A review by onebook_more
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0


“The choice she wants me to make isn’t between being gay and straight, it’s between them and me. Who do I choose?

Nishat is a Bengali teenager living in Dublin, where she doesn’t always feel like she belongs. When she comes out as a lesbian to her parents, her sense of belonging is shaken even more as they struggle to come to terms with an identity they never imagined for their daughter. Nishat starts to develop feelings for a new student, Flávia. When Nishat decides to utilize her talent in designing henna for a school project, she never expected to face steep competition for Flávia and her popular cousin, which complicates their feelings towards each other even more. 

This story explores the complexities of race, appropriation and family dynamics with vulnerability through an extremely well-thought-out and strong-voiced protagonist in Nishat. The writing is funny, sharp and easy to engage with and the discussions of the isolation felt by people of colour in overwhelmingly white communities will be relatable for many BIPOC readers. I found it particularly interesting to see how the types of issues faced by all teenagers can be compounded by being part of a minority group. Flávia and Nishat’s relationship is filled with both chemistry and tension, making it an extremely satisfying element of the book. There are some quite serious themes explored, specifically related to lesbophobia, racism and outing; these are handled delicately but could be difficult for some readers who have faced similar challenges. 

NOTE: I read this book as the “enemies to lovers” prompt in my Sapphic September reading challenge but if you are looking for a true enemies to lovers arc, you may be disappointed. I don’t feel like Nishat and Flávia are ever really enemies, the closest they get is being on opposing teams for the competition. Still, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone looking for a good YA romance novel that is more pining than explicit romance and deals with hard-hitting topics in a sensitive way. 



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