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aish_dols's reviews
92 reviews
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dazzling by Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Dazzling; what I loved & disliked in this surreal, intense, magical work of fiction.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5 stars
Isn’t this cover dazzling?
Even more so in person.
✨You should know that this is magical realism, Igbo mythology and has bits of fantasy, so it isn’t for everyone but it worked for me✨
✨It’s told in two points of views: Ozoemena’s & Treasure’s. Girls who have dealt with grief and pain. Whose paths will cross in the most unpredictable ways. One, discovering her powers passed down from her ancestors, trying to create a form of balance. The other, striking a deal with a spirit, getting herself mixed up in chaos. ✨
📕 What I loved 📕
The writer was in total control. A genius. The way she built this world of dazzling and her characters. The boarding house setting for the girls and their shenanigans, including bullying. Especially the bathroom scene is written well with vivid imagery. Ozoemena’s character development is brilliant. I also enjoyed Treasure’s POV. At first it was challenging but she’s a child; the Nigerianness of her hard English got me laughing especially when she was full of spite even though I wanted to scream at her decisions and actions. I like the switch from human to spirit world. And the cover is more beautiful in person! The details!
📕 What I didn’t like 📕
The build up to the main action stretched out until towards the very end. This made me long for it to the point where I was impatient with the POVs, had to pause out of the delay of getting that action I was being seduced with.
✨ Overall, every chapter is crucial to the climax of this piece.; a crazy beautiful read. One of my favourite reads in February ✨
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5 stars
Isn’t this cover dazzling?
Even more so in person.
✨You should know that this is magical realism, Igbo mythology and has bits of fantasy, so it isn’t for everyone but it worked for me✨
✨It’s told in two points of views: Ozoemena’s & Treasure’s. Girls who have dealt with grief and pain. Whose paths will cross in the most unpredictable ways. One, discovering her powers passed down from her ancestors, trying to create a form of balance. The other, striking a deal with a spirit, getting herself mixed up in chaos. ✨
📕 What I loved 📕
The writer was in total control. A genius. The way she built this world of dazzling and her characters. The boarding house setting for the girls and their shenanigans, including bullying. Especially the bathroom scene is written well with vivid imagery. Ozoemena’s character development is brilliant. I also enjoyed Treasure’s POV. At first it was challenging but she’s a child; the Nigerianness of her hard English got me laughing especially when she was full of spite even though I wanted to scream at her decisions and actions. I like the switch from human to spirit world. And the cover is more beautiful in person! The details!
📕 What I didn’t like 📕
The build up to the main action stretched out until towards the very end. This made me long for it to the point where I was impatient with the POVs, had to pause out of the delay of getting that action I was being seduced with.
✨ Overall, every chapter is crucial to the climax of this piece.; a crazy beautiful read. One of my favourite reads in February ✨
Women in Islam: What the Qur'an and Sunnah Say by Abdur Raheem Kidwai
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
This piece is divided into three sections:
- Quranic and hadith addressing women
- Women specifically mentioned in the Quran
- Women as Hadith narrators and teachers
✨ In the pre-Islamic era, men used to look down on women right from birth, so much that they buried their girl daughters alive out of shame for having a girl in society. When Islam came, a lot of misconceptions were straightened out. The punishment in life and the hereafter for such acts like these that scream misogyny are brutal. Women are to be honored and respected.
✨Overall the book is designed in such a way that the Quran verses, commentary and hadith are not overwhelming to read. Matters of identity as a woman, marriage, motherhood, divorce, knowledge, war, martyrdom, trade/commerce, advice/counsel, inheritance, finance, worship, legislations and politics are addressed centering women, sighting examples of women who were not docile/quiet to a fault, who spoke and complained when necessary that their voices were heard by God and this influenced certain revelations in chapters or verses of the Quran. This strongly shows the significance of women in the sight of God. The rights of women were reiterated in many Quran verses and hadiths, warning men to be conscious of not denying women these rights.
✨ There are rewards stated for appreciating a woman; mother/wife/sister/daughter for their mere existence. Their achievements and contributions to society and the world at large, is a bonus. The consequences of not fulfilling these rights are ugly as we have those who trample upon these rights. The Quran states that women and men are the same in the sight of God, referencing several verses.
✨Asides from believing women in the Quran, the book mentions disbelieving women who started chaos, or fanned its flames, like potiphar’s wife and Abu Lahab’s wife. The wives of Lot and Moses too; how their husband’s prophecy didn’t save them from straying.
📚It’s a simple lovely book and I recommend it. It was written for Muslim women to know their worth and chase their goals for this deen and dunya fearlessly. Also a good Ramadan book buddy In Islam; a review with highlights.
- Quranic and hadith addressing women
- Women specifically mentioned in the Quran
- Women as Hadith narrators and teachers
✨ In the pre-Islamic era, men used to look down on women right from birth, so much that they buried their girl daughters alive out of shame for having a girl in society. When Islam came, a lot of misconceptions were straightened out. The punishment in life and the hereafter for such acts like these that scream misogyny are brutal. Women are to be honored and respected.
✨Overall the book is designed in such a way that the Quran verses, commentary and hadith are not overwhelming to read. Matters of identity as a woman, marriage, motherhood, divorce, knowledge, war, martyrdom, trade/commerce, advice/counsel, inheritance, finance, worship, legislations and politics are addressed centering women, sighting examples of women who were not docile/quiet to a fault, who spoke and complained when necessary that their voices were heard by God and this influenced certain revelations in chapters or verses of the Quran. This strongly shows the significance of women in the sight of God. The rights of women were reiterated in many Quran verses and hadiths, warning men to be conscious of not denying women these rights.
✨ There are rewards stated for appreciating a woman; mother/wife/sister/daughter for their mere existence. Their achievements and contributions to society and the world at large, is a bonus. The consequences of not fulfilling these rights are ugly as we have those who trample upon these rights. The Quran states that women and men are the same in the sight of God, referencing several verses.
✨Asides from believing women in the Quran, the book mentions disbelieving women who started chaos, or fanned its flames, like potiphar’s wife and Abu Lahab’s wife. The wives of Lot and Moses too; how their husband’s prophecy didn’t save them from straying.
📚It’s a simple lovely book and I recommend it. It was written for Muslim women to know their worth and chase their goals for this deen and dunya fearlessly. Also a good Ramadan book buddy In Islam; a review with highlights.
A History of Islam in 21 Women by Hossein Kamaly
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
When I picked up this historical book, I had a different idea of what it’d be about. Or at least the women that would be highlighted. I thought I’d be reading about 21 female companions of the prophet PBUH. The first three chapters aided my belief; they were about Khadijah, Aisha & Fatima. The other 18 women? I’ve not heard of. I learnt from their lives, how they were not passive victims of circumstances and took on powerful roles in times when women were hated for speaking up. However I feel the selection of certain women were influenced by the author’s Shia-Islam
The political situations in their times (7th - 20th century) filled the book that one would have to make reference to it and not assimilate the information once. In short, it dragged the points. A lot about the Ottoman Empire and pre-Islamic Arabic customs show that Islam and people’s deviations are parallel; I had to question the decisions some women and men made when it came to killings in the case of Safiye Sultan and Pari Khanum.
Apart from the first three women, the stories of these women in particular drew me in and were written brilliantly: Nur Jahan, Nana Asmau, Halida Edip, Noor Inayat Khan, Mukhlisa Bubi, Zaha Hadid & the mathematical prowess, Maryam Mirzakhani.
I especially admire how several of these women were sold into slavery, or sent off to be concubines or mistresses for Sultans, Kings, Men in power, but fought their way into being more than that, balancing faith and intellect, putting effort to change the status quo of their societies. Many of these women, when their voices gained power, were brought down violently by men in their times. Either through murder or imprisonment or stripping them totally of their power.
The misogyny did not start today! History has evidences of these things! And the fact that many of these women were successful regardless of their circumstances because they chose to be active and do more than traditional roles is impressive and worthy of their names to be mentioned.
#AHistoryOfIslamin21women
The political situations in their times (7th - 20th century) filled the book that one would have to make reference to it and not assimilate the information once. In short, it dragged the points. A lot about the Ottoman Empire and pre-Islamic Arabic customs show that Islam and people’s deviations are parallel; I had to question the decisions some women and men made when it came to killings in the case of Safiye Sultan and Pari Khanum.
Apart from the first three women, the stories of these women in particular drew me in and were written brilliantly: Nur Jahan, Nana Asmau, Halida Edip, Noor Inayat Khan, Mukhlisa Bubi, Zaha Hadid & the mathematical prowess, Maryam Mirzakhani.
I especially admire how several of these women were sold into slavery, or sent off to be concubines or mistresses for Sultans, Kings, Men in power, but fought their way into being more than that, balancing faith and intellect, putting effort to change the status quo of their societies. Many of these women, when their voices gained power, were brought down violently by men in their times. Either through murder or imprisonment or stripping them totally of their power.
The misogyny did not start today! History has evidences of these things! And the fact that many of these women were successful regardless of their circumstances because they chose to be active and do more than traditional roles is impressive and worthy of their names to be mentioned.
#AHistoryOfIslamin21women
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
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? Yes
3.75
You know how we stress about the past at times, blaming some of our actions or inactions, wishing we had done something entirely differently, that perhaps it would change our present lives and make some current happenings better because one decision or indecision can alter the route of our lives?
Well if there’s one thing you can take away from ‘Before the Coffee gets cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, it is that whatever is in the past should stay there, it can not alter our present. Similarly it brings us hope that what we do in our present lives is what matters and can change the future no matter how uncertain it can be.
With his ponder-inducing stellar work, he has written something beautifully unique. There’s a cafè in which a particular seat can time travel to the past and you’ve to be done with your sentiments before the coffee gets cold unless there are dire consequences. The novel is divided into four parts: the lovers, husband and wife, the sisters, mother and child. Each part, reveals more about characters that reoccur in its pages, making us sympathize with their unraveling stories. It shines light strongly on attachment, relationships and human interaction.
Sometimes it goes too much into detail repeating already known facts like the reiteration of the rules, description of outfits and certain lines were too stretched to induce suspense but I think it also has to do with the translation from Japanese to English. The translator did a brilliant job though seeing that some form of language and context can be inevitably lost in translation. It’s a notable work of fiction.
I will definitely be reading more Japanese literature, and not just this month, seeing as I’ve learnt a lot from their ways and picked certain new things too. That’s why tags like #Japanuary which helps us diversify our reads are so helpful!
Well if there’s one thing you can take away from ‘Before the Coffee gets cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, it is that whatever is in the past should stay there, it can not alter our present. Similarly it brings us hope that what we do in our present lives is what matters and can change the future no matter how uncertain it can be.
With his ponder-inducing stellar work, he has written something beautifully unique. There’s a cafè in which a particular seat can time travel to the past and you’ve to be done with your sentiments before the coffee gets cold unless there are dire consequences. The novel is divided into four parts: the lovers, husband and wife, the sisters, mother and child. Each part, reveals more about characters that reoccur in its pages, making us sympathize with their unraveling stories. It shines light strongly on attachment, relationships and human interaction.
Sometimes it goes too much into detail repeating already known facts like the reiteration of the rules, description of outfits and certain lines were too stretched to induce suspense but I think it also has to do with the translation from Japanese to English. The translator did a brilliant job though seeing that some form of language and context can be inevitably lost in translation. It’s a notable work of fiction.
I will definitely be reading more Japanese literature, and not just this month, seeing as I’ve learnt a lot from their ways and picked certain new things too. That’s why tags like #Japanuary which helps us diversify our reads are so helpful!
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
5.0
"Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought." – Iain Reid.
"I'm Thinking Of Ending Things" is my first book this decade and the philosophical suspense was worth my time. I crave and always desire books that challenge my intellect, and leave my mind sharper afterwards.
"An ingeniously twisted nightmare road trip through the fragile psyches of two young lovers." – Charlie Kaufman.
In this ingenious debut by Iain Reid,
Two young lovers are on a road trip, Jake & his nameless girlfriend (who initially happens to be the narrator), until the thriller gives up the sneak and snatches your psyche, schools you and paints your brilliance, enlightens you, gives you a reason to marvel at the mind of Iain Reid and trust me this book is hooking.
The dazzling part about the book is that you can never predict it. Never. NEVER. It is nothing like you have ever imagined. NOTHING. When Jake and his girlfriend leave his parents house which was a weird experience and head back for the city, they make two stops. One at Dairy Queen and another at a School. It is at this school where your mind tries to connect dots until the story schools you into how words are actually in the hands of the author.
I love the book and I don't mind having Iain Reid's brain for keeps! We need to write fearlessly like this Canadian Author. If I could swallow this book, I would, at least have some of its wonders seep into my bloodstream. Thank you @messy_alaa for the recommendation! I love you! It's now a Netflix 2020 film but THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER. Read the book first.
"I'm Thinking Of Ending Things" is my first book this decade and the philosophical suspense was worth my time. I crave and always desire books that challenge my intellect, and leave my mind sharper afterwards.
"An ingeniously twisted nightmare road trip through the fragile psyches of two young lovers." – Charlie Kaufman.
In this ingenious debut by Iain Reid,
Two young lovers are on a road trip, Jake & his nameless girlfriend (who initially happens to be the narrator), until the thriller gives up the sneak and snatches your psyche, schools you and paints your brilliance, enlightens you, gives you a reason to marvel at the mind of Iain Reid and trust me this book is hooking.
The dazzling part about the book is that you can never predict it. Never. NEVER. It is nothing like you have ever imagined. NOTHING. When Jake and his girlfriend leave his parents house which was a weird experience and head back for the city, they make two stops. One at Dairy Queen and another at a School. It is at this school where your mind tries to connect dots until the story schools you into how words are actually in the hands of the author.
I love the book and I don't mind having Iain Reid's brain for keeps! We need to write fearlessly like this Canadian Author. If I could swallow this book, I would, at least have some of its wonders seep into my bloodstream. Thank you @messy_alaa for the recommendation! I love you! It's now a Netflix 2020 film but THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER. Read the book first.