adamsbookshelf's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Let's have a virtual round of applause for the cover. (Clap, Clap, Clap). I enjoyed the story and the look into lives of Muslim immigrants trying to survive in America. Anvar and Safwa were great characters and their struggles felt real.
booky_lou_who's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
drbex's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
foxwoodpress's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
3.0
kinzakhan's review
5.0
This is one of the best novels I've read consisting of Muslim characters, and I'm surprised by any negative reviews. I find many other novels intend to do what this one did successfully, but instead other novels with Muslim characters end up tokenizing the main characters for a white audience, and taking a black/white approach to "good muslim vs. bad muslim," and thus ends up being oversimplified and unrealistic. This novel managed to successfully avoid all that. I especially appreciated how this author showed the spectrum of "practicing" and it was very relatable to myself as a US-raised Muslim. Through different characters, we saw the nuances of faithfulness and how it can manifest differently in different people. The witty and humorous dialogue was a welcome balance to the serious content, and it was balanced perfectly in my opinion. This book was also a page-turner, and therefore a quick read, as exciting to me as 'watching the next episode of a show to see what happens next.' I laughed out loud several times, and nearly cried at certain parts as well. I think I went through ever emotion while reading this.
The characters are three-dimensional and the reader has a love-hate relationship with most of them, which in my opinion is successful character development - there's no "clear" protagonist and antagonist, but rather, each character is full of surprises and nuance and represents different values and quirks. As for the characters I disliked, even they have "context" for how they came to be the way they are, and one of my favorite parts was the dialogue between other characters over whether this background/context justifies their behavior, and the balance between forgiveness vs. enabling.
Many of the lessons here and quotes are wise and thought-provoking, and can be applied to the reader's life at whichever level they choose to. The novel is not predictable nor stereotypical, and I'll be reading any other book this author writes.
The characters are three-dimensional and the reader has a love-hate relationship with most of them, which in my opinion is successful character development - there's no "clear" protagonist and antagonist, but rather, each character is full of surprises and nuance and represents different values and quirks. As for the characters I disliked, even they have "context" for how they came to be the way they are, and one of my favorite parts was the dialogue between other characters over whether this background/context justifies their behavior, and the balance between forgiveness vs. enabling.
Many of the lessons here and quotes are wise and thought-provoking, and can be applied to the reader's life at whichever level they choose to. The novel is not predictable nor stereotypical, and I'll be reading any other book this author writes.
christiek's review
1.0
I actually gave this up with only 20 minutes left. I could not listen to one more second of pedantic blah blah talking about all the things the characters learned about themselves, their families, the United States, and religion. I loved the first third of this book. The childhoods of these two characters are wonderfully imagined and beautifully written. After that, though, it is unbelievable, the characters are barely recognizable as the people from their childhoods (and we don't get to see any of that transformation), they make unlikely decisions, Safwa is awfully worldly and sophisticated for someone sheltered from virtually all social relationships, and the writing has so much exposition. This is one of those books where I am mad the author wrecked it.
On top of that, the title and the cover art don't go with the tone of the book. Irritating.
On top of that, the title and the cover art don't go with the tone of the book. Irritating.
misslezlee's review against another edition
4.0
Ah, those forgotten library holds that suddenly appear in your in box and that need to be dealt with *instantly* or else... I’m thinking I must have read about this novel in the weekly email from Fulton County library several months ago because I don’t remember a thing about it (or the other book that popped up likewise the next day, which I’ve had to defer to another reader until next week). My instincts were spot on, although I didn’t intend to read another Muslim/Pakistani/immigrant novel so soon after the amazing Ministry of Utmost Happiness.
Not to worry, The Bad Muslim Discount is very different in every respect. For one thing, it’s a linear narrative with a clearly followed plot. It is even more contemporary and includes recent American politics and the effect on the immigrant community. I read the most touching, recognizable descriptions about the experience of being an immigrant in the United States. Things like leaving behind everyone you know, everywhere you have been, all your memories and striking out into the great unknown. Because America isn’t like the movies. The characters in the novel all have different immigrant experiences that culminate in a series of dramatic events. And throughout it all the main character, Anwar, keeps his annoying sense of humor. All the characters are sharply drawn, there’s another heartbreaking love story, goats, brotherly rivalry, ice cream as a punishment and a soundtrack for everything.
Not to worry, The Bad Muslim Discount is very different in every respect. For one thing, it’s a linear narrative with a clearly followed plot. It is even more contemporary and includes recent American politics and the effect on the immigrant community. I read the most touching, recognizable descriptions about the experience of being an immigrant in the United States. Things like leaving behind everyone you know, everywhere you have been, all your memories and striking out into the great unknown. Because America isn’t like the movies. The characters in the novel all have different immigrant experiences that culminate in a series of dramatic events. And throughout it all the main character, Anwar, keeps his annoying sense of humor. All the characters are sharply drawn, there’s another heartbreaking love story, goats, brotherly rivalry, ice cream as a punishment and a soundtrack for everything.