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edshara's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this. Even though this book is #ownvoices, I loved how Samira Ahmed still left room for other minority’s to catch glimpses of themselves and their experiences in her characters. I may not be Indian or Muslim but some of what Maya talked about was very familiar and relatable.
The characters were all interesting even if they weren’t all likable. I liked Maya and thought she was the right amount of teen and mature. She handled her circumstances as well as she could and a lot better than I expected. Everyone NEEDS an Aunt Hina, seriously, she was the best. The right amount of wisdom and understanding.
The thing I didn’t like was how little the Muslim faith was shown throughout the book. I realize that everyone practices their faith differently, I just think when that’s the main component of the plot it would be included a little more. Details were mostly just mentioned in passing. Overall this was a great book and if the plot interests you, I’d say read it.
The characters were all interesting even if they weren’t all likable. I liked Maya and thought she was the right amount of teen and mature. She handled her circumstances as well as she could and a lot better than I expected. Everyone NEEDS an Aunt Hina, seriously, she was the best. The right amount of wisdom and understanding.
The thing I didn’t like was how little the Muslim faith was shown throughout the book. I realize that everyone practices their faith differently, I just think when that’s the main component of the plot it would be included a little more. Details were mostly just mentioned in passing. Overall this was a great book and if the plot interests you, I’d say read it.
joana_stormblessed's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! It was a really important read and I really loved it.
booklifter's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
yumnas's review
2.0
I picked this book up because I thought it would be a relatable story on islamaphobia and struggle of being an American desi (slang for south Asian) Muslim teen but honestly, I’ve found that there was little I could relate to. I was a little shocked that she was not at all worried about how her parents might react to Phil, her crush, but then in the beginning she was desperately trying to hide the fact she kissed Kareem. Not at all an accurate portrayal of a Muslim teen. And the romance was just no. Plus, it covered up the more important messages of the story.
myriadreads's review
4.0
I read this in one day and night. Great story! Maya is 17, American born of Indian parents, being raised in a small, mostly white town. She's trying to navigate between her family traditions and being American, and struggling to reach her dreams and establish her own identity apart from the expectations of her parents. And, she's also trying to figure out which of two great guys are worth spending more time with. All pretty classic stuff, so far. Meanwhile, a boy is being raised into a man under horrific conditions, fed hate and loneliness, and is hurtling towards his own destructive destiny.
For readers of Jhumpa Lahiri or fans of The Hate U Give, this is your next great read. #ownvoices
For readers of Jhumpa Lahiri or fans of The Hate U Give, this is your next great read. #ownvoices
kvreadsandrecs's review against another edition
3.0
I liked Maya. She was strong, but the pacing of the book was odd. The ending with Phil though was great. Very realistic and I'm a fan :)
nhdk's review
4.0
Fantastic read, loved the sass of the protagonist and the humour in the book. It was also a stark reminder of the hate our society sadly still bears. As a meliorism and a lover of all people regardless of faith, skin colour or otherwise, I found some parts hard and saddening to read. But I also feel that’s important. It’s a reminder that we need to be tolerant and loving and appreciative of all our differences, not hate each other for it. A beautiful portrayal of love, youth and culture. Highly recommend this stunning contemporary YA read.
kaylarage's review
2.0
The idea of the book is good. I am all for more diversity in YA literature and not shying away from including important and difficult themes--like terrorism and race/religion-based hate crimes--in books for young people. However, everything in this book--the plot, the characters, and the love story--was clunky and underdeveloped.
kmhist101's review
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0