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rosh's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Hana Khan Carries On is a masterpiece. The love story has zippy banter and cringey rom com moments aplenty, but it's only one aspect of Hana's multifaceted tale. Her dream is to be in radio, but microaggressions at work pile on until there's not much left to love, and Hana must decide who she wants to be and where/how. Her mom's small, family-run restaurant is struggling, and that's before a fancy new establishment starts being constructed in the neighborhood under the watchful eye of a rich and laser-focused businessman (prepare for some major You've Got Mail moments). Then, the middle of the book features a hate crime that Hana experiences as a second generation Muslim Canadian Desi. A video of the incident goes viral, exposing her neighborhood to more bigotry leading up to a local street festival.
There's so much to obsess over with this book, it's hard to know where to start. Let's begin with Hana herself. I think the single POV approach in this book was perfection. I liked being in Hana's corner from the first to last page, becoming familiar with her hopes and dreams, her worries and fears. Whether she was facing a funny interpersonal problem or a harrowing conflict, I was cheering her on. Hana has such a strong voice, whether it was the general narrative or the multimedia inclusion of her podcast transcripts or text messages. By the end of the book, I felt she was my friend (if she would have me). She went through some major changes and had some important realizations throughout, and I found many of her reflections on the air to be moving and full of wisdom.
This story has it all: an adorable romance, delightful characters, high drama, and a serious examination of lived oppression of immigrant communities in general and Muslims specifically. There are moments of light, fluffy goodness and others with gritty struggle against systemic violence. At the center through it all is a poignant and nuanced focus on family and the growing pains of change that affect all our relationships. It's a rare book that makes me both laugh and cry, so this one joins a select echelon of treasured stories. I can't recommend it enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out this week on 4/13!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
reading_ladies_blog's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Islamophobia
Minor: Hate crime
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I legit cried during Hana Khan Carries On. Talk about a book that wrung every emotion I had out of me. It took all my sadness, anger, happiness, and laughter. Hana is such a spunky character. She has to not only tackle the racism and islamaphobia against her community, but she has to figure out difficult conversations about representation and education. In order to succeed, should she portray everything that's expect of her? How does she stay authentic to her own stories and community? In the midst of changing communities and competition, how do we honor the past, while moving into the future?
At the same time, the "You've Got Mail" angle was perfection. I remember how it twisted my heart the first time I saw the film. Hana Khan Carries On that, "can they figure this out together?" feeling from the original while also updating the original. Often I can be disappointed by re-tellings, but this one nailed it. Additionally, Hana Khan Carries On is about banding together as a community. Against the microaggressions, ignorance, and racism. To tell the stories that are authentic to us, not what they expect.
I legit cried during Hana Khan Carries On. Talk about a book that wrung every emotion I had out of me. It took all my sadness, anger, happiness, and laughter. Hana is such a spunky character. She has to not only tackle the racism and islamaphobia against her community, but she has to figure out difficult conversations about representation and education. In order to succeed, should she portray everything that's expect of her? How does she stay authentic to her own stories and community? In the midst of changing communities and competition, how do we honor the past, while moving into the future?
At the same time, the "You've Got Mail" angle was perfection. I remember how it twisted my heart the first time I saw the film. Hana Khan Carries On that, "can they figure this out together?" feeling from the original while also updating the original. Often I can be disappointed by re-tellings, but this one nailed it. Additionally, Hana Khan Carries On is about banding together as a community. Against the microaggressions, ignorance, and racism. To tell the stories that are authentic to us, not what they expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Islamophobia
themixedpages's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Islamophobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia and Suicide
starshynebrite's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
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