A review by tomnoor
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

3.25

This book was so good in certain ways (I loved the normalization of queer Palestinian-American life, the travel between the US, Jordan and Palestine, the exploration of culture clash and the corresponding deteriorating relationship between mother and daughter). In other ways the book fell really flat. It’s entirely a character driven novel (in that there is no plot) and yet the characters are largely underdeveloped and forgettable. Really the main character just goes from one toxic relationship to another, seemingly dating every person she encounters (and sometimes playing pretty strongly into the trope of the bisexual cheater). The ending was pretty unsatisfying and didn’t show much growth in terms of either the main character’s romantic attachment style or her quest for motherly approval. Also can’t forget the stellar line from one of her suitors ““I think of you as my girlfriend, but also as my daughter”
Expand filter menu Content Warnings