Reviews

The structure ruined the book for me. The nonlinear plot mixed with the 2nd person narration, plus the huge cast of characters made this book really hard to read. If one of those things had been out of the way, I would have liked it so much more. I enjoyed all of the rich Palestinian history and the discussions of mental health and generational trauma though!

strawberry_femme's review against another edition

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4.5

This is a beautifully written book about a queer Palestinian woman who seeks advice from her great aunt who helped raise her as she tries to figure out wether she wants to leave with the woman she loves or stay at home. It was so beautiful and had both magic and realism mixed together. I loved the weaving of both Palestinian stories, magic, and way it all impacts Betty’s life. A must read for both Pride Month and diverse read(you’ll also learn a little about the genocide happening right now)

lizzv's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

rkcobb's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

farwareads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I will admit this book started off very slow and for a while I was wondering what the point was. But suddenly I found myself so enthralled, and really got attached to the characters and the writing. The prose was fantastic, and I loved the elements of history and family. If you love extremely plot driven books then this one probably isn't for you, but the writing made it memorable for me. The red chandelier metaphor absolutely broke my heart.

yours_marinia_monarch's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

womanwill's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

4.0

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