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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
For me this was a 3.5 star read, laugh out loud funny with compassionate, thoughtful subject manner I thought this novel was sensationally researched and presented. I did feel the plot was slow moving, although only 320 pages I felt like not a lot happened until the last 100, the context and scene setting were important, but it did mean I lost momentum with this read. I really enjoyed the story, and the characters were complex and equal parts loveable and unlikeable.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
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
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
A fascinating read. Although it is fictional you can see lines of reality threading through it.
Well written and the humour is used so well to mask some deep, issues.
Great read. It should have won the women's fiction prize!
Well written and the humour is used so well to mask some deep, issues.
Great read. It should have won the women's fiction prize!
challenging
emotional
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
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
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was really interested in the topic of this book - deradicalisation program for ISIS brides - particularly given the author's expertise in the area. And while the book brushed on the topic and it was a key point of the plot, it never really delved into the programme beyond a surface level (because Nadia basically forgot about the programme and devoted all her energy to Sara). It was much more focused on individual characters, which is a problem because I hated every character. Nadia loses her shit at everyone - swearing, name-calling, etc - which made it hard to think of her as an adult woman with a PhD and not a teenager. Maybe I liked Sherri.
Setting most of that aside, I like the writing style and definitely laughed more than one. I also liked that the author didn't write this for non-Muslim audiences in terms of explaining key Islamic terms each time she introduced them. Instead, I was constantly looking up various terms and educating myself vs putting that responsibility on the author.
Setting most of that aside, I like the writing style and definitely laughed more than one. I also liked that the author didn't write this for non-Muslim audiences in terms of explaining key Islamic terms each time she introduced them. Instead, I was constantly looking up various terms and educating myself vs putting that responsibility on the author.