Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Huda and Me by H. Hayek

1 review

emily_mh's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This is a road-trip story at its core, which did make me nervous. Usually I find these kinds of narratives drag out, much like their real-life counterparts, to the point where I am begging for the book to end. Happily I can report that this book, and its road-trip, were fantastic.

The road trip itself was actually very entertaining, spearheaded as it was by the MC’s sister Huda. Huda is a fierce, competent girl who basically has got it together at the tender age of nine. She is utterly hilarious and confident and the mastermind behind getting herself and MC Akeal from Melbourne to Beirut. They share a journey full of deception and hijinks. Not only this, but Hayek makes the time for great character work. Akeal grows throughout the story to become a more confident and brave person and big brother. I really adored his relationship with Huda. It was a great depiction of how siblings can simultaneously be your greatest source of annoyance and of love.

Already Hayek has created a well-crafted road-trip storyline, but what makes it better is that she balances it with a dual timeline. On the present timeline, we follow Akeal and Huda on their way to Beirut. On the past timeline, we learn of the events that made them so desperate as to secretly fly there in the first place. This was a great way of reducing any repetitiveness of the road-trip, while also building a background for the main plot and characters.

I really enjoyed my time with this one and would highly recommend it.
Rep: Muslim Lebanese-Australian MC and SCs
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