Reviews with content warning for Car accident - The Beauty of Your Face

How to even describe this book. It goes back and forth from the past to the present showing the MC's life both the struggles and the joys. I finished this book in a few hours because you just wanted to know more. Very well written and definitely a must read for any one living on America.

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wchereads's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense

3.75

I am just a pool of tears

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cjwitch's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

This book begins in Afaf's present day, where she is the principal of an Islamic girls school that is the target of a mass shooting. It then immediately jumps back in time to her early childhood. Most of the book is spent exploring Afaf's past, her childhood and her journey into adulthood, with flashes back to the shooting taking place between each major time period of her life. These flashes of the shooting are told mainly from the POV of the shooter and are both jarring and disturbing to read.

Afaf's past is littered with pain and growth and eventually joy and love. This part of the story begins when Afaf is ten years old and her older sister goes missing. It follows the impact that this has on herself and her family, and focuses on how "other" Afaf feels both inside and outside of her home. For years Afaf's family is torn apart by loss and Afaf struggles with no sense of belonging, until her father first discovers and then introduces her to the Muslim community. It is through her newfound faith and community that Afaf finally connects with herself.

This book showcases the complexities of being a 1st generation immigrant, and of being both Arab and Muslim in a pre and post 9/11 world. The reader is emersed in Middle Eastern culture, foods and language and customs, in a way that is rich and welcoming, especially as Afaf begins to embrace her faith.

The Beauty of Your Face is at times incredibly beautiful and often intensely painful. I think I cried through the entirety of the last 20% of it. It is so relevant to current times and however difficult this book may be, I urge you to pick to this up.

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lizreading's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-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

5.0

A wonderful book, I couldn’t put it down. Although I am white I felt that I could relate to some of the experiences of Afaf during her childhood.

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yoshisreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense 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? No

5.0

I loved this book. The way the relationships and characters develop throughout the story is so interesting. The use of time jumps adds so much to the story because it's as if you're watching Afaf's life flash before her eyes. It's such a great use of narrative and I loved it! There were also a few unexpected twists that I was so shocked by throughout the book. Couldn't put it down!

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hankatcol's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

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readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

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