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A review by paperbrownies
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- fake dating, highschool romance, grumpy meets sunshine
- w|w
- rep: indian bengali bi mc, bangladeshi irish bengali-muslim bi mc
idk how to start this review which is why am going to be blunt with you:
i had never read books with bengali people as side characters let alone the mc, this book gave me that!!
the deep understanding of what being bisexual really entails mostly to ourselves and also to our family bc everyday we are making it one step closer to normalize our queerness, to see hani talk about her problems to her father, it gave me such unprecedented joy that i won't be able to fit it in words :)
one's relation with religion, the peace that comes in being connected to your roots while paving your own way at the same time, the sense of loss one associates with leaving their home country but also the faith and joy that goes into finding a home in the new one is so beautifully depicted, adiba jagirdar you are one masterful storyteller!! i am so glad i got to read this book!!
it was everything my queer little bangali heart needed!! :))
now that we can put the formal review aside, can i just say that hani and ishu y'all make my head and heart hurt with both of y'alls strong-headedness and love for each other!! am sitting here laughing out loud at their silly banter, and clutching my heart when they are pining, wanting to hug them when they are hurting, and just being with them throughout the entire time gave me a sense of belonging!! am going to treasure them forever!!!
also let's not talk about about the number of times i craved biriyani the entire time i was reading the book!!!
lastly.....i will finish this essay by saying that adiba writes with her heart on her sleeve!!
thank you for writing a story about us!!
ty for showing us that we can be main characters too!!
- w|w
- rep: indian bengali bi mc, bangladeshi irish bengali-muslim bi mc
idk how to start this review which is why am going to be blunt with you:
i had never read books with bengali people as side characters let alone the mc, this book gave me that!!
the deep understanding of what being bisexual really entails mostly to ourselves and also to our family bc everyday we are making it one step closer to normalize our queerness, to see hani talk about her problems to her father, it gave me such unprecedented joy that i won't be able to fit it in words :)
one's relation with religion, the peace that comes in being connected to your roots while paving your own way at the same time, the sense of loss one associates with leaving their home country but also the faith and joy that goes into finding a home in the new one is so beautifully depicted, adiba jagirdar you are one masterful storyteller!! i am so glad i got to read this book!!
it was everything my queer little bangali heart needed!! :))
now that we can put the formal review aside, can i just say that hani and ishu y'all make my head and heart hurt with both of y'alls strong-headedness and love for each other!! am sitting here laughing out loud at their silly banter, and clutching my heart when they are pining, wanting to hug them when they are hurting, and just being with them throughout the entire time gave me a sense of belonging!! am going to treasure them forever!!!
also let's not talk about about the number of times i craved biriyani the entire time i was reading the book!!!
lastly.....i will finish this essay by saying that adiba writes with her heart on her sleeve!!
thank you for writing a story about us!!
ty for showing us that we can be main characters too!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, and Xenophobia