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gem114's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Rukhsana is a high school senior, looking forward to heading off to college in California with her girlfriend. The problem is being gay is against her family's Muslim beliefs, and when her parents catch her with her girlfriend, all hell breaks loose.
Rukhsana's story really resonated with me, and I feel like anyone who is has experienced or is anticipating religious backlash when coming out could relate to this book.
Graphic: Homophobia, Islamophobia, Confinement, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Rape, and Physical abuse
Minor: Murder and Hate crime
atrkula's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cursing
redbookpanda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
While I did like a lot of the other relationships in the book (the cousin, the grandma and the brother were some of my favourite characters and of course we can't forget the new friends the MC makes along the way) I really wished that the girlfriend did not exist. Their whole relationship just did not work for me.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Hate crime
siyak_'s review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Death, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Vomit
karlsmariels's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Incest, Racism, Pedophilia, and Misogyny
emilyvf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Homophobia
Moderate: Incest, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
katselvocki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
- Queer South Asian rep
- Rukhsana and her brother Aamir’s relationship
- Rukhsana’s relationship with her grandmother
- Rukhsana’s friendships with Irfan and Sohail
- Rukhsana and Ariana’s relationship felt very much like a teenage love story
The less good:
- HOLY HECK this got much darker than I’d anticipated
- Pacing felt off—things dragged for a bit in the middle, but then wrapped up VERY quickly and rather tidily after the darker plot points
- Not much character development of Ariana or of Rukhsana’s best friends in Seattle
- Rukhsana and Ariana’s relationship felt very much like a teenage love story
I am very much not over Sohail’s death even though all of the characters seem to be
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Murder
fungivibes's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Islamophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
vee's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexism
Minor: Islamophobia
halfwaytoaugust's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Violence