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fajarm2002's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was interesting reading this book as someone with Pakistani parents who speaks passable Urdu and has never really lived in Pakistan or knows the history all that well other than obviously the partition and the current prime minister. I also liked reading through the main character’s point of view and the writing was easy to read. That being said after I finished it, it didn’t feel like all that much really happened? I think it was supposed to be like that but I don’t read many books like this so it was noticeable to me. What stuck with me? The relationship between the servant and the family he works for, as well as the unsent letter he wrote to his brother after his son’s death. It was heartbreaking but they’re similar to thoughts I’ve had about the death of a loved ones. Aliyah’s embarrassment of being half Pakistani, enjoyment of parts of her culture, prejudices and complicated feelings towards Pakistanis as well as her interaction with the masturbating man who threw the word Amrikan at her as an insult when she was wearing that dress is also memorable. Her feelings about the American boys on the school bus shooting spitballs at passerbys and her surprising thought that Pakistanis deserved that, and that coming full circle when she fully feels Pakistani and she gets one shot into her hair when the Americans are leaving and protects her friend and servant from them. Her wanting to and working to learn Urdu in secret with the help of her servant too. That all being said, I don’t regret reading this book at all but I think it’s more reflective that my usual reads and when I remember it later on it’ll be in bits and pieces.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia
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