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emily_mh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Let’s start with the good stuff! I’m a huge fan of a flawed MC doing their best, and Rahul is definitely that. The relationships in this book were super heartwarming, especially the one between Rahul and Bhai. I also liked the Mathletes stuff and how the competitions worked.
My big issue with this book is that I wasn’t a huge fan of how the plot was carried out. There was so much time spent in the beginning setting up various plot points, that there wasn’t enough time left to meaningfully resolve them. There just wasn’t enough space given to explore the really complex challenges Rahul was facing so that his change in character felt really sudden and not the result of gradual development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Outing
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: internalised racism Moderate: internalised colourism, toxic masculinity Minor: ageism, climate change/global warming, loss of a loved one, colourism 1 HP reference.