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diabianca's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
anniesher23's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-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? It's complicated
2.0
I really wanted to like this one. I love the idea of a book about 20-something female friendships, which is how this was marketed. The overall message was definitely how important female friendships are, but you don’t actually see the characters’ friendships for the vast majority of the book.
All of this could be okay, but the writing was just really not good. The dialogue felt like watching a bad teen Netflix drama and the prose could get cringey as well.
There were parts of the story/certain relationships that I really loved, but I wanted more from the author even in those parts.
Finally, I didn’t love how men were depicted generally. It’s not my place to criticize how an Arab woman depicts Arab men. It made me a bit uncomfortable that all the Arab men were various levels of shitty people, but I recognize it’s the author’s choice to depict misogyny in her own culture and that’s completely fair. But then why were the white men SO GREAT? Go ahead and write a story where one of the themes is misogyny in your own culture, but why pretend it doesn’t exist in others? It felt very unbalanced and unrealistic.
All of this could be okay, but the writing was just really not good. The dialogue felt like watching a bad teen Netflix drama and the prose could get cringey as well.
There were parts of the story/certain relationships that I really loved, but I wanted more from the author even in those parts.
Finally, I didn’t love how men were depicted generally. It’s not my place to criticize how an Arab woman depicts Arab men. It made me a bit uncomfortable that all the Arab men were various levels of shitty people, but I recognize it’s the author’s choice to depict misogyny in her own culture and that’s completely fair. But then why were the white men SO GREAT? Go ahead and write a story where one of the themes is misogyny in your own culture, but why pretend it doesn’t exist in others? It felt very unbalanced and unrealistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape
steffski's review against another edition
4.0
I understand this one is controversial. But I really appreciated the tension between religion/culture/self and how young people are trying and failing to navigate that. I think she sheds light on a reality that we don't often know how to put words on, and that life does feel like a string of interconnected "impossible" things.
There were moments when the book was slow and the middle could have been so much shorter.
There were moments when the book was slow and the middle could have been so much shorter.
mariachiara's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape and Abortion
amchardonnay's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
theythemsam's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a beautiful book on friendship, love, grief, heartbreak, culture, and religion😭. There are so many scenes I loved in this book that simultaneously broke my heart. Kees fight with Harry literally had me hold my breath. I wanted to hold Jenna in my arms when that night happened to her. Malak experienced so much joy and hurt in Cairo and I wish her and Jacob ended up together but I understand why not, which was a great ending for them. I love that Jenna is friends with Lewis again. I wanted to fight Ali for abusing Malak light that and gaslighting her. Harry and Kees relationship was the most beautiful and emotional to me.
jesskco's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
littlepepperguy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book blew me away. I was so immediately in love with these characters, the central theme, and the writing style.
You get gently carried through the story, weaving in and out of these women's lives/minds/favor.
The relationship these three women have to each other and Islam being the foundation of the multitude of storylines was so beautifully and seamlessly done. I feel attached to them, like I can just pick up the book later and check in on them and magically their will be more chapters so I can catch up with them. This book has magic in it.
Truly beautiful work. The style feels like the style Sally Rooney attempts at but actually accomplished. Highly recommend the read.
You get gently carried through the story, weaving in and out of these women's lives/minds/favor.
The relationship these three women have to each other and Islam being the foundation of the multitude of storylines was so beautifully and seamlessly done. I feel attached to them, like I can just pick up the book later and check in on them and magically their will be more chapters so I can catch up with them. This book has magic in it.
Truly beautiful work. The style feels like the style Sally Rooney attempts at but actually accomplished. Highly recommend the read.
jillaay_h's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
yumnas's review against another edition
4.0
3.5. Writing style was gorgeous but I stopped caring about the characters about half way through.