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onthesamepage's reviews
1035 reviews
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf
adventurous
sad
slow-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
3.5
This is my second book by the author, and her middle grade doesn't disappoint either. The writing doesn't pack the same punch as her YA novels, but that makes sense, since the target audience is different.
Hamra is a very relatable character. She is full of anger at the state of the world, and at the unfairness of her parents being away from her, and her grandmother losing herself bit by bit, and almost everyone forgetting her birthday. Her anger leads her to make some questionable choices with big consequences, and we follow her on her quest to deal with that, but also to deal with her emotions in a different way than letting them lead her by the nose.
I think middle graders will enjoy the adventure aspects of the story, and hopefully Hamra will teach them to think before acting. My one complaint is that I think the book is a bit too long. It failed to fully hold my attention in the middle, but I really appreciated the ending and what the author did there.
Hamra is a very relatable character. She is full of anger at the state of the world, and at the unfairness of her parents being away from her, and her grandmother losing herself bit by bit, and almost everyone forgetting her birthday. Her anger leads her to make some questionable choices with big consequences, and we follow her on her quest to deal with that, but also to deal with her emotions in a different way than letting them lead her by the nose.
I think middle graders will enjoy the adventure aspects of the story, and hopefully Hamra will teach them to think before acting. My one complaint is that I think the book is a bit too long. It failed to fully hold my attention in the middle, but I really appreciated the ending and what the author did there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Haikyu!!, Vol. 4 by Haruichi Furudate
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm saying this like every review I write for Haikyuu isn't biased, but there's just something special about Nekoma and their relationship with Karasuno. This volume sets up the renewed rivalry between the two teams, and every team member has a counterpart that they're inspired by, on both sides. It's something I love to see—characters going up to each other post-match to rave about how amazing their rival was. It's all warm and fuzzy, and the Karasuno-Nekoma dynamic is unlike any other team dynamic in the series.
Haikyu!!, Vol. 3 by Haruichi Furudate
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I don't think I have a favourite character because I genuinely love them all, but Nishinoya is a special little gremlin. I loved revisiting his scenes with Asahi, and some of them really hit me in the feels. There's something so relatable about Asahi's guilt and lack of confidence. Almost every character had a part to play in bringing him back into the fold, and the moment where he decides he wants this after all is beautiful.
When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thematically, this feels like a very important book, especially for young Muslim women/teens. I think Zahra's story will be relatable to many, and I recognized myself in some of her struggles with her faith and her search for purpose and meaning. Her journey is difficult, but ultimately hopeful. I really appreciated how the author highlighted the role of faith, religion, and community.
The reason I'm not rating this higher is mostly because of the writing style, and because, during parts of this, I felt like the pieces weren't fitting together so much as shoved together in the approximation of a story. Some of the dialogue from characters reads more like exposition than a natural conversation. During one scene, Haya is trying to comfort Zahra, and what she says could come out of the mouth of a sheikh preaching at the mosque. It didn't feel entirely natural at times, and it took me out of the story and lessened the emotional impact since I was too distracted by the prose.
I also felt like characters didn't always behave consistently. From the beginning, we are painted a certain picture of Zahra's mother, and it isn't disputed at all (not even by her own actions) until they have a conversation and she finally speaks openly about her feelings.When Zahra finally returns home, her mother is instantly cold towards her and ignores her for 3 days, only to then say she thought Zahra hated her and that's why she was acting that way. She actually wanted Zahra to talk to her and ask for her help. I can accept this as truth if it applies to before she ran away, but if this is how she feels, ignoring Zahra after she comes back doesn't match with what I'd expect. I guess it boils down to telling vs showing—we're told a lot of things, but I'm not sure if we're shown all that much.
I would still highly recommend this—I can be a picky reader, especially when it comes to prose, and I think plenty of people will be able to look past that and fully appreciate this book.
The reason I'm not rating this higher is mostly because of the writing style, and because, during parts of this, I felt like the pieces weren't fitting together so much as shoved together in the approximation of a story. Some of the dialogue from characters reads more like exposition than a natural conversation. During one scene, Haya is trying to comfort Zahra, and what she says could come out of the mouth of a sheikh preaching at the mosque. It didn't feel entirely natural at times, and it took me out of the story and lessened the emotional impact since I was too distracted by the prose.
I also felt like characters didn't always behave consistently. From the beginning, we are painted a certain picture of Zahra's mother, and it isn't disputed at all (not even by her own actions) until they have a conversation and she finally speaks openly about her feelings.
I would still highly recommend this—I can be a picky reader, especially when it comes to prose, and I think plenty of people will be able to look past that and fully appreciate this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Drug use
This Green and Pleasant Land by Ayisha Malik
hopeful
reflective
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
3.0
I bought this book a few years ago for 2 reasons:
1) I really loved this specific cover
2) I loved Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged by the same author, and was hoping for another win
It starts off on the wrong foot (for me) when Bilal's mother is on her death bed, and instead of using her last breaths to reaffirm her faith (something that all Muslims know about), the author makes it almost a haha funny moment where she decides to spend her final words on one last job for her son. That small, fairly insignificant moment, told me exactly what to expect from this book, which was probably a good thing, or I might have enjoyed it less.
Credits to the author, this is a very readable book. It's effortlessly engaging and entertaining, even though it deals with the enraging topic of small-mindedness within communities and Islamophobia. But it's also not a story that left a big impact on me by the end. I don't know if there was a better way to conclude the book, but it did feel a bit like a cop-out to me, a way to avoid actually dealing with the issue at the heart of this story. But I enjoyed my time with (most of) these characters nonetheless.
1) I really loved this specific cover
2) I loved Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged by the same author, and was hoping for another win
It starts off on the wrong foot (for me) when Bilal's mother is on her death bed, and instead of using her last breaths to reaffirm her faith (something that all Muslims know about), the author makes it almost a haha funny moment where she decides to spend her final words on one last job for her son. That small, fairly insignificant moment, told me exactly what to expect from this book, which was probably a good thing, or I might have enjoyed it less.
Credits to the author, this is a very readable book. It's effortlessly engaging and entertaining, even though it deals with the enraging topic of small-mindedness within communities and Islamophobia. But it's also not a story that left a big impact on me by the end. I don't know if there was a better way to conclude the book, but it did feel a bit like a cop-out to me, a way to avoid actually dealing with the issue at the heart of this story. But I enjoyed my time with (most of) these characters nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Suicide
A Second Look by Hannah Matus
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really appreciate how much focus there is on practicing Islam, and that different characters do this in different ways. I also liked how the author took the beats from Pride & Prejudice and adjusted them to fit within a modern setting, with Arab characters. I don't think all the changes worked equally well, but overall nothing stood out to me as extremely out of place or odd. There is one chapter from the perspective of Tarseen that starts by breaking the fourth wall, which did feel weird and kind of unnecessary. I think the point of it was to show that his intention is different from how Elizza perceived his actions, but we could've gotten there a different way.
The book is tackling some difficult subjects, like the idea that some Arab parents have about how their daughters should act and what their futures should look like, and how marriage and children should be the ultimate goal for any woman. Elizza doesn't quite see it that way, and her struggles felt very relatable.
That said, the thing that makes Pride & Prejudice such a beloved book for me is definitely the banter between Elizabeth and Darcy, and I did feel that we kind of lost there here. There aren't a lot of witty responses or sharp remarks. There is one mildly amusing moment, and I didn't dislike any of the interactions we got to see, but it also didn't have me excited to get to the next time they meet. It was a fine read, but as a retelling it does lack something. The writing is serviceable but not particularly engaging.
This book also features characters from Palestine, although their origin doesn't play any part in the story.
The book is tackling some difficult subjects, like the idea that some Arab parents have about how their daughters should act and what their futures should look like, and how marriage and children should be the ultimate goal for any woman. Elizza doesn't quite see it that way, and her struggles felt very relatable.
That said, the thing that makes Pride & Prejudice such a beloved book for me is definitely the banter between Elizabeth and Darcy, and I did feel that we kind of lost there here. There aren't a lot of witty responses or sharp remarks. There is one mildly amusing moment, and I didn't dislike any of the interactions we got to see, but it also didn't have me excited to get to the next time they meet. It was a fine read, but as a retelling it does lack something. The writing is serviceable but not particularly engaging.
This book also features characters from Palestine, although their origin doesn't play any part in the story.
Haikyu!!, Vol. 2 by Haruichi Furudate
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Anime's Greatest Villain makes his first appearance.
I love what this volume does for Kageyama as a character, and it's fun getting to see the team in action during a practice match for the first time. The Kageyama/Hinata combo will never get old to me.
I've watched a lot of sports anime over the years, and my favourites aren't the ones where the main character is extremely talented, but the ones where they start off sucking and we get to see them grow. That's exactly what Hinata is, and to some extent all of the main cast have weaknesses that they need to grow past to improve. There's a moment in this volume that always makes me laugh, when Hinata messes up big time and is faced with Kageyama's wrath. It's just so good.
I love what this volume does for Kageyama as a character, and it's fun getting to see the team in action during a practice match for the first time. The Kageyama/Hinata combo will never get old to me.
I've watched a lot of sports anime over the years, and my favourites aren't the ones where the main character is extremely talented, but the ones where they start off sucking and we get to see them grow. That's exactly what Hinata is, and to some extent all of the main cast have weaknesses that they need to grow past to improve. There's a moment in this volume that always makes me laugh, when Hinata messes up big time and is faced with Kageyama's wrath. It's just so good.
What Cats Want: An Illustrated Guide for Truly Understanding Your Cat by Yuki Hattori
informative
fast-paced
4.0
This doesn't go super deep into every topic, but it serves as an excellent starting point to find out all the things you didn't know about cats, and to maybe help you figure out which areas you'd like to look into more.
The illustrations throughout are really cute, but some of them are also helpful. There's one that has different silhouettes of cats to help you determine if your cat is underweight or overweight, for example. There are also lists of common diseases per breed, and cat diseases in general. There are also tips when it comes to dealing with specific feline behavior, like excessive biting for example, or what to try if your cat is a fussy eater.
The illustrations throughout are really cute, but some of them are also helpful. There's one that has different silhouettes of cats to help you determine if your cat is underweight or overweight, for example. There are also lists of common diseases per breed, and cat diseases in general. There are also tips when it comes to dealing with specific feline behavior, like excessive biting for example, or what to try if your cat is a fussy eater.
The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I feel like if I'd thought about it a little bit longer, I probably could have figured it out, but the twist did take me by surprise. The beginning of this felt very slow to me, however, and I almost gave up on reading it. The story switches between the group that goes to the island, and a smaller group on the mainland that is trying to figure out what actually happened on the island six months ago. Both parts had interesting moments, and I ultimately did enjoy the story overall, but I don't think it's one that will stick with me.
Despite the fact that we spend around 25% just following these different characters around and watching their interactions, I feel like we're kept at a distance from really getting to know them, which means I also didn't feel much when they started dropping dead. This might just be because of how it's written, and it's something I often notice when it comes to Japanese fiction. If you tend to enjoy Japanese fiction, then it probably won't bother you.
Despite the fact that we spend around 25% just following these different characters around and watching their interactions, I feel like we're kept at a distance from really getting to know them, which means I also didn't feel much when they started dropping dead. This might just be because of how it's written, and it's something I often notice when it comes to Japanese fiction. If you tend to enjoy Japanese fiction, then it probably won't bother you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, Suicide
Haikyu!!, Vol. 1 by Haruichi Furudate
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm finally starting the manga after watching every available episode twice, and the movie three times. I am the furthest thing from unbiased when it comes to Haikyuu—the anime was a highlight for me in a very dark year, and my love for this story and the characters just grows every time I consume it.
That said, I was a bit worried that the art style might not work for me, or that seeing the scenes as drawn panels rather than moving animation would be a let-down, but the way the mangaka draws the scenes is so dynamic that it's clear I was worried for nothing.
There doesn't seem to be much difference between this first volume and the corresponding episodes, aside from an interesting conversation between the Karasuno seniors as they watch that first match between Kageyama and Hinata. From that conversation, it's clear that they immediately understand who Kageyama is as a player. This just adds another layer to why Daichi took the route he did with regards to these two.
One of the things I also love about this series is the vulnerability the characters frequently show. Seeing someone like Kageyama go from a holier-than-thou attitude to admitting something scares him to his core is something I just love to see. I'm always drawn to media with strong character arc, and Haikyuu has so many good ones. I can't wait to revisit them all in the manga.
That said, I was a bit worried that the art style might not work for me, or that seeing the scenes as drawn panels rather than moving animation would be a let-down, but the way the mangaka draws the scenes is so dynamic that it's clear I was worried for nothing.
There doesn't seem to be much difference between this first volume and the corresponding episodes, aside from an interesting conversation between the Karasuno seniors as they watch that first match between Kageyama and Hinata. From that conversation, it's clear that they immediately understand who Kageyama is as a player. This just adds another layer to why Daichi took the route he did with regards to these two.
One of the things I also love about this series is the vulnerability the characters frequently show. Seeing someone like Kageyama go from a holier-than-thou attitude to admitting something scares him to his core is something I just love to see. I'm always drawn to media with strong character arc, and Haikyuu has so many good ones. I can't wait to revisit them all in the manga.