Reviews with content warning for Violence - Hollow Fires

I have so many feelings after finishing this. I’m angry, sad, frustrated but this book is nothing short of amazing. It jumps around many years, using multiple forms of media (think a good girls guide to murder with the podcasts, news outlets and such), it has so much going on, I know I can’t do it justice and I don’t even know where to start about how much I love this book.

I don’t know if I’d necessarily say it was an enjoyable reading experience because of the weight of the tw/cw in this book but it was beautifully written, with interesting and engaging formatting and dear god is it fucking accurate as all hell; I’m mixed/Arab and oh boy…I can’t count how many times someone has called me a terrorist, and like that is the tip of the shit iceberg Arab/middle eastern/bipoc people face on a daily basis and this book does not shy away from all of it and calling it out/talking about it; hence why it is such an anger inducing book but if you can take the tw’s and do not take them lightly at all! Really think if you can cope with it before you read but if you can then I cannnot recommend this book more

*⬆️ these are my initial thoughts ⬆️*

*full review to come*

⚠️DO NOT take TW/CW lightly! This book doesn’t shy away from the ugly, so really think about them and if you can cope with them before you read this book… but, if you think you can take them then I cannnot recommend this book more⚠️

Content Warnings

amberinpieces's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? No

4.0

Content Warnings

patricia0227's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

This book blew me away. I got the ARC from a local bookstore and started reading not knowing anything about it. The novel was so well researched and well written, Ahmed expertly tied together current and past events into her story and the message was so powerful. I will say, I found the dates at the start of each section confusing, especially if there was a time jump, but I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the way Ahmed incorporated texts and social media posts in their storytelling. The book is a heartbreaker, be prepared.

Content Warnings

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Hollow Fires has arrived in the wake of the Trump era, in an environment of rampant misinformation and media bias, of white supremacist violence and “affluenza.” This story follows Safiya, a Desi Muslim scholarship student and journalist-in-training at a private Chicago high school. As editor-in-chief, she writes a social justice column for the school newspaper, but, as part of the school’s attempts to cover up a series of racist incidents in the community, she is being censored by the administration. When a neighborhood Muslim boy goes missing, Safiya must race to piece together enough evidence to connect the dots and convince the police to do something, putting her own safety at risk. Ahmed’s thriller illustrates diversity within Muslim communities, portrays the reality of police incompetence, and explores the nuances of modern white supremacy and hate crimes, for which there is no justice.

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