A review by betweentheshelves
The Marvelous Mirza Girls by Sheba Karim

adventurous funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy of this book to review! It’s being pitched as Gilmore Girls meets New Delhi, which seems like a fitting description. Even though I’ve never watched Gilmore Girls. It’s filled with humor, love, and family.

The beginning of this starts out on a great note. We’re immediately introduced to Noreen, and her voice throughout the story is one of the best aspects of the book. She’s funny, and is trying to write her own sitcom. There are pieces of it throughout, which helps to balance out some of the darker moments of the story. These sections were definitely some of my favorite aspects of the story! 

That being said, the plot kind of loses itself halfway through the book. What begins as a journey for Noreen to work through her grief changes into something else entirely, and we lose that beginning journey. I wish that was threaded through the story a bit more, as I think it would help to connect some of the aspects of the plot.

Some of the issues included in the book felt a little too heavy handed as well. There’s a lot of talk about the #MeToo movement, but Noreen never really takes a side. This could have been really powerful if it was connected to Noreen’s connection to her aunt, but most of it fell flat.

Despite the flaws, I still enjoyed all of the culture that Karim infuses into this story. That combined with Noreen’s humor really saves the book. I will say this is definitely for older YA readers, as it almost reads more New Adult at times. 

All in all, I would definitely read this book for the culture and humor! Even if the plot gets a little lost. 
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This book was a little all over the place for me, honestly. It didn't really feel like it had a clear focus, or the focus shifted partway through the book. Stay tuned for a full review to come in the next few weeks!
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