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danachiong's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
The pacing in the start might be a bit slow but it's really only to set up the tone of the book. Once you get into the rhythm it's an amazing read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Torture, War, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Sexism
internationalreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Grief, Violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Islamophobia, Animal death, Misogyny, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
lghrndn's review
I made it about a third of the way through this book. I found the premise of three women from different backgrounds meeting in Oxford so charming, but the first third of the book is a slow walk through the childhood of the protagonist, Peri. I loved the first few chapters' descriptions of Istanbul and staging of the issues of the city and of Peri's upbringing, but the pacing was so slow, especially when the dynamic that hooked me in the book isn't introduced until nearly half way through. I love books that explore themes of religion and mysticism, but I felt like I was being hit over the head with the binary of Peri's mother, a pious Muslim, and her father, a nationalist skeptic. I was hopeful that my experience would turn around once she arrived at Oxford, but I found the chapter where she and her parents tour the university so insufferable that I decided to cut my losses. I think there was so much potential in that scene--a worldly young Iranian woman showing a new arrival around the city, with lots of interesting observations to be made about culture clashes, the history of faith in English universities, and the experience of leaving home for the first time. However, all of these thoughts came out through painfully expositional dialogue, with each character directly stating how their perspectives conflict with the others'. I was hopeful about this book, but in practice couldn't get into it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
myfriendthatcanread's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Child death, Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Torture
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