A review by andheaventoo
Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman

challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

a delightful reading experience. there is so much texture in this book, so much sadness and weight wrapped up in the details of razia's life in corona that when things finally come to a head towards the end of the book, it is impossible not to get swept up in it. i burst into tears at the final page and couldn't stop crying for 10 minutes, mainly because so much of this book hits so close to home. razia's incredible loneliness, the depth of her friendships, the expansiveness of her love for her mom, the irrevocable weight of her community, the exhilaration of her rebellion - just such a beautiful book. the prose is deceptively straightforward, and the magic of this book is simply in the details. the first two scenes of this book immediately told me it was worth my time. and there is such a haunting quality to the way bushra rehman writes, to the details she chooses to focus on, to the subtle flow of this book. incredible all around.