alwayshyperfixating's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
gellyreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm not sure this had the greatest depiction of OCD, but that's pretty much the only flaw I had with this book. I devoured it and it made me feel all of the feels. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone.
merbearmer's review against another edition
5.0
This book beautifully and painfully tells the story of the Malaysian race riots in 1969 (an event that I hadn't even heard of before finding this book) as well as a haunting depiction of OCD. Although the story is gripping and really well-written, it is also very intense: within the first few chapters, I cried so hard I thought I was going to throw up... But if you are in a space to handle this story, I think this book is an incredibly important read!
nabilahs's review against another edition
5.0
Ayat dalam versi terjemahan ini disusun dengan sangat terbaik. Buku ini di-beri amaran supaya mereka yang ada 'anxiety' tidak digalakkan kerana bimbang 'trigger' . Buku yang bagi saya provokatif untuk sesetengah orang dan wajib dibaca oleh rakyat Malaysia.
sade's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
callmesword's review against another edition
I don't know if I'm going through a losing streak or what but I haven't been able to finish any books lately. I get bored and I have no idea whether it is because of the books themselves or I'm just not in the mood to read right now.
lefay_'s review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars. i’ve been having intrusive thoughts and OCD symptoms since 2020, as well as an anxiety disorder, and i cried a lot while reading this. the way Alkaf writes OCD is so accurate (at least related to my experience). i’ve never read about a main character with thoughts so similar to mine and there were so many lines and reasonings from Melati that i could personally relate to that i was bawling my eyes out from page 13 onward. i also appreciated the content warnings getting their own page, more books should have that. the only complaints i really have is that i feel like the ending was a bit rushed, and that one scene where Mel single handedly put off a gang fight was slightly too YA protagonist-core for me, but otherwise The Weight of Our Sky was very well done.
mandyist's review against another edition
4.0
One of the aspects I most love about superior young adult literature is the windows into worlds previously unknown. I had never heard about the May 1969 race riots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but Hanna Alkaf's excellent debut novel The Weight of Our Sky takes readers right into the heart of events through the eyes of Melati, a sixteen-year-old music-loving schoolgirl and OCD sufferer.
Kuala Lumpur, 1969. Melati is a typical schoolgirl who loves The Beatles, seeing films and arguing with her best friend Safiyah about the relative virtues of Paul Newman and Paul McCartney. While at the cinema one May afternoon, Melati and Safiya become embroiled in the sectarian violence between Chinese and Malay people that erupted in Kuala Lumpur following the 1969 General Election and would result in the deaths of 196 people (officially, unofficial figures rose to 600).
Displaced and terrified, Melati is unable to return home immediately and is lucky to survive at all. But survive she must. There is just one problem, Melati carries an unwelcome passenger - a Djinn - who burdens her with the yoke of obsessive compulsive disorder and makes every waking moment one of panic, fear and anxiety.
As Melati attempts to navigate a world torn apart by hatred and prejudice, all the while contending with her disorder, she learns the power of kindness, courage and retribution.
The Weight of Our Sky is a powerful and emotionally wrought novel. The depiction of Melati's OCD is especially well-written, to the extent that it was often difficult to read (being that I am no stranger to anxiety). Daunting too was the journey through the events of May 1969 and the fear and tension as we hurtled toward the climax of the Melati's story.
The historical events made the story all that more frightening and urgent and lend weight to the themes of prejudice, racism and altruism, themes that are as relevant to the modern world as they were in 1969. This would be an excellent novel for discussion of such themes in classrooms.
The Weight of Our Sky is an excellent historical novel that makes me excited to see what Hanna Alkaf will write next. I give it a strong four out of five stars and recommend to fans of both historic and contemporary young adult fiction due to the enduring nature of the themes addressed.
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Kuala Lumpur, 1969. Melati is a typical schoolgirl who loves The Beatles, seeing films and arguing with her best friend Safiyah about the relative virtues of Paul Newman and Paul McCartney. While at the cinema one May afternoon, Melati and Safiya become embroiled in the sectarian violence between Chinese and Malay people that erupted in Kuala Lumpur following the 1969 General Election and would result in the deaths of 196 people (officially, unofficial figures rose to 600).
Displaced and terrified, Melati is unable to return home immediately and is lucky to survive at all. But survive she must. There is just one problem, Melati carries an unwelcome passenger - a Djinn - who burdens her with the yoke of obsessive compulsive disorder and makes every waking moment one of panic, fear and anxiety.
As Melati attempts to navigate a world torn apart by hatred and prejudice, all the while contending with her disorder, she learns the power of kindness, courage and retribution.
The Weight of Our Sky is a powerful and emotionally wrought novel. The depiction of Melati's OCD is especially well-written, to the extent that it was often difficult to read (being that I am no stranger to anxiety). Daunting too was the journey through the events of May 1969 and the fear and tension as we hurtled toward the climax of the Melati's story.
The historical events made the story all that more frightening and urgent and lend weight to the themes of prejudice, racism and altruism, themes that are as relevant to the modern world as they were in 1969. This would be an excellent novel for discussion of such themes in classrooms.
The Weight of Our Sky is an excellent historical novel that makes me excited to see what Hanna Alkaf will write next. I give it a strong four out of five stars and recommend to fans of both historic and contemporary young adult fiction due to the enduring nature of the themes addressed.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
melitaylor's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
missoliviareadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Well . . . that is a punch in the gut, jaw dropping, heart breaking kind of book that shocks you and inspires you all at the same time. A time in history that I knew NOTHING about and a story so beautifully told.