A review by allisonwonderlandreads
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

emotional funny reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Hana Khan Carries On is a masterpiece. The love story has zippy banter and cringey rom com moments aplenty, but it's only one aspect of Hana's multifaceted tale. Her dream is to be in radio, but microaggressions at work pile on until there's not much left to love, and Hana must decide who she wants to be and where/how. Her mom's small, family-run restaurant is struggling, and that's before a fancy new establishment starts being constructed in the neighborhood under the watchful eye of a rich and laser-focused businessman (prepare for some major You've Got Mail moments). Then, the middle of the book features a hate crime that Hana experiences as a second generation Muslim Canadian Desi. A video of the incident goes viral, exposing her neighborhood to more bigotry leading up to a local street festival.
 
There's so much to obsess over with this book, it's hard to know where to start. Let's begin with Hana herself. I think the single POV approach in this book was perfection. I liked being in Hana's corner from the first to last page, becoming familiar with her hopes and dreams, her worries and fears. Whether she was facing a funny interpersonal problem or a harrowing conflict, I was cheering her on. Hana has such a strong voice, whether it was the general narrative or the multimedia inclusion of her podcast transcripts or text messages. By the end of the book, I felt she was my friend (if she would have me). She went through some major changes and had some important realizations throughout, and I found many of her reflections on the air to be moving and full of wisdom.
 
This story has it all: an adorable romance, delightful characters, high drama, and a serious examination of lived oppression of immigrant communities in general and Muslims specifically. There are moments of light, fluffy goodness and others with gritty struggle against systemic violence. At the center through it all is a poignant and nuanced focus on family and the growing pains of change that affect all our relationships. It's a rare book that makes me both laugh and cry, so this one joins a select echelon of treasured stories. I can't recommend it enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out this week on 4/13!
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