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A review by frombethanysbookshelf
Someone Like Her by Awais Khan
4.0
Someone Like Her is a sweeping, epic tale that holds a lens to the complexity of society and tradition; the beauty but also the very real risks of corruption and danger that come with it to.
It’s somehow both delicate and harsh at the same time — with beautiful lyrical prose and moments of real heart and emotion, contrasted with deep heartbreak and trauma. Ayesha was a wonderful storyteller, and I can say I’m rather impressed with Khans characterisation of her; a lot of women written by men have a lack of nuance, with something fundamentally missing or just outright sexist but she seems to have been written with real care for the trials of women and through a feminist lens that tries to understand.
The recurring themes in this story would make it a perfect book club pick because there’s so much to discuss; generational trauma, tradition, family, love, misogyny, freedom — it captures so many parts of the human experience and reminds us how so many people experience oppression or corruption today in ways we often forget. The story moves quickly, the characters detailed and distinct, and while the scenes are set against everyday backdrops, there is a quiet fear that comes from powerful families, corrupt traditions and oppressive standards.
With bold storytelling, rich settings, complex characters and an emotionally intense plot, Someone Like Her is quite simply beautiful.
It’s somehow both delicate and harsh at the same time — with beautiful lyrical prose and moments of real heart and emotion, contrasted with deep heartbreak and trauma. Ayesha was a wonderful storyteller, and I can say I’m rather impressed with Khans characterisation of her; a lot of women written by men have a lack of nuance, with something fundamentally missing or just outright sexist but she seems to have been written with real care for the trials of women and through a feminist lens that tries to understand.
The recurring themes in this story would make it a perfect book club pick because there’s so much to discuss; generational trauma, tradition, family, love, misogyny, freedom — it captures so many parts of the human experience and reminds us how so many people experience oppression or corruption today in ways we often forget. The story moves quickly, the characters detailed and distinct, and while the scenes are set against everyday backdrops, there is a quiet fear that comes from powerful families, corrupt traditions and oppressive standards.
With bold storytelling, rich settings, complex characters and an emotionally intense plot, Someone Like Her is quite simply beautiful.