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musaho's review against another edition
5.0
where the fuck do i even begin?
i don't fucking know, that's the answer. just read the damn book.
n.b. i should also mentions tw for homophobic violence and sexual assault. proceed with caution if you're sensitive to those.
i don't fucking know, that's the answer. just read the damn book.
n.b. i should also mentions tw for homophobic violence and sexual assault. proceed with caution if you're sensitive to those.
the61stbookworm's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
jencunn2024's review against another edition
4.0
What a great representation of LGTBQ characters struggling with admission of their sexual orientation to their parents whom are traditional Bangladeshi Muslims! The protagonist Rukhsana Ali is an Americanized immigrant teen growing up among in her tight-knit community of tight-knit Bengali culture and conservative family. She is about to graduate high school and has a bright future at Cal Tech. But it is all in a lurch and on the line because she has fallen in love with her non-Bangladeshi girlfriend Ariana. The story travels with her and her family back to their home country to visit her grandmother and other family. Things go awry. This is a well written YA novel that entwines Bangladeshi culture throughout. Author Sabina Khan does a wonderful job of telling this story from two sides of the world and covering a wide range of issues with plenty of conflict whether it is between Rukhsana and family, Rukhsana and Ariana, Rukhsana and other friends, both old and new. This is a great read for anyone that may find themselves trying to be an ally or the opposite from any vantage point. I give this 3.5 stars out of 5 only because it had to grow on me a little bit at the beginning, but the pace settles in and the plot moves and gets more interesting all the way through the end. All the conflict situations are resolved completely, responsibly, and positively. I would highly recommend for any high school and select middle school reading shelves. Fantastically modern and entertaining! The audiobook is done with a blend of Bengali culture and American.
mdevlin923's review against another edition
2.0
Rukhsana Ali lives in America with her parents (who moved to the States from Bangladesh) and her brother. Even though they live in America during the 21st century, Rukhsana's parents (and the Bangladeshi-American community) still holds onto Muslim beliefs of heteronormative relationships, arranged marriages, and women who are raised to be wives. But Rukhsana defies many of these by pursuing a degree in physics and secretly dating her girlfriend, Ariana. When her parents find out about her relationship, they take her to Bangladesh and begin arranging suitors to visit her. Rukhsana has to make it back to America to continue working towards her dreams, but it becomes increasingly more difficult.
I understand that this book was supposed to show the extreme difficulties that people in the LGBTQ community have to go through, especially in different countries...but I couldn't help but focus on what terrible friends Rukhsana had. Despite the fact that she continually told her friends that her culture did not accept homosexuality, her girlfriend constantly made Rukhsana feel guilty for not telling her family that she was a lesbian. The same for her other two friends.
I want to like it...but I just couldn't.
I understand that this book was supposed to show the extreme difficulties that people in the LGBTQ community have to go through, especially in different countries...but I couldn't help but focus on what terrible friends Rukhsana had. Despite the fact that she continually told her friends that her culture did not accept homosexuality, her girlfriend constantly made Rukhsana feel guilty for not telling her family that she was a lesbian. The same for her other two friends.
I want to like it...but I just couldn't.
stayathomereader0405's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
24carrotgay's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
I couldn’t say it:m better than the quote on the cover: “This book will break your heart and then piece it back together again.” It’s been a while since I had a good cry while reading. However, between the heart wrenching stories of Nani and Rakhsana’s mom, the cruelty Rakhsana’s endures, Sohail’s murder, the trials of a queer Muslim Bengali-American teen, and the beautiful and hopeful ending, I was doomed to cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia
daizie's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
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
I think this book did a lot of things right, but the ending just didn't seem realistic or merited to me, and it definitely brought down my reading experience as a whole. It didn't feel like we went deep enough into the MANY heavy topics that the author brought up.
I couldn't help comparing this to The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes. They both deal with similar themes, settings, character tropes, etc - but I think Reyes's novel works with those elements on a deeper, more realistic level. If this didn't hit for you (or if it did!), I highly recommend trying out Reyes's book!
I couldn't help comparing this to The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes. They both deal with similar themes, settings, character tropes, etc - but I think Reyes's novel works with those elements on a deeper, more realistic level. If this didn't hit for you (or if it did!), I highly recommend trying out Reyes's book!
bettielovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Such a heartbreaking book, the stuff she went through because she was gay, nobody should have gone through that.
I really liked how well it was portrayed how alone she felt, not just by being gay, but misunderstood among her friends about her culture and how even when they loved her they couldn’t really understand, not even believe how it was for her and how they thought she was exaggerating.
I don’t want to spoil anything but even it has a happy ending what happened to her friend was really hard to read, but still worth it.
I really liked how well it was portrayed how alone she felt, not just by being gay, but misunderstood among her friends about her culture and how even when they loved her they couldn’t really understand, not even believe how it was for her and how they thought she was exaggerating.
I don’t want to spoil anything but even it has a happy ending what happened to her friend was really hard to read, but still worth it.
maxithebookgeek's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
This is a worthwhile coming of age story of a girl who wants to be accepted for who she is.