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A review by serendipitysbooks
Good Intentions by Kasim Ali
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m fairly certain I picked up Good Intentions because it was mentioned in a newsletter put out by Kia Abdullah, whose books I love, as one of the new releases by British-Asian authors she was most excited to read.
It’s the story of the relationship between Nur and Yasmina. Both are Muslim but his family is British-Pakistani and hers is British-Sudanese. There are cultural barriers and prejudices of both sides, but he is certain his family will not be able to overcome theirs. So rather than tell his family, give them a chance to do know Yasmina as a person, to learn and to grow, he keeps Yasmina and the fact that they are living together secret. For four years!
What I really liked about this book was the way it highlighted the bind many second-generation immigrants face, caught between traditional cultural and family expectations and the new mores of the society in which they live. Wanting to make choices which go against those expectations, the fear of disappointing family members, possibly estranging them, the fear that what you want to do may be wrong - it contradicts everything you’ve been brought up with- can be paralysing, possibly contributing to anxiety and other mental health issues. It also highlighted racism towards Blacks from other non-white communities, a topic which doesn’t get as much attention as racism from white communities.
Where I struggled a bit was with Nur himself and his lack of growth. Four years was an awfully long time to be paralysed with fear, to keep such an important person and part of your life secret from those you are supposedly closest to. I understand that he was partly trying to protect Yasmina from hurt, but he failed to consider the ways his own actions and inactions were hurtful. He never changed over the course of the story which made the plot somewhat repetitive. It would have been nice to see him stand up for Yasmina and to take actions to try and dismantle the racism he saw in his community. I’d also loved to have heard directly from Yasmina.
I liked the issues raised but think the book would have been stronger with more of a character arc for the main character.
It’s the story of the relationship between Nur and Yasmina. Both are Muslim but his family is British-Pakistani and hers is British-Sudanese. There are cultural barriers and prejudices of both sides, but he is certain his family will not be able to overcome theirs. So rather than tell his family, give them a chance to do know Yasmina as a person, to learn and to grow, he keeps Yasmina and the fact that they are living together secret. For four years!
What I really liked about this book was the way it highlighted the bind many second-generation immigrants face, caught between traditional cultural and family expectations and the new mores of the society in which they live. Wanting to make choices which go against those expectations, the fear of disappointing family members, possibly estranging them, the fear that what you want to do may be wrong - it contradicts everything you’ve been brought up with- can be paralysing, possibly contributing to anxiety and other mental health issues. It also highlighted racism towards Blacks from other non-white communities, a topic which doesn’t get as much attention as racism from white communities.
Where I struggled a bit was with Nur himself and his lack of growth. Four years was an awfully long time to be paralysed with fear, to keep such an important person and part of your life secret from those you are supposedly closest to. I understand that he was partly trying to protect Yasmina from hurt, but he failed to consider the ways his own actions and inactions were hurtful. He never changed over the course of the story which made the plot somewhat repetitive. It would have been nice to see him stand up for Yasmina and to take actions to try and dismantle the racism he saw in his community. I’d also loved to have heard directly from Yasmina.
I liked the issues raised but think the book would have been stronger with more of a character arc for the main character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Homophobia