teawithalibra 's review for:

Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed

3.0

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I really enjoyed the topic of this book - forgotten women and writing their stories to make our history richer and more diverse - but I found the main character a little frustrating. She was very imperfect, which is fine, but the love triangle she found herself in took away from her story and her growth as a character. I think part of that was intentionally ironic, but it also kept drawing me out of the main plot itself. She was angry at the boys for doing the same things she was doing, and while I appreciate her holding her ground, it also made it hard for me to care about her when she wasn't growing much.

This novel was lyrical and beautiful and well-researched. I'm not big on art or art history, but I was invested in the journey and the reclamation of Leila and her power over several vastly influential historical figures. I wish her chapters added more to the story than just some dramatic irony.