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A review by farfetched
The Balloon Thief by Aneesa Marufu
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A fantastic debut novel, it leaps right into tackling racism, prejudice and discrimination. Khadija definitely got her chance to shine, and I loved that this book made a point of saying that racial discrimination is not the only kind that exists. There is a prominent transgender character who is respected by the main characters and the narrative. I never quite knew how it was going to end, or that anyone was safe until the end of the book, the action running right up until the end, but didn't feel that rushed in my opinion. I'm looking forward to the sequel!
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death, Blood, and Sexism
Minor: Transphobia