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buttermellow's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Classism
Minor: Fatphobia
mcz_reads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.0
I was swept away by this book. The novel is divided into four parts, and throughout each part the POV frequently switches between the two main characters, Akash and Renu. The small segments from each character’s perspective made this book a quick read, and the immersion into each character’s emotional and memories drove me to finish the book in 24 hours.
This brief story shows the effects of racism, classism, homophobia, and misogyny experienced externally and internally by a minority community. The character arc for each narrator was handled well. I would have liked the savor their resolutions a little longer—the end felt very abrupt after such a slowly paced story. The pace was really the only aspect I wish had been handled differently; for the first part of the book, the flashbacks to the past were more interesting than anything happening in the present. The timelines become more balanced as the book progresses.
The scope of this book feels small, but that’s not a bad thing. I got the sense that this book is meant to tell a very specific story about these individual characters. But I think the specificity is what makes the book meaningful.
This brief story shows the effects of racism, classism, homophobia, and misogyny experienced externally and internally by a minority community. The character arc for each narrator was handled well. I would have liked the savor their resolutions a little longer—the end felt very abrupt after such a slowly paced story. The pace was really the only aspect I wish had been handled differently; for the first part of the book, the flashbacks to the past were more interesting than anything happening in the present. The timelines become more balanced as the book progresses.
The scope of this book feels small, but that’s not a bad thing. I got the sense that this book is meant to tell a very specific story about these individual characters. But I think the specificity is what makes the book meaningful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Islamophobia, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Fatphobia
leah_alexandra's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book was pretty good. It was well-paced, and I think the two narrators were well developed and fleshed out. Overall though I wasn’t blown away. At times I felt as though I had read this story before, and other versions have impressed me more. Some parts felt cliched, especially (despite what other reviewers have seemed to find) the depictions of the casual racism of all the “nice” white women in the book. I’m definitely here for takedowns of racism cloaked in white folks’ “politeness” or “curiosity,” but would have loved these versions to have more specificity—they felt tired to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Miscarriage and Death of parent
Minor: Islamophobia
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