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daniellekat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, Hate crime, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Death, and Pregnancy
matmatmatty'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? It's complicated
3.0
Summary:
If you want to read about a realistic experience as a Muslim and daughter of immigrants, and that's not your lived experience, you might really enjoy this and get a lot out of it.
Things I liked:
- I loved Rashid and Kawkab Khala - easily best characters.
- I did like the representation - it's good to hear stories about Muslims like this so I do applaud that.
Loved Hana standing up to Marissa and putting her foot down on the show. It's important that we understand that we should not be tokenised and to refuse participation if we think that we are
Other thoughts:
- I don't understand Hana's character. She's 24 but spent a fair amount of time acting like a teenager (being petty and vindictive).
I don't understand how she could phone in a false complaint and then immediately feel bad about it, but then a few days later make a bunch of accounts to spread rumours and on general make Aydin seem bad, and again feel bad about it! Just don't do it! I did enjoy her relationship with her family, especially her father and seeing her with her father showed her mature side but sometimes she acted like she was 10 years younger and I don't get it - The twist/mystery was too obvious imo.
I guessed that Aydin was Stanley P as soon as I met him and I honestly don't know if I was supposed to know or if I was supposed to find out when Hana did but it just seemed so obvious and was kinda annoying that neither of them realised until much later. I also guessed Afsana was Aydin's mum as soon as we met her - Hana literally says she reminds her of him and I was like "oh is that his mum?" It just felt a little too obvious again and felt like I was just waiting for characters to figure out what I had already pieced together. - I am not sure who this story is for - I love the representation but I don't think this is written with brown girls in mind. The messages were a little too on the nose (like I know racism exists and I know what it's like and this just felt too exaggerated for me to enjoy it). I think this is written for white/non-Muslims to read to learn and understand the experience and I do not fit into either of those categories. I also think this read too YA than adult, partly because of Hana's actions.
- Should add, I am not Canadian, I have never been to Canada. I am Muslim and not white, but I don't wear hijab so I do not know what someone like Hana feels and experiences. That bring said, that actual discrimination that Hana experienced was way too over the top.
It went from 0 to 100 on the city centre with the fight and just felt almost cartoonish. Same with what happened at the festival - I've experienced similar shit to things I've organised but it was just way too unrealistic. Overall I think the issue is that it came out of nowhere - she had never spoken about racism before and suddenly this happens and it's an assault. Yes that can happen of course but normally you hear comments first. You have side glances. People following you on the shop etc. Not straight to hate crime. She ran a podcast that was about being brown and never mentioned racist comments on it - they should've started here at least. That being said, i do think that for those not used to having those conversations, it would be very useful to read something like that and is a good thing to address.
Not a bad book but I think not for me.
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Chronic illness and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide attempt, Car accident, and Toxic relationship
sarahbythebook's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Hate crime, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicide attempt
bookdragonkatie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Islamophobia, Hate crime, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Suicide attempt
achay91's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Cursing and Pregnancy
kollieollie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Death, and Death of parent
kaleys23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Racism, and Islamophobia
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, and Panic attacks/disorders
michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Car accident, Islamophobia, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Racism, and Xenophobia
sweetsxrrxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
firstly, i don't think it should be labelled as romance because, while there's some soft and cute moments, the title itself says it: this book revolves around hana, and we get to see how she deals with several situations.
i think that these said situations were easy to relate to. and even if you can't fully relate, you can easily emphatize with them: islamophobia, being a perfectionist, doing your best to help your family, being kinda afraid to chase your dreams, the struggles of feeling like you don't belong anywhere...
i feel like maybe the book's main plot is family. despite everything, i think this was one of the best nuanced topics. i actually think i loved everyone in hana's family. but of course my favorite characters are kawkab (because we love sexy mysterious women) and rashid (supportive side characters who are there for comedic relief own my heart)
i also like the fact that the book portrays different kind of families and/or relationships. there's the imam wearing hawaiian shirts just to make his wife laugh, yusuf and lily's complicated relationship, the way juneid's temper affected his family...
aydin was kind of relatable at some points, you know, the whole needing reassurance thing and not wanting to let his dad down, although he knows he's not a great person.
oh, also it took me a while to get over the first 20% of the book. i guess i felt like nothing at all was happening? if this problem and the multiple storylines one would have been fixed, maybe i could round this to 4 stars. but yeah, i don't think i can't give it that rating knowing i was about to dnf it at the beginning.
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicide attempt
loquitacass's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Islamophobia, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Racism, Emotional abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
Minor: Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, and Miscarriage