silvermoonlight's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
zayna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
First two parts (that takes place in Japan and India) were really interesting and well written but after that ut felt like the plot was all over the place, the author was trying to fit so many topics into the story and also it was all a bit too dramatic and i rolled my eyes several times lol
__cranky__'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I think Burnt Shadows really shines in depicting the emotional turmoil and grief that persists onto families from war. the ending is certainly an ending, but not exactly one that we want as readers. It is not cathartic. It makes us crave for a resolution that millions have not seen a glimpse of. :(
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Vomit, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, Deportation, Death of parent, and Death
bluefortheroses's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
elliehamilton38's review against another edition
5.0
A new favourite ✨ by this author! Picking up more asap!
elizabethberger's review
4.0
I loved the first half of this book and I sped through the first part of Hirokos life. The second half however dragged and failed to capture me at all...right up until the final couple of chapters.
fizbiz's review
will be rereading this in 2022 because i read it years ago and don't remember much (just that it was insanely good) so i'll give my actual review and rating then
leilaniann's review
5.0
Regardless of how you feel about the implausible relationships in this book, Kamila Shamsie's writing is absolutely beautiful. Some of her descriptions were so vivid they made my heart jump.
artsymusings's review
4.0
The journey from Hiroko Tanaka to an almost Hiroko Konrad and finally, Hiroko Ashraf was intensely poetic and linked to the many absurdities of life. Everything written in the book can be reflected in one simple phrase, "The speed necessary to replace loss." More than a search for identity, Burnt Shadows is a tale about learning the secret about loss. There is no overcoming, just a bitter fading of it and an ever pronounceable taste that can surface anytime.
For Raza Konrad Ashraf, the narration had a touch of belonging and for him, life was but a series of throwing caution to the wind. He found refuge in being Raza Hazara and that was when he felt as he belonged the most. He chose to be a deserter, not by willingness, but it was time that stretched him far away from the kind of life he always dreamed about. His character teaches a lot about being a child of beautiful parents. Moreover, his ability to converse in many languages makes him all too unforgettable.
For Sajjad Ashraf, his choices reflected the person that he aspired to be and never realized that it didn't really matter to people close to him. His Dilli and his feelings of always being underestimated weren't lost on me.
Kamila Shamsie has woven a world, an alternate universe really, that shows that a bomb not only spreads hatred, it destroys the aspirations that come attached with life. I found Burnt Shadows to be an amalgamation of characters connected through a dead link that was Konrad Weiss. From Jack to Elizabeth, Raza to Harry and finally Hiroko to Ilse and Kim. The loyalties tested at every step of the way and nativeness being the determining factor between friends. From Burtons to Ashrafs and back to the Burtons; time doesn't stop for anyone long enough to take them with it.
For Raza Konrad Ashraf, the narration had a touch of belonging and for him, life was but a series of throwing caution to the wind. He found refuge in being Raza Hazara and that was when he felt as he belonged the most. He chose to be a deserter, not by willingness, but it was time that stretched him far away from the kind of life he always dreamed about. His character teaches a lot about being a child of beautiful parents. Moreover, his ability to converse in many languages makes him all too unforgettable.
For Sajjad Ashraf, his choices reflected the person that he aspired to be and never realized that it didn't really matter to people close to him. His Dilli and his feelings of always being underestimated weren't lost on me.
Kamila Shamsie has woven a world, an alternate universe really, that shows that a bomb not only spreads hatred, it destroys the aspirations that come attached with life. I found Burnt Shadows to be an amalgamation of characters connected through a dead link that was Konrad Weiss. From Jack to Elizabeth, Raza to Harry and finally Hiroko to Ilse and Kim. The loyalties tested at every step of the way and nativeness being the determining factor between friends. From Burtons to Ashrafs and back to the Burtons; time doesn't stop for anyone long enough to take them with it.