The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
bookishbuket's review against another edition
2.0
- The storytelling doesn’t leave any room for interpretation. Shafak outlines people’s motivations bluntly, which doesn’t allow the audience to speculate the why of anything. And that’s arguably the most important thing and author must achieve: showing not telling.
- The multiple POVs didn’t work for me. The characters spoke too similarly to one another. Their ideas were dissimilar but there wasn’t much about the tone or language that developed character or established a clear divide between the two timelines.
- Aziz’s description of his ex was laughable! Talk about Manic Pixie Dream girl!
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Eating disorder
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Terminal illness and Rape
Minor: Eating disorder
ljtademy3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship
nehariaz's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Death
Minor: Addiction
sophi_walison's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexism, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
stephanieridiculous's review against another edition
1.0
-The writing stumbles over itself in its simplistic and modern vernacular. Its over written, clunky, juvenile, and cringey.
-The waxing philosophical about the meaning of life and love and the divine machinations of it all strive way to far and rarely land. I will give credit to two or three quotes from Shams that are very spot on regarding legalistic approaches to faith, but by and large it just didn't work for me.
-Less objectively bad and more in personal preference, reading about a woman falling into a wildly inappropriate/unprofessional emotional affair and justifying it because her husband has been unfaithful, but never confronting him about it, was not great.
-Shock factor used for literally nothing other than shock with rape on page and a hermaphrodite brothel owner.
-Shams tells a prostitute who was kidnapped/forced into sexual slavery who is trying to survive in a world that deems womens value based on their purity that people "disrespect her" (i.e. rape her) because she doesn't respect herself.
-Fatphobia, Islamophobia, questionable rep of various Islamic sects
Graphic: Rape
sarahaf712's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Rape