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cyireadbooks's review
5.0
Ariel and Leah Goldberg are close knit sisters growing up during the 60’s in a conservative Jewish household. Their parents, Sylvia and Max are devoted to their Jewish heritage and religion. So when Leah invites her boyfriend Raj Jagwani for dinner, you can just imagine Sylvia’s and Max’s surprise and disappointment in Leah and her choice of dating a non Jew. And to top it off, her date is an Indian American.
Stunned at the revelation that her parents could be so narrow-minded, Leah decides to elope with Raj. At that time, the Supreme Court had just ruled that laws banning interracial marriages were illegal. As such, Leah commits to leaving the comfort of her home and marrying Raj. Leah does so, suddenly, leaving Ariel confused and hurt.
Ariel, eleven at the time, struggles to understand the significance of Leah’s decision and how her parents can be so blinded by their intolerance for non Jews. Coupled with a form of a learning disability, Ariel turns to poetry as a form of release and revelation. It is through poetry that Ariel learns to cope with family tensions and her own shortcomings.
Inspired by true events, the author has done an excellent job at composing a story about familial ties and how love gives one the ability to conquer hate.
The story is supported by well developed characters so raw and so real, that it feels like you are there in Ariel’s world living and learning about life, and love.
Overall, How to Find What You’re Not Looking For is a brilliant novel and a perfect Own Voices book well suited for the Young Adult and Adult readers. Five amazing stars.
I received a finished hardcover book from Kokila through the Bookish First Raffle. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Stunned at the revelation that her parents could be so narrow-minded, Leah decides to elope with Raj. At that time, the Supreme Court had just ruled that laws banning interracial marriages were illegal. As such, Leah commits to leaving the comfort of her home and marrying Raj. Leah does so, suddenly, leaving Ariel confused and hurt.
Ariel, eleven at the time, struggles to understand the significance of Leah’s decision and how her parents can be so blinded by their intolerance for non Jews. Coupled with a form of a learning disability, Ariel turns to poetry as a form of release and revelation. It is through poetry that Ariel learns to cope with family tensions and her own shortcomings.
Inspired by true events, the author has done an excellent job at composing a story about familial ties and how love gives one the ability to conquer hate.
The story is supported by well developed characters so raw and so real, that it feels like you are there in Ariel’s world living and learning about life, and love.
Overall, How to Find What You’re Not Looking For is a brilliant novel and a perfect Own Voices book well suited for the Young Adult and Adult readers. Five amazing stars.
I received a finished hardcover book from Kokila through the Bookish First Raffle. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
kamilahlove's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, and Pregnancy
Minor: Hate crime and Genocide
crystal_reading's review
Review copy: ARC via publisher
My Thoughts: If you've read The Night Diary, you will not be surprised to find out that this book is an excellent work of historical fiction. Once again, Hiranandani swept me back in time. She does an excellent job of providing the context of the events of the time and how they relate to the very personal issues that Ariel and her family are working through. There is a lot going on, but a middle grade reader will see how so many of these things are connected to each other.
I appreciated how the characters are complex so we can see that there can be many reasons for the way people are acting or reacting even when everything seems impossible to comprehend. We get to see the ways that Ariel is slowly piecing together what she is experiencing and is discovering her own opinions.
The cover art had me hopeful that there would be poetry and I was not disappointed. It's sprinkled throughout and really adds a lot to the story. I don't want to get too spoilery so I won't go into that a lot.
Recommendation: I see this as a great book to hand to readers who want a book with substance or simply enjoy books with a lot to think about. It also has the potential to be a fantastic read aloud with upper grade students. There is so much for discussion about family, friendship, bullying, and more. It could also lead to discussions of both historical and current events and how they can affect our lives. I would also add that one of my fourth grade classes was able to have a virtual author visit with the author the year The Night Diary was released. She did a fantastic job and my students were ready to read anything else she had already written or would ever write.
My Thoughts: If you've read The Night Diary, you will not be surprised to find out that this book is an excellent work of historical fiction. Once again, Hiranandani swept me back in time. She does an excellent job of providing the context of the events of the time and how they relate to the very personal issues that Ariel and her family are working through. There is a lot going on, but a middle grade reader will see how so many of these things are connected to each other.
I appreciated how the characters are complex so we can see that there can be many reasons for the way people are acting or reacting even when everything seems impossible to comprehend. We get to see the ways that Ariel is slowly piecing together what she is experiencing and is discovering her own opinions.
The cover art had me hopeful that there would be poetry and I was not disappointed. It's sprinkled throughout and really adds a lot to the story. I don't want to get too spoilery so I won't go into that a lot.
Recommendation: I see this as a great book to hand to readers who want a book with substance or simply enjoy books with a lot to think about. It also has the potential to be a fantastic read aloud with upper grade students. There is so much for discussion about family, friendship, bullying, and more. It could also lead to discussions of both historical and current events and how they can affect our lives. I would also add that one of my fourth grade classes was able to have a virtual author visit with the author the year The Night Diary was released. She did a fantastic job and my students were ready to read anything else she had already written or would ever write.
bhanreads's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
embe94's review
4.0
I might change this to 5 stars!! It was inCREDIBLE. The second pov was a little jarring at first- I don’t think I’ve ever read a book in second pov that wasn’t one of those choose your own adventure books I used to read way, way back in the day. But I loved how each issue was handled- how you see the trauma and internalized prejudice of the parents through Ariel’s perspective. I loved the poems, and the nuance of each character so thoughtfully shown. This would be a great way to teach my kids characterization. Definitely adding this to my recommended reads for my students!!
erinsbookshelves's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
stephaniejalowiec's review
5.0
Outstanding, uniquely told from the second person, middle grade novel set in the 60s. Ariel is struggling with her family’s prejudice towards her sister’s husband while managing to find her voice at school (despite having dysgraphia). This book has all the feels.
shrrawat's review
5.0
So when I first read the first impression, I was under the impression that the author would explore the intercultural/interracial relationship that defines the book. Instead, the author explores the internal conflict of those left behind after all the shunning and shaming takes place for said relationship. Normally, I would lose interest (after all, there is only so many pages of cognitive dissonance that one can take), but Hiranandi's protagonist, Ariel, is so likable that you can't help but fall in love with her.
The prose is immersive, and the second-person perspective, while jarring at first, actually grew on me as the story went on. We got to see how Ariel came to terms with realizing that how she sees the world is not how others see it, and that love can come in many shades, religions, and forms that are not always apparent. I devoured this story in one sitting, and I have a feeling that a lot of other young readers will do the same.
The prose is immersive, and the second-person perspective, while jarring at first, actually grew on me as the story went on. We got to see how Ariel came to terms with realizing that how she sees the world is not how others see it, and that love can come in many shades, religions, and forms that are not always apparent. I devoured this story in one sitting, and I have a feeling that a lot of other young readers will do the same.
alexcooper88's review
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Racism
grace_ace's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? No
4.0