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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
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
This is a funny, heartfelt, harrowing story about family trauma and how it affects our behaviors and motivations in life. Some folks like MC Nadia rebel against family tradition entirely. Nadia is trying to save Sarah, who has rebelled by going deeper into her religion. This was such fun for me and I can see why it was long-listed for the Booker Prize. Funny and thoughtful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Islamophobia
Moderate: Rape
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Finding humour in a serious topic like ISIS brides is hard but was done very well here- the book lost its flow slightly about 3/4 through but picked it up again by the end.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just...so unfunny and cringe. I hate the idea of a main character who is responsible for saving the lives of vulnerable women to be, frankly, so thick about everything and aggressively immature. Book goes from being maybe semi-realistic to spiralling to the least realistic depths,(I mean, Sheikh Jason? Really? SMUGGLING a "proscribed terrorist" across the Turkish border? Every single person in the team having some sort of romantic/sexual affair? Half of the team genuinely punching down on all of these poor women, repeatedly? Smuggling somebody across a border, hiding out in Turkey for months, forging an entry stamp and then skipping home just in time for Christmas and facing no repercussions, leaving the women you came to Iraq to advocate for in the dirt?) but worst of all was the fact that this MC just....didn't really seem to care about actually helping ISIS brides or empathise with them in any way which wasn't all about her. Instead she cares more about shagging, partying, drinking, crying, getting over her (not) ex etc. etc. etc. And that never changes throughout the book - she experiences exactly 0 character growth, except for the realisation that she's probably self-obsessed. Oh and the moral of the story to cap it all off? A mother's love knows no bounds. Enough said. Cool premise, cringe and poor execution.
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've learnt a lot reading this book but as a book I did not enjoy it: characters felt very cartoonish and I found the main character very unlikeable. Besides, the comic tone of the book just did not click with me.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated