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xovonniexo's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, and Gaslighting
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Really enjoyed it. This made me tear up a little towards the end a few times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Antisemitism, Death, Grief, Islamophobia, Murder, Racism, Car accident, Bullying, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
clawclawclaw's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Hate crime, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Kidnapping
lawbooks600's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Representation: Asian main characters, side Black characters
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Well. I remember this book circling my recommendations for a while then I added it and not much time afterward I finally picked it up and read it. When I finished it I felt like there was a lot to unpack here and I must say the novel is well executed most of the time but it can sometimes get disjointed with all the multiple POVs though I do understand the need for that. Before the story starts there is a glossary of the terms the novel will use; in fact I never knew alternative facts existed but now I know. Now then. It starts with the main character Safiya Mirza or Safiya for short and off the bat she tells me she essentially goes to a school of woke-washing virtue signallers and also she's a journalist.
Here is the other significant part, there's another character who recycled some materials to make a jetpack for a makerspace program or something along those lines but his English teacher accused him of having a bomb which implies a racial bias according to Safiya. Well when I think about that it makes sense in a way but anyone could've done that, also people talk about races a lot here. He was arrested and suspended but later released and all that only took place within the opening pages, I know that seems like a fast-paced beginning, and it is though I must admit after that this is a much slower paced crime novel than what I'm used to. At least it picks up steam toward the end. Someone hacked Safiya's website and she deduces that based on the name Ghost Skin and those quotes from a fascist manifesto the culprit is a white nationalist/supremacist but I don't know who is that person. Later on the other character gets kidnapped and killed out of racism but here's the thing, the book told me there was a guy called Nate who after going on some extremist websites and channels he became a racist and since the killing is racially motivated he must've done it.
I spend the next 200 pages watching Safiya figure out who is the killer after seeing the body with some flashbacks and flashforwards from the other character interspersed, when I read this part I felt a little tension which built towards the last few pages. There was a plot twist I didn't see coming since there was another character called Richard who also had involvement in the killing (I never expected that considering I've never heard of this person up until that point) and Safiya's testimony that their race (white) and privilege didn't save them but somehow they got the nicest prison was chilling. One of them captained two sports teams and held a record. They had mansions. The revelation shocked everyone and some even denied this claim despite the evidence. Wow. At least she got a little solace when the jig was up. Still, she believes there's more work to do to ensure this never happens again.
P.S. Technically the novel is non-linear? It jumps from time to time sometimes.
P.P.S. It's slightly outdated since it mentions Twitter and not X but I can forgive that since it was set before the change. That cameo was a little amusing.
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Well. I remember this book circling my recommendations for a while then I added it and not much time afterward I finally picked it up and read it. When I finished it I felt like there was a lot to unpack here and I must say the novel is well executed most of the time but it can sometimes get disjointed with all the multiple POVs though I do understand the need for that. Before the story starts there is a glossary of the terms the novel will use; in fact I never knew alternative facts existed but now I know. Now then. It starts with the main character Safiya Mirza or Safiya for short and off the bat she tells me she essentially goes to a school of woke-washing virtue signallers and also she's a journalist.
Here is the other significant part, there's another character who recycled some materials to make a jetpack for a makerspace program or something along those lines but his English teacher accused him of having a bomb which implies a racial bias according to Safiya. Well when I think about that it makes sense in a way but anyone could've done that, also people talk about races a lot here. He was arrested and suspended but later released and all that only took place within the opening pages, I know that seems like a fast-paced beginning, and it is though I must admit after that this is a much slower paced crime novel than what I'm used to. At least it picks up steam toward the end. Someone hacked Safiya's website and she deduces that based on the name Ghost Skin and those quotes from a fascist manifesto the culprit is a white nationalist/supremacist but I don't know who is that person. Later on the other character gets kidnapped and killed out of racism but here's the thing, the book told me there was a guy called Nate who after going on some extremist websites and channels he became a racist and since the killing is racially motivated he must've done it.
I spend the next 200 pages watching Safiya figure out who is the killer after seeing the body with some flashbacks and flashforwards from the other character interspersed, when I read this part I felt a little tension which built towards the last few pages. There was a plot twist I didn't see coming since there was another character called Richard who also had involvement in the killing (I never expected that considering I've never heard of this person up until that point) and Safiya's testimony that their race (white) and privilege didn't save them but somehow they got the nicest prison was chilling. One of them captained two sports teams and held a record. They had mansions. The revelation shocked everyone and some even denied this claim despite the evidence. Wow. At least she got a little solace when the jig was up. Still, she believes there's more work to do to ensure this never happens again.
P.S. Technically the novel is non-linear? It jumps from time to time sometimes.
P.P.S. It's slightly outdated since it mentions Twitter and not X but I can forgive that since it was set before the change. That cameo was a little amusing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Racial slurs, Death, Bullying, Kidnapping, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Car accident, Vomit, and Antisemitism
Minor: Confinement and Injury/Injury detail
Full trigger warnings: Bullying, racist and sexist slurs, white supremacy, death of a child and another loved one, kidnapping, grief, loss and blood depiction, car crash, near-death experience, antisemitism, imprisonment, physical injury, terrorism, emesisgabbyjc's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This book is absolutely amazing. Samira Ahmed’s writing is absolutely beautiful and she was able to perfectly encapsulate the feelings I have as a black girl living in America and the fear and terror that comes with being a minority here. She made me feel things, anger, saddened, relief. But, she also reminded me of the privilege I have of being alive today, because many people like myself weren’t granted that. It reminded me of my purpose and need in life to stand up and speak out for others. I would 10/10 recommend this to any body who wants to learn more about the effects of racism on BIPOC or who just wants a good murder mystery to read.
My main critic is that the story was a bit predictable. Early on, I could see what the twist would be and once I got confirmation, it was kind of hard to get through. But the writing is impeccable.
My main critic is that the story was a bit predictable. Early on, I could see what the twist would be and once I got confirmation, it was kind of hard to get through. But the writing is impeccable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Minor: Blood, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship
warlocksarecool21's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Hollow Fires was a riveting and profound story about community and justice in the face of an unspeakable tragedy. I thought the format of this story was so interesting since it combined typical narration with articles, phone calls and video transcripts. I also thought the dual pov between Safiya and Jawad was well-done. We got to find out how Jawad’s past intertwined with Safiya’s and allowed readers to gain insight into what happened to Jawad while Safiya investigated. I thought Safiya was a good main character and I enjoyed her determination and sense of justice. I kind of guessed who killed Jawad (an ironic prediction turned out to be true 😭) but I was engaged in finding out how they would be revealed. The resolution of the mystery felt a little quick to me, but I think the overall plot was well-written. This is a powerful story about how fear and hatred can infest a country, and how the strength and resolve of a community can overcome it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Xenophobia, Murder, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Violence and Racial slurs
Minor: Kidnapping
library_kb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-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? No
4.25
This YA thriller/mystery was a slower start for me, but I finished the last 50% in one sitting. It is a hard story to read because you can see how each and every part of it could happen in real life--and every bit of it is so tragic, the way that racism and Islamophobia shows up in large ways and in everyday dismissals of real concerns. So much of it can be connected to current events that it is hard to believe that it has been in production since 2019, which makes it even more tragic that it feels so familiar rather than a story tied to a specific time period. Highly recommend for 8th grade and up as long as students are prepared to confront the tough topics inside.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Murder, Islamophobia, and Racism
Minor: Hate crime, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
maidmarianlib's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Told with lots of different elements and points of view, time line is not contiguous which adds to the mystery. Intense and has mature themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Islamophobia, Murder, and Kidnapping
theoceanrose's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Violence, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Murder, Death, and Gaslighting
the_wistful_word_witch's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Hollow Fires has me so conflicted!!! I've written this review over and over again, trying to find just the right words to do this book, this story, justice. I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings, which I'm including here, so you don't have to risk seeing any potential spoilers further down in the review.
Trigger Warnings:
Islamophobia
Institutionalized racism Patriarchy
Misogyny
Murder
Domestic terrorism
White supremacy
Racist slurs
Police prejudice/disdain/incompetence
**POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**
On the one hand, I love this book because Samira Ahmed isn't pulling her punches at all in this SCATHING, much-deserved commentary of the incredibly racist systems and people in the US, and emboldened by recent history. It's so well written, giving the reader an intimate look at what it feels like to be a Muslim living in 2022 USA, balancing the joy of experiences that almost everyone can relate to - having your crush crush on you, sharing moments of love with family members and friends - with the unique feelings of fear, anger, sadness, frustration, etc. that only comes from being within the specific demographic in which the two main characters - Safiya and Jawad - live(d) their lives. Ms Ahmed also brilliantly balances all of this against the chilling background of a murderous mystery and ghost story.
But on the other hand, the story within the story ripped through my heart and had me crying in places. As a parent, I was hit especially hard, trying to fathom how the parents in this amazingly written, haunting, achingly sad story would manage to survive, much less thrive, after events like those in the book. Plus, the reactions from a lot of the white people depicted were utterly disgusting - like literally made my lip curl and anger flush my chest at times. Because while this is technically a work of fiction, it's based on real events from the 1920s, and a lot of us know that scenarios like these play out in real life all the time, even now, especially when you're BIPOC...
Much like The Taking of Jake Livingston, Hollow Fires is a dark and complex ghost story about a young Iraqi boy who gets profiled, bullied - even by his own teachers - and eventually murdered for misconceptions based on the color of his skin and his heritage.
Safiya, an aspiring investigative journalist, is also dealing with racists at her school, as well as her horribly prejudiced principal. They're all out to take her down a notch because she's a Brown scholarship kid who points out the blatant aspects of white supremacy hiding in the open at her fancy prep school. She's also being haunted by Jawad's ghost, as they share a connection that even Safiya barely remembers. But she's not going to let threats from the racists or from her principal stop her because she's hot on their trail, and on the trail of something much, much darker that could very well be her own undoing...
Trigger Warnings:
Islamophobia
Institutionalized racism Patriarchy
Misogyny
Murder
Domestic terrorism
White supremacy
Racist slurs
Police prejudice/disdain/incompetence
**POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**
On the one hand, I love this book because Samira Ahmed isn't pulling her punches at all in this SCATHING, much-deserved commentary of the incredibly racist systems and people in the US, and emboldened by recent history. It's so well written, giving the reader an intimate look at what it feels like to be a Muslim living in 2022 USA, balancing the joy of experiences that almost everyone can relate to - having your crush crush on you, sharing moments of love with family members and friends - with the unique feelings of fear, anger, sadness, frustration, etc. that only comes from being within the specific demographic in which the two main characters - Safiya and Jawad - live(d) their lives. Ms Ahmed also brilliantly balances all of this against the chilling background of a murderous mystery and ghost story.
But on the other hand, the story within the story ripped through my heart and had me crying in places. As a parent, I was hit especially hard, trying to fathom how the parents in this amazingly written, haunting, achingly sad story would manage to survive, much less thrive, after events like those in the book. Plus, the reactions from a lot of the white people depicted were utterly disgusting - like literally made my lip curl and anger flush my chest at times. Because while this is technically a work of fiction, it's based on real events from the 1920s, and a lot of us know that scenarios like these play out in real life all the time, even now, especially when you're BIPOC...
Much like The Taking of Jake Livingston, Hollow Fires is a dark and complex ghost story about a young Iraqi boy who gets profiled, bullied - even by his own teachers - and eventually murdered for misconceptions based on the color of his skin and his heritage.
Safiya, an aspiring investigative journalist, is also dealing with racists at her school, as well as her horribly prejudiced principal. They're all out to take her down a notch because she's a Brown scholarship kid who points out the blatant aspects of white supremacy hiding in the open at her fancy prep school. She's also being haunted by Jawad's ghost, as they share a connection that even Safiya barely remembers. But she's not going to let threats from the racists or from her principal stop her because she's hot on their trail, and on the trail of something much, much darker that could very well be her own undoing...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Classism, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Antisemitism