Scan barcode
hilarylouise's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Chronic illness and Mental illness
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Next of Kin was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it lived up to my expectations. It seems Kia Abdullah can do no wrong in my eyes.
The plot of this novel revolves around the death of a young child, who was forgotten in a car on a hot day. It is part police procedural, part courtroom suspense, and part family drama centred around the complex and complicated relationship between sisters Leila and Yasmin. All great stuff, and the plot set up is certainly something many tired and harried parents fear - there but for the grace of god go I etc.
Then, in the latter stages of the book, Abdullah ramps it up with first one twist, then another. And another. None came out of left field and, looking back, the breadcrumbs were there to be seen. These were the sorts of twists that added layers of moral and emotional complexity, had me wondering anew what I would do in similar circumstances, and then had my heart plummeting for the characters all over again. The sort of twists which took an already good story and made it better, richer, deeper.
For thought-provoking legal dramas that force you to question what you believe about contemporary issues and that don’t offer up pat easy answers you can’t go past Kia Abdullah. She’s an author that seems to fly under the Bookstagram radar, which is a shame since her books are worthy of much more love and attention.
The plot of this novel revolves around the death of a young child, who was forgotten in a car on a hot day. It is part police procedural, part courtroom suspense, and part family drama centred around the complex and complicated relationship between sisters Leila and Yasmin. All great stuff, and the plot set up is certainly something many tired and harried parents fear - there but for the grace of god go I etc.
Then, in the latter stages of the book, Abdullah ramps it up with first one twist, then another. And another. None came out of left field and, looking back, the breadcrumbs were there to be seen. These were the sorts of twists that added layers of moral and emotional complexity, had me wondering anew what I would do in similar circumstances, and then had my heart plummeting for the characters all over again. The sort of twists which took an already good story and made it better, richer, deeper.
For thought-provoking legal dramas that force you to question what you believe about contemporary issues and that don’t offer up pat easy answers you can’t go past Kia Abdullah. She’s an author that seems to fly under the Bookstagram radar, which is a shame since her books are worthy of much more love and attention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness
librariangeorgia's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death of parent
honeyreads1066's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
I am not often keen on daily dramas so I wasn't sure what to expect but the premise of this immediately had me drawn in.
This story is ultimately about family, about being able to forgive and how tragedy affects everyone. It is a raw and messy portrayal of family and relationships.
The book follows Leila who has struggled to have kids and her sister Yasmin who has a son Max. After Andrew, (Yasmin's husband) gets an emergency call from work, Leila is asked to drop Max to school. Tragedy befalls the family as on this hot day, Leila leaves max in the car causing his death and the continuing trial for manslaughter changes everything within the family. Was it just a tragedy or something more sinister?
The characters themselves were so fleshed out, I felt like these were people I knew and truly felt the conflicting feelings and they were so human, none of them was all good and always made the right decisions, they were complicated and that made them feel real.
The ending had me reeling, with twist after twist after twist. It didn't feel cheap and it made sense though I wasn't expecting any of it. Overall I absolutely would recommend this though the subject matter is extremely upsetting. This story is so much more than just one event but also the complicated relationship between sisters.
This story is ultimately about family, about being able to forgive and how tragedy affects everyone. It is a raw and messy portrayal of family and relationships.
The book follows Leila who has struggled to have kids and her sister Yasmin who has a son Max. After Andrew, (Yasmin's husband) gets an emergency call from work, Leila is asked to drop Max to school. Tragedy befalls the family as on this hot day, Leila leaves max in the car causing his death and the continuing trial for manslaughter changes everything within the family. Was it just a tragedy or something more sinister?
The characters themselves were so fleshed out, I felt like these were people I knew and truly felt the conflicting feelings and they were so human, none of them was all good and always made the right decisions, they were complicated and that made them feel real.
The ending had me reeling, with twist after twist after twist. It didn't feel cheap and it made sense though I wasn't expecting any of it. Overall I absolutely would recommend this though the subject matter is extremely upsetting. This story is so much more than just one event but also the complicated relationship between sisters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death of parent