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aprilyvonne's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Someone Like Her” by Awais Khan was an incredibly powerful piece of writing. Although it was an easy read to get through, I found the subject quite painful at times. This did slow me down as I needed time to process and prepare.
The story follows a young modern Pakistani woman just living her life while slightly moving against the tides of tradition in her community. Ayesha works for a charity organization that centres around the safety and wellbeing of women after experiencing severe domestic violence. The book blurb warns of similar violence against a main character, but it still wasn’t any easier to digest. Nor is the fact that despite the book being fictional, femicide and violence against women and girls is still a reality all around the world.
Despite the darker side of these issues portrayed in the novel, the interesting characterization and dual POVs added a genuine element to the plot. I appreciated how Khan brought these issues to the forefront while also including men as sometimes being the victims as well. The special attention to detail, the positive commentary on therapy, found family, and resilience were other aspects I truly enjoyed.
Overall, I’m glad to have read this book, especially before I attend the Emirates LitFest next month. Looking forward to hearing the author speak even more so now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexism, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Trafficking, Violence, and Gaslighting
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