about.
And has she heard of depression and seeking professional help? Because it wouldn't be a bad idea to try that..
Overall I did not like this book, especially the main character, sorry Huda.
toriedawn1's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so much better than I could have imagined. This book walks us through a young muslim girls life. Her struggles trying to find her way in the world and navigate romance as a muslim woman. She talks about how much she loves her cultures format of relationships but also how she envys certain aspects of western ideals of romance too. We see her grow and learn that it doesnt have to be all or none and that not everything can be perfect in life. I felt a little sorry for Hadi, ||he always loved her so much and she had to learn to care for him, she loved the idea of love more than the reality||. Overall I really liked this book, as someone who shares no cultural or religious background I cant speak on how accurately it depicts these things however as it is based on the authors true story I am inclined to believe it is fairly accurate.
mauryneiberg18's review against another edition
3.0
The writing was stilted and the story not compelling. Neither member of the couple were likable, and she didn’t make a good case for her change of heart. By halfway through I no longer cared if they would succeed or fail as a couple. If nothing else, it’s a good argument for prohibiting marriage until both parties are mature adults. I’m not sure the author had hit that milestone by the end of the book.
chandraleereads's review against another edition
4.0
I read a few reviews for this book where people disliked the memoirist, or found her to be selfish. As I read the book, it felt more like a realistic depiction of what many young women might find themselves hyper-focusing on, or worrying about in their teens and early twenties. I felt the author was very candid about her experiences, her misconceptions, her flaws, and how she grew and learned. I thought it was refreshing to read about a love that was not rooted in romanticism. Don’t get me wrong, I dig a romantic story, but relationships/marriage can be really hard work (and are at times pretty unromantic) and it’s nice to have that reality normalized. Additionally, I really appreciate the tiny insight into Muslim American culture. If you are a memoir fan I definitely think this is worth the read.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the beginning a lot, and loved getting an inside look into a family and culture that are so different from my own. It became harder for me to relate to the narrator over the course of the book, though. I don't understand the search for the perfect date, the perfect moment, the perfect wedding. It was easier for me to sympathize with Hadi, because I am quiet in similar ways myself. I was so relieved when she began to see her family more as individuals and became more thoughtful about her relationships with her family. I liked that her religion was so important to her. I enjoyed her breezy, direct, honest narrative style, but sometimes the honesty made it hard to read. This narrator went through a lot of inner turmoil, which was a painful ride to go along on. I found it very engaging and hard to put down. Look, I finished it in two days!
imalahakhund's review against another edition
4.0
Alternatively, this could also be called "A Book About The Kind Of Expectations Not To Have From Marriage."
ensara's review against another edition
3.0
I loved how the story began! I really enjoyed the first few chapters, and I often agreed with the author. However, reading about the first few years of the marriage was painful!!! Some things could’ve definitely been left unsaid, but I liked the book overall, and I think it makes for a good story.