You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hmatt 's review for:
Like a Love Story
by Abdi Nazemian
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a great read. The writing strikes that perfect balance where it's both appropriate for YA but not too simplified. There's just the right amount of focus each on family/friendships/romance for a coming-of-age novel. I also felt like it did a great job at being didactic without being preachy re: sex ed, queer history & culture, intersectional privilege, etc.
Where I had a small issue was with the main point of conflict - it just felt very contrived to me.I guess I just didn't buy in that it would be such a big deal to Judy that Art had a crush on Reza, acted on before she and Reza started dating, was rejected, and then kept his distance for the duration of their relationship. It's believable that she would be upset to some degree, but the extent it went to didn't make a lot of sense to me. I was able to look past this because the author didn't make it the only plot point. Yay, multi-dimensional storytelling.
Where I had a small issue was with the main point of conflict - it just felt very contrived to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry
Minor: Homophobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings