A review by kibbles15
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

challenging emotional informative sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

I have thought a lot about how to explain why I did not like this book.  I think the main reason I did not like it is because I feel that it had so much potential and the author ruined the story with unlikable characters and way more sexual descriptions than seem appropriate for a book intended for teens.   I don't have any kids, but if I did, gay or straight, I would not want them to read this book.  It promotes underage drinking and sexual intercourse without any real references to the consequences of such actions.  I also don't like how the author persistantly implied that sexual intercourse equals love when in reality it is so much more.  Almost every relationship in the book (be it Judy and Raza or Art and Raza) was based solely on the physical attraction of each for the other. Judy and Art were honestly almost predatory in their relationships with Raza. To be honest, the only relationship I believed was that of the Uncle Stephen and his relationship with the people around him.  Stephen was the only character that seemed to have any depth.  His relationship with his friends, his passion to stand up for his beliefs despite his health, his love of old movies, and his efforts to teach his teenage protégés with love were the only thing I liked about this book.
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