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A review by shelbsies
An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75
Don't go into this book expecting a typical plot, it's very much character and emotion driven.
I really do love Mafi's writing style, it's beautiful yet accessible and I always get in wrapped into it... and while I did get wrapped into this story I felt myself longing for more. I feel that this book could've had a lot more pages; this story could've been expanded and been a deeper dive into Shadi's emotions and the complexity and confusion of them. Perhaps, though, this is an appropriate amount of heaviness and pondering for a YA story and that's the adult in me wanting to be in the emotions more. Anyway, the ending just sort of fell flat for me and felt inconclusive.
One smallll, spoilery thing that bothered me was the relationship between Shadi and
Ali, I understood that they had liked each other for a long time but it when Ali kissed her while she was clearly not well (twice!!), that just felt weird and out of place for me.
Also, I can't speak for Muslim rep, but I've seen in many own voices reviews that people are not pleased with Mafi's Muslim representation in her stories. Something to look into and know if you plan to read this story.
Don't go into this book expecting a typical plot, it's very much character and emotion driven.
I really do love Mafi's writing style, it's beautiful yet accessible and I always get in wrapped into it... and while I did get wrapped into this story I felt myself longing for more. I feel that this book could've had a lot more pages; this story could've been expanded and been a deeper dive into Shadi's emotions and the complexity and confusion of them. Perhaps, though, this is an appropriate amount of heaviness and pondering for a YA story and that's the adult in me wanting to be in the emotions more. Anyway, the ending just sort of fell flat for me and felt inconclusive.
One smallll, spoilery thing that bothered me was the relationship between Shadi and
Ali, I understood that they had liked each other for a long time but it when Ali kissed her while she was clearly not well (twice!!), that just felt weird and out of place for me.
Also, I can't speak for Muslim rep, but I've seen in many own voices reviews that people are not pleased with Mafi's Muslim representation in her stories. Something to look into and know if you plan to read this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Grief
Moderate: Self harm