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30something_reads's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Despite this being classified as a Romance, the actual romance felt more like a catalyst for the dynamic family story that revolves around Soraya, her siblings, and their Iranian immigrant parents. And while yes, it does technically meet the genre parameters, the romantic plot between Soraya and Magnus felt far less impactful (or important) than the multigenerational story of her family.
This is further emphasized by the POVs we get - a present day POV from Soraya as she's navigating her relationship with Magnus/her interactions with family and a past POV from her mother as we put together the story of her marriage and their immigration to Britain.
So overall, I would not fully recommend this strictly based on the romance, but I would absolutely recommend if you're interested in a multigenerational story that tackles the challenges of growing up in the Iranian diaspora with a splash of romance on the side.
CWs: anxiety, depression, physical abuse, threats of violence, infidelity, racism
This is further emphasized by the POVs we get - a present day POV from Soraya as she's navigating her relationship with Magnus/her interactions with family and a past POV from her mother as we put together the story of her marriage and their immigration to Britain.
So overall, I would not fully recommend this strictly based on the romance, but I would absolutely recommend if you're interested in a multigenerational story that tackles the challenges of growing up in the Iranian diaspora with a splash of romance on the side.
CWs: anxiety, depression, physical abuse, threats of violence, infidelity, racism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity, Drug use, and Mental illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Violence
allisonwonderlandreads's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
3.0
"Now, her future lay ahead of her, with no plan, no time line of what was to come, and she realized she was falling facefirst, ungracefully, into adulthood."
I'm not sure I would categorize this book as a romance because it limits the scope and focus of all this book is. It's a poignant look at the transition from college to "adulthood," such that that means anything. It's nerve-wracking, overwhelming, and portrayed with astute detail here. British-Iranian Soraya is our protagonist. We join her as she struggles with finding a job and a passion (separate but related questions), feels crushed by family secrets and expectations, and experiments with her first romantic relationship. The story also draws attention to racist and xenophobic experiences and sexist encounters that bombard Soraya's journey.
In terms of the romance, I appreciated the acknowledgment of pre-dating stress and the feeling you need to hit certain landmarks. Soraya and I are motivated by different things, but I appreciated the similar anxieties around not fitting the commonly expected dating mold. While I think there's a burgeoning conversation among millennials about how unhealthy it is to compare milestones with others, I often feel dating expectations are still somewhat assumed. On the other hand, I'm with Soraya's friends that I still wasn't completely Team Magnus by the end of the book. There are still some unresolved red flags with him that I would ideally want addressed. I felt the author skimmed through the relationship for overall effect rather than building up ooey-gooey romantic feelings in the readers. That's part of the reason that I think this works more as a general fiction piece.
Another layer of the story is the background chapters following Soraya's mother Neda, starting in 1970s Tehran. It builds up intrigue by contrasting a bright, young academic and romantic finding her future husband to a future where she can't stand him. There's also the specter of Soraya's older sister Laleh in the 1990s. Cut off from the family under secretive circumstances, her absence is mysterious and lingering, suspicious and upsetting.
We do get a lot of Soraya's thoughts and struggles with internalized guilt and shame, and I think those portions were striking. It covers weighty topics from anxiety to the ramifications of domestic abuse and addiction in the family. There were many quotes I highlighted for their insightfulness so I could consider them again in future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and War
lnzava's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Mental illness, Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, and Cursing
karlareads's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Mental illness
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