Scan barcode
makenziehyatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism
ripxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Death and Cannibalism
Minor: Sexual harassment
mindyb33'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
lostinabookishworld's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cannibalism
Minor: Sexual harassment
thehannahclaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Cannibalism and Body horror
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Gore, Islamophobia, Racism, and Sexism
bookishbrenbren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The writing has no subtlety or subterfuge (and what is there is more like a tongue in cheek between her and the reader). There is this element of metafiction to it - the narrator constantly breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly and you exist as a second level consumer of the story, always questioning what's real and what isn't. Which, idk, sometimes I thought it was brilliant but most times it was just too casual for me and kept calling attention away from the story, back to this idea of the book as metafiction, like 'don't forget!' - more like the princess bride movie than If An Egyptian.
The author also brought up lots of great little aside ideas but a lot of the times she throws a line out and then dismisses it as boring or banal or cliche or whatever and that started to irritate me. We get it, you're not writing about immigrants or race or class, you're just writing about immigrants and race and class. Allllso the main character is kind of unlikeable 😂 but her friendship with Naima was the sparkling star of the story (can you tell I like character-driven novels?) they support and disappoint each other like humans and I froth for that. But again with the meta, their conversation about there HAS to be a Desi wedding scene for "those guys" nudge nudge wink wink... it was cute ngl but did it add? Did it add?
Now that I've complained, lol, the plot is excellent, the pacing is excellent, the suspense is suspensing and the ending is a lovely little cherry on top. The author's humor is also sprinkled as a nice little bonus throughout the book.
CW one of the characters is mentioned as being from Israel and having learned "mind hacking" in the IOF. Um ok, who was he mind hacking on occupied land...
Graphic: Cannibalism, Classism, Islamophobia, and Sexual harassment
samanthaleereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexism
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Islamophobia
Minor: Gore
caitgiam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Sexual content, Cannibalism, and Sexual harassment
rosemary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Cannibalism
pallasreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment