junglejelly's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.75
I was absolutely blown away by this book. What an incredible debut!
The writing was great, the character development amazing and the scenery descriptions beautiful.
I was hooked from the start. What a story and what a range of topics explored and using characters who were complex but felt real.
I would thoroughly recommend this book.
The writing was great, the character development amazing and the scenery descriptions beautiful.
I was hooked from the start. What a story and what a range of topics explored and using characters who were complex but felt real.
I would thoroughly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and Deportation
Minor: War, Islamophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
alp_books's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Bullying, Islamophobia, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Hate crime
waybeyondblue's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Slavery, Ableism, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
laurao's review
There are two protagonists. The modern one is entirely written in passive voice and never takes control of his life. The one in the past is a hypocrite. It was a grating read. I wanted a book to learn about the history of Uganda and someone recommended this book to me, but the subject matter in Uganda is very specific and I have no way to put it in context yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Police brutality, Colonisation, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Deportation
Minor: Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Blood, and Religious bigotry
The content warnings are all relevant to the story either as part of history or part of culture.cecilialau_'s review
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So so so a must-read. I really felt immersed in this one, and it is such a necessary book to read for its historically-linked narrative and uncomfortable truths; it’s just, wow, I’m almost speechless. It’s very effective if that makes sense, it’s sweet and heartwarming and a really tough read (bc it can be uncomfortable to be confronted with some of the themes that are rightfully explored)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Hate crime, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcohol
remytherat's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
This story is told in two perspectives. The first, Sameer, an East African Asian lawyer, follows him just months before he's set to move for job; then his plans get changed quite dramatically. The second perspective is epistolary; it takes the form of letters written from Hasan (Sameer's grandfather) to his first wife, Amira.
This was an incredibly well-written story about identity, the nature of family, and the intergenerational effects of colonialism. The first half took a bit of time to get started, but the lyrical prose and characters who felt human made up for it.
The characters were really well written; Sameer's arc is well paced and has a realistic end. Sameer is a better person by the end of the book, but he isn't perfect.
While his arc is good, I ended up liking some of the side characters more than I liked Sameer; this, however, isn't really a bad thing. Annoying dudes™️ and bad people can still be really compelling characters, and Sameer really was. Zayyan's understanding of people felt really tangible the entire time I was reading.
The last third of the book is almost entirely dedicated to Sameer starting his juice start-up; I don't care about Business™️ at all, so that ended up being a bit of a slog to get through. Disappointingly, we learned very little about the actual juices.
This was an incredibly well-written story about identity, the nature of family, and the intergenerational effects of colonialism. The first half took a bit of time to get started, but the lyrical prose and characters who felt human made up for it.
The characters were really well written; Sameer's arc is well paced and has a realistic end. Sameer is a better person by the end of the book, but he isn't perfect.
While his arc is good, I ended up liking some of the side characters more than I liked Sameer; this, however, isn't really a bad thing. Annoying dudes™️ and bad people can still be really compelling characters, and Sameer really was. Zayyan's understanding of people felt really tangible the entire time I was reading.
The last third of the book is almost entirely dedicated to Sameer starting his juice start-up; I don't care about Business™️ at all, so that ended up being a bit of a slog to get through. Disappointingly, we learned very little about the actual juices.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Racial slurs, Racism, Deportation, and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Domestic abuse and Classism
whatannikareads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.25
whew, i have soooooo many thoughts--as expected, i guess, for a book that's almost 400 pages. overall, i'm glad i read this book. i learned so much about ugandan history as well as east african asian presence, which i had no idea about beforehand. it's quite an informative book that was enjoyable to read and would be good for fans of generational stories like pachinko, homegoing, salt houses, etc., which is why i also initially picked up the book.
good stuff:
- the descriptions of uganda, especially in hasan's letters were gorgeous! i wish the book was overall written in the style of hasan's letters
- the novel tackled a lot of different cultures, relationships, and history, so it kept me hooked wanting to figure out what happened next
- the alternating storylines of the letters from the 20th century to Sameer's present day life was an interesting concept; it felt like it was all coming down to one point, the climax that would reveal how these two were intertwined
- i'm not religious, but the descriptions of sameer's reignited faith was very beautiful and hopeful. it was refreshing to read about practicing muslim in a positive light
not so good stuff:
- because hasan's letters were so beautifully written, i was confused why sameer's narrative style was so different. his chapters were so tell not show. i understand he's like a 20-30 something year old straight man, so i guess it's meant to reflect that?
- that being said, hasan's letters also didn't feel realistically written, as in one would not write a love letter 10 pages long with descriptions of miniscule actions, but that's one of the smaller bones to pick
- sameer and maryam's romance did feel a bit underdeveloped and rushed
- also i had a problem/was confused with sameer's fixation on black people's skin color? like idk why the author chose to describe characters' skin like that...sameer wants to shame his grandfather for racist remarks but he's talking about how shiny and nice his black friend's skin is??? i was just really confused
- the ending was so abrupt, i literally turned the page and was like, "...that's it?" i don't necessarilly have a problem with open endings but it just felt so jolted and the pacing was interrupted
overall i would read another one of this author's works! it's a really impressive piece of fiction for a debut novel.
good stuff:
- the descriptions of uganda, especially in hasan's letters were gorgeous! i wish the book was overall written in the style of hasan's letters
- the novel tackled a lot of different cultures, relationships, and history, so it kept me hooked wanting to figure out what happened next
- the alternating storylines of the letters from the 20th century to Sameer's present day life was an interesting concept; it felt like it was all coming down to one point, the climax that would reveal how these two were intertwined
- i'm not religious, but the descriptions of sameer's reignited faith was very beautiful and hopeful. it was refreshing to read about practicing muslim in a positive light
not so good stuff:
- because hasan's letters were so beautifully written, i was confused why sameer's narrative style was so different. his chapters were so tell not show. i understand he's like a 20-30 something year old straight man, so i guess it's meant to reflect that?
- that being said, hasan's letters also didn't feel realistically written, as in one would not write a love letter 10 pages long with descriptions of miniscule actions, but that's one of the smaller bones to pick
- sameer and maryam's romance did feel a bit underdeveloped and rushed
- also i had a problem/was confused with sameer's fixation on black people's skin color? like idk why the author chose to describe characters' skin like that...sameer wants to shame his grandfather for racist remarks but he's talking about how shiny and nice his black friend's skin is??? i was just really confused
- the ending was so abrupt, i literally turned the page and was like, "...that's it?" i don't necessarilly have a problem with open endings but it just felt so jolted and the pacing was interrupted
overall i would read another one of this author's works! it's a really impressive piece of fiction for a debut novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Islamophobia, Racism, Deportation, Death, Bullying, Grief, Hate crime, War, and Xenophobia
ludivinev's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence
monty_mo's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Violence and Islamophobia
wordsofclover's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
We Are All Birds of Uganda follows a young lawyer called Sameer as he thrives in his high stress, long hours job as a London corporate lawyer, and receives good news on the job front that requires a move to Singapore. But Sameer struggles to tell his family that he is moving country, as the weight of his responsibilities as the son who should give back, lie heavy on his shoulders. Eventually Sameer takes a trip to Uganda, a country his grandfather and father forcefully emigrated from in 70s and he connects with the land and people.
There were lots of things I enjoyed in this book - from amazing food descriptions (I'm craving Indian food now but even more so Asian-Ugandan fusion food!) to intense, complicated family dynamics and a look into a world history I had no idea about. I feel so ignorant that before this book I had no idea about the Indian/Asian population in Uganda, and how this community was vilified during a period of unrest in Uganda to the point they were pretty much kicked out of the country despite growing successful businesses, and calling Uganda home.
There were times it was tough to read this book as Sameer's frustration and his lack of control over his own life screamed from the pages from the way his new boss treated him in his job, to how his family didn't think he should be able to live his own life and instead come back to the town he grew up in, live with his family once more and join the family business (plus give up financial independence and use the family account where the dad monitors all spending, which actually had me screaming in horror). I think Indian culture (possibly to an extreme level) is portrayed well in this book from the point of a modern British-East African Asian man loathe to conform to his father's ancient ideas of what a person should do. There were many times Sameer wasn't heard in this book, and times he should have been speaking louder.
I loved the descriptions and feels of Uganda when Sameer travels there, as well as the moments of beauty and love in Hasan's letters about his love for Uganda. It really brings to life a vibrant, colourful country yet it didn't shy away from the more troubling aspects such as the racism (both African-Asian, and Asian-African), as well as the poverty in the country. I appreciated how Sameer and Maryam had to face a life of being judged for being in a interracial couple, and they had to think about how hard this would be from them from all sides including disapproval from Sameer's family.
I did think Sameer was just a bit of a wet sock type of character. He was hard to figure out at times as it seemed his mind jumped to different things he wanted to do, and when things got hard he ducked out quickly. He went from loving lawyer life, to not wanting to be in it very quickly on his Ugandan trip, and the amount of times he changed his mind about things would give a reader whiplash. I didn't really respect him much as a character, and I just wanted him to have more conviction about everything. I did like how he renewed his relationship with God, and Maryam encouraged him to explore his feelings of faith.
The ending of this really annoyed me. It felt like there was so much unfinished business, and I think this also points out problems with the pace of the novel. So much time at the start is focused on Sameer in London, with Rahool and Jeremiah and by the time we see Sameer make big changes in his life, the book is 80% done so the repercussions are very rushed and we get a cliff hanger ending that just doesn't feel worth it. This book isn't a particularly happy read.
There were lots of things I enjoyed in this book - from amazing food descriptions (I'm craving Indian food now but even more so Asian-Ugandan fusion food!) to intense, complicated family dynamics and a look into a world history I had no idea about. I feel so ignorant that before this book I had no idea about the Indian/Asian population in Uganda, and how this community was vilified during a period of unrest in Uganda to the point they were pretty much kicked out of the country despite growing successful businesses, and calling Uganda home.
There were times it was tough to read this book as Sameer's frustration and his lack of control over his own life screamed from the pages from the way his new boss treated him in his job, to how his family didn't think he should be able to live his own life and instead come back to the town he grew up in, live with his family once more and join the family business (plus give up financial independence and use the family account where the dad monitors all spending, which actually had me screaming in horror). I think Indian culture (possibly to an extreme level) is portrayed well in this book from the point of a modern British-East African Asian man loathe to conform to his father's ancient ideas of what a person should do. There were many times Sameer wasn't heard in this book, and times he should have been speaking louder.
I loved the descriptions and feels of Uganda when Sameer travels there, as well as the moments of beauty and love in Hasan's letters about his love for Uganda. It really brings to life a vibrant, colourful country yet it didn't shy away from the more troubling aspects such as the racism (both African-Asian, and Asian-African), as well as the poverty in the country. I appreciated how Sameer and Maryam had to face a life of being judged for being in a interracial couple, and they had to think about how hard this would be from them from all sides including disapproval from Sameer's family.
I did think Sameer was just a bit of a wet sock type of character. He was hard to figure out at times as it seemed his mind jumped to different things he wanted to do, and when things got hard he ducked out quickly. He went from loving lawyer life, to not wanting to be in it very quickly on his Ugandan trip, and the amount of times he changed his mind about things would give a reader whiplash. I didn't really respect him much as a character, and I just wanted him to have more conviction about everything. I did like how he renewed his relationship with God, and Maryam encouraged him to explore his feelings of faith.
The ending of this really annoyed me. It felt like there was so much unfinished business, and I think this also points out problems with the pace of the novel. So much time at the start is focused on Sameer in London, with Rahool and Jeremiah and by the time we see Sameer make big changes in his life, the book is 80% done so the repercussions are very rushed and we get a cliff hanger ending that just doesn't feel worth it. This book isn't a particularly happy read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: Fatphobia