Reviews

We Meant Well by Erum Shazia Hasan

evelyn_mosby's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.75

Written very well, very introspective, felt accurate even though I've never lived that international volunteer life. 

rei_reads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual assault

brogan7's review

challenging informative tense fast-paced

This is a harsh story.  I can't quite decide if it was needed or not.  By the end I felt the author treated her own characters as disposable

Lele could only have a defensible injury if it was more than a sexual assault, if it was public and visible, and Maya could only have power by avenging Lele's attack, letting others mete out brute justice.  This last didn't seem likely to me, neither did Chantal's late awakening to her partner's true colours.

However, the ending isn't the whole book, and the story carries with it many important insights into colonialism and relationships between countries and continents, people trying to help, people doing damage in various ways.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Gaslighting, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Misogyny

Moderate: Infidelity and Fire/Fire injury

smcaietti's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.5

tarapatey's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

pearlmusings's review

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

danisusannareads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

lsparrow's review

5.0

An amazing novel about aid work/colonization/good intentions. I would strongly recommend it to any global nomad/third culture person/aid worker.

linneahbt's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This was so deeply painful. A beautiful and complicated picture of the life of an aid worker, belonging nowhere. Of finding the truth and having to question the people that you have learned how to trust and depend on; realizing that they are capable of the unimaginable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

christajls's review

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A thought provoking book about the role and impact of NGOs operating in the Global South. As a graduate of an international development program there was a lot of familiar ideas and characters. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending but overall I think it’s worth reading as we consider the impact of our ‘charitable’ work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Racism