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A review by alibrareads
The Wild Ones by Nafiza Azad
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This was a beautiful story. Very unique for me, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that so heavily uses the first person plural point of view. Only one of the many girls of the Wild Ones is at all delved into or highlighted; it’s about the collective experience of women who have experienced trauma. The language was very poetic and soft, but also very real and evocative. Yes this book has an overarching plot, but it’s mostly about a collective group of girls just trying to live and exist and heal. And there is a conclusion to the overarching plot, but it also feels very transient. This book is a snapshot in the journey of these girls, and it left me feeling hopeful but also mildly melancholy, though not in a wholly negative way. I suppose I would say this is character-driven, but as I said, it’s not really about the characters as individuals (except the first Wild One, Paheli), it’s more about a collective experience.
This took place all over the world, and was full of beautiful foods and colors and vibes and cities. This whole book was a vibe, honestly. It showed these moments of simple joy and living and companionship with other women, all supporting each other and understanding the shared bonds of pain that we experience.
But the magic was really cool too! It’s woven throughout the book and adds this sparkle and wonder and second layer to everything. I love that the Wild Ones are able to harness their screams, what would once have been a sound of fear or desperation, into something full of power. There is not really any fighting, per-say. These girls aren’t superheroes or anything, but they still have power and fight to protect their own in their own way.
There were a few times while I was reading that I wished there was a bit more action or depth to things, but overall this was a beautiful experience. It’s a book telling us girls that our painful experiences are real and it’s not okay that it happened to us. That it’s okay to hurt and okay to heal in our own time in our own way, and that we aren’t alone. The main thing this book says to me is “I see you and your pain”.
Also the cover art?! So beautiful!! One of the prettiest books I own.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/w0L-m_Rxk7M
This took place all over the world, and was full of beautiful foods and colors and vibes and cities. This whole book was a vibe, honestly. It showed these moments of simple joy and living and companionship with other women, all supporting each other and understanding the shared bonds of pain that we experience.
But the magic was really cool too! It’s woven throughout the book and adds this sparkle and wonder and second layer to everything. I love that the Wild Ones are able to harness their screams, what would once have been a sound of fear or desperation, into something full of power. There is not really any fighting, per-say. These girls aren’t superheroes or anything, but they still have power and fight to protect their own in their own way.
There were a few times while I was reading that I wished there was a bit more action or depth to things, but overall this was a beautiful experience. It’s a book telling us girls that our painful experiences are real and it’s not okay that it happened to us. That it’s okay to hurt and okay to heal in our own time in our own way, and that we aren’t alone. The main thing this book says to me is “I see you and your pain”.
Also the cover art?! So beautiful!! One of the prettiest books I own.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/w0L-m_Rxk7M