raemoon47's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
chluless's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
Really enjoyable with a great archival/academia art & literary mystery plot but, unfortunately, this novel falls short of its full and honestly glorious potential.
Let me be clear, this is a brilliant book! Khayyam is a likeable heroine, all her teenage emotions are expertly captured, her family dynamic is delightful, and the Parisian setting is dreamily and realistically evoked where appropriate.
However, the emphasis on Khayyam’s romantic relationships is a bit much (especially in a book about feminism with almost no female friendships/interactions), the Leila chapters are barely two pages, and there are some awkward dialogues and occasional shoehorning in places where the reader could easily interpret meanings or themes for themselves.
Ahmed has created a wonderfully accessible book, but I wish the reader’s intelligence had been trusted more
Really enjoyable with a great archival/academia art & literary mystery plot but, unfortunately, this novel falls short of its full and honestly glorious potential.
Let me be clear, this is a brilliant book! Khayyam is a likeable heroine, all her teenage emotions are expertly captured, her family dynamic is delightful, and the Parisian setting is dreamily and realistically evoked where appropriate.
However, the emphasis on Khayyam’s romantic relationships is a bit much (especially in a book about feminism with almost no female friendships/interactions), the Leila chapters are barely two pages, and there are some awkward dialogues and occasional shoehorning in places where the reader could easily interpret meanings or themes for themselves.
Ahmed has created a wonderfully accessible book, but I wish the reader’s intelligence had been trusted more
theblondebird's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
miki_fourinterests's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kennedy136mc's review against another edition
1.0
this book is so all over the place and the romance is eeeewwww!
amm1y's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
biblioemily's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. It was an intriguing premise, but I just failed to connect with any of the characters in any way. None of the characters felt well-developed to me. I felt this way about Internment, too, which is puzzling since I loved Love, Hate, & Other Filters...
ments14's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
jordb1213's review against another edition
4.0
I was initially intrigued by this book from it's title - and associated connection to Lord Byron. When I read the synopsis, my interest only grew. Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know has a unique premise and delivers excellently. The way the Leila portions of the narrative blend into the whole is really well done and gives enough of a story to feel complete without dragging you out of Khayyam's story. I also really enjoyed the incorporation of Delacroix, Dumas, and Byron into the story. The only thing I didn't love was that the dialogue could feel forced at times and awkward. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read.