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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Well-written story of an Indian Muslim family living in the United States. The last 50 pages, told from the father's perspective, pulled it all together. His story/words made the book.
I am torn on this one. I thought the writing was generally very good, the family dynamics extremely interesting. It just moved a little too slow for me (and I usually have a pretty high patience level for slow moving character studies). The end of the book brought it together for me. I think with a bit of better editing this book could have been great.
It took about three chapters before the question "MFA or Iowa Writers Workshop?" popped in my head. It was the latter. So boring and still so still hemmed in decades after the CIA influenced the program to battle communism through flattening out experimental writing that might even hint at ideas that weren't in line with rugged American individualism. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Violence
Moderate: Racism
This family's story took an expected turn. The author's ability to make these characters come to life for me was a real treat.
This book was so complex, so nuanced, so heartbreaking. I’ll start by saying that it’s kind of incredible that the author Fatima Mirza is just 27 years old. The maturity, insight, and wisdom of this novel makes the reader believe the author has fully lived life in years - like 50 or 60 or more years old. Clearly years lived is not necessarily equivalent to insight.
This novel is magical and sad and beautiful. I cried through pretty much all of part 4. I’m not one to reveal too much about the plot, but I will say this novel is an intimate exploration of family. What does it mean to belong to a family, accept the rules, and move away when you simply cannot adjust? This book is a meditation upon family, faith, and loss. And the author has no easy answers. Only the reality of time and possibility lost.
This novel is a must read. The style of jumping across timelines, the structure of faith, the regret of the past - it’s all so visceral, all so immediate. Read this book. You won’t regret it.
This novel is magical and sad and beautiful. I cried through pretty much all of part 4. I’m not one to reveal too much about the plot, but I will say this novel is an intimate exploration of family. What does it mean to belong to a family, accept the rules, and move away when you simply cannot adjust? This book is a meditation upon family, faith, and loss. And the author has no easy answers. Only the reality of time and possibility lost.
This novel is a must read. The style of jumping across timelines, the structure of faith, the regret of the past - it’s all so visceral, all so immediate. Read this book. You won’t regret it.
Beautifully written, complex, and a slow burn. I think if I had read it at a different time it would be a five star read. I think it is a book I will revisit at some time.