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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book. I’m very glad I read it. It was a good read and I gained insight into a culture I knew very little about. I was sad it ended as it did but I think that in itself was very telling. Life isn’t fair and despite best efforts or as the title says “ good intentions” a happy ending isn’t always guaranteed.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Too much jumping around in the time frame among times too close to really be clear about when things were happening without having to check what year it was in the last chapter. Nur is a Muslim from a Pakistani family and is so anxious about telling his family that he is in love with Yasmina, a Muslim from a Sudanese family, that it takes him 4 years to get up the courage.I don't know how Yasmina could stand it that long.
I did appreciate the way the characters' mental health struggles were incorporated into their stories without being the overaraching quality. I did wish that Yasmina's sister and Nur could've figured out and supported each other.
I did appreciate the way the characters' mental health struggles were incorporated into their stories without being the overaraching quality. I did wish that Yasmina's sister and Nur could've figured out and supported each other.
All intentions and no action until its far too late... a common issue with men in the South Asian culture. this book takes this theme and encapsulates it following a five year relationship between Yasmina and Nur.
Caught between societal and familial expectations (Nur is expected to marry a respectable Pakistani girl) and the love of his university girlfriend Yasmina (who, while Muslim like Nur and his immediate circle, has Black Sudanese heritage), Nur is a protagonist who is simultaneously empathetic and frustrating in equal measure.
Examining themes of race, identity, relationships, this book looks at how much traditions dictate the lives of the younger generations. It looks at the reasons why Nur has kept his Sudanese girlfriend a secret from his family and addresses an aspect of racism I haven’t read a novel about before:
"He’d never considered the nuances of racism, how insidious it is, how it operates across a spectrum, rearing different heads to different people."
What I really enjoyed about this book is that it adequately highlights the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of interracial love in the modern day. Its not an easy read but it is a necessary one.
Caught between societal and familial expectations (Nur is expected to marry a respectable Pakistani girl) and the love of his university girlfriend Yasmina (who, while Muslim like Nur and his immediate circle, has Black Sudanese heritage), Nur is a protagonist who is simultaneously empathetic and frustrating in equal measure.
Examining themes of race, identity, relationships, this book looks at how much traditions dictate the lives of the younger generations. It looks at the reasons why Nur has kept his Sudanese girlfriend a secret from his family and addresses an aspect of racism I haven’t read a novel about before:
"He’d never considered the nuances of racism, how insidious it is, how it operates across a spectrum, rearing different heads to different people."
What I really enjoyed about this book is that it adequately highlights the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of interracial love in the modern day. Its not an easy read but it is a necessary one.
It took so long to read this book but it is such a great read! Yes, sometimes it does seem to drag, but watching the breaking of a relationship over 4 years was so intense. I could feel the emotions and the breaks and it hit me in the heart. Made me appreciate my relationships more and more! Love the characters, the idea, and the progression through different time periods and events.
4/5 stars! Totally recommend!
**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
4/5 stars! Totally recommend!
**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
I often felt that actual events inspire the story because of the similarities one can find between the main character and the author. However, I didn't enjoy the past and present narration style; there were a few unnecessary chapters, and the ending also left me with bittersweet feelings. Kasim Ali has potential, but he needs to focus on plot building.
Are you looking for a romance story that revolves around Asian culture or wants to explore what it is like to be a Muslim queer or a Muslim who has to suppress their feelings and always tip-toeing around their families and relatives?
If your answer is yes, then you should read this book.
Read the detailed review here - Books Charming
Are you looking for a romance story that revolves around Asian culture or wants to explore what it is like to be a Muslim queer or a Muslim who has to suppress their feelings and always tip-toeing around their families and relatives?
If your answer is yes, then you should read this book.
Read the detailed review here - Books Charming
can’t believe I read this during black history month
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
Can two people from different cultural backgrounds fall in love and stay in love? That is the premise of this book, but it is decidedly not a romance and more of a contemporary character study. I'm probably not the intended audience and, while I enjoyed the story, I would have liked more background and less dialogue. I generally don't mind a timeline that isn't straightforward but, in this case, it hopped around too much and it felt contrived. Recommended as a fast read.