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A review by rgoodhart
Four Eids and a Funeral by Adiba Jaigirdar, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
4.0
Although lots about this book was predictable (after all it was advertised as a classic enemies-to -lovers story) what I enjoyed most was the inclusion of Muslim and Bangladeshi cultural references. I’m not from either of those backgrounds so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the representation, but it felt realistic and I appreciated the insights.
They were scenes that made me laugh and others that made me almost shed a tear. I liked the characters and especially the friendship between Said and Julian which, although in the background, was a lovely depiction of male friendship; the setting of the town felt quite real and , as with a number of books I’ve read recently, the theme of artwork and how it can draw people together, be used as an agent of change, and be a way to express deep feelings, was used well.
I’m not a fan of dual narrators and kept forgetting to read chapter titles and so didn’t always keep track of who was speaking, but that is my fault!
There are a few swear words (I wish authors would just leave these out – I don’t think that would detract from the authenticity of the characters and I doubt anyone would notice their absence!) but it’s still one I will recommend in my school Library, not least for the representation of ‘everyday’ Islamic culture.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.
They were scenes that made me laugh and others that made me almost shed a tear. I liked the characters and especially the friendship between Said and Julian which, although in the background, was a lovely depiction of male friendship; the setting of the town felt quite real and , as with a number of books I’ve read recently, the theme of artwork and how it can draw people together, be used as an agent of change, and be a way to express deep feelings, was used well.
I’m not a fan of dual narrators and kept forgetting to read chapter titles and so didn’t always keep track of who was speaking, but that is my fault!
There are a few swear words (I wish authors would just leave these out – I don’t think that would detract from the authenticity of the characters and I doubt anyone would notice their absence!) but it’s still one I will recommend in my school Library, not least for the representation of ‘everyday’ Islamic culture.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.