Reviews

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman

alina_kolpakova's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

giulia___771's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

ec_holland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

When they say “coming of age story” THIS is what I want!!

I really fell captivated by each of the characters. So much was fit into this book but it all really fit together well. The ending hits like a rush of adrenaline which really allows you to empathize with the MC and cheer her on.

Beautiful and lovely and great.

emscrem's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

mitskacir's review against another edition

4.0

I read this book on audio in fits and starts, so I really want to reread it with a paper book so that I can think about it more closely. The beginning seems more like a short story collection, vignettes of a young girl's life, so I didn't analyze them too closely. However, the story becomes more cohesive as she ages, and a lot of the symbolism comes back from the early chapters, making me wish I had thought more especially about the titular roses and lions mentioned frequently in the book. I felt like the main character's voice was quite young, maybe more of a middle schooler than high schooler, but I did appreciate that she wasn't unrealistically wise or overly hardened by the world like some teen portrayals are. I really loved this book because, until the very end, I didn't feel like anything significantly bad was going to happen - something about the author's calm narration or the many happy moments throughout made me trust that things would be ok.

elliv's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Islamophobia, and Pedophilia

sarah999's review against another edition

4.0

ok i liked this book a lot but it was a little slow

notlikeshrek's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

A little slow to start but man ❤️‍🩹

andheaventoo's review

challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad 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? Yes

4.75

a delightful reading experience. there is so much texture in this book, so much sadness and weight wrapped up in the details of razia's life in corona that when things finally come to a head towards the end of the book, it is impossible not to get swept up in it. i burst into tears at the final page and couldn't stop crying for 10 minutes, mainly because so much of this book hits so close to home. razia's incredible loneliness, the depth of her friendships, the expansiveness of her love for her mom, the irrevocable weight of her community, the exhilaration of her rebellion - just such a beautiful book. the prose is deceptively straightforward, and the magic of this book is simply in the details. the first two scenes of this book immediately told me it was worth my time. and there is such a haunting quality to the way bushra rehman writes, to the details she chooses to focus on, to the subtle flow of this book. incredible all around.

jenniferkret's review against another edition

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? No

3.5