A review by neighborhoodbeanreads
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

emotional funny medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

Prior to reading this book, I had read Jaigirdar's "Hani & Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating", and although I tried not to compare the two, the latter is much better than Henna Wars. I enjoyed the plot's focus on the nuances of cultural appropriation, and which cultures can appropriate versus appreciate different customs. The evolution of the romance between the love interest and the MC was well-thought out-- but I found the pacing of the story to be disjointed/choppy at times. I do think overall this was a really cute story of self-discovery, and did a great job of probing at the reader's own misconceptions regarding cultural appropriation.
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