A review by mochipooja
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

I really wish I’d read this book when it first came out and I’d gotten it because this was kind of at that height of bringing more attention to South Asian representation. I absolutely loved the queer rep as well as the Bengali rep between the community and the culture. It’s not often that you see stories about South Asians that aren’t solely Indian so this was a nice change of pace. Also, the story itself can seem extreme and outlandish because of how it’s written. But the thing to understand is that this is a YA novel written in the perspective of a 17 year old girl. So it may seem exaggerated by the situation itself is not at all outlandish because some families do crazy things like what’s shown in the book. Also the grandmother’s backstory? HEART WRENCHING. Overall, a fast and easy read but incredibly emotional, culturally based, and is a story to keep you turning the page till the end. 
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