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ivi_reads_books'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
3.75
The book illustrates the numbness in face of loss, grief and dispair with elegance. But it also depicts sisters who are intent on making a life for themselves even though several people in their surroundings try to leach them
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism, Sexual content, Islamophobia, and Deportation
candaceross321's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Dysphoria
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
estam1's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism
jayisreading's review
4.0
Something outstanding about this book is the lyricism and creative approach to storytelling. Asghar’s writing style demonstrates that they put a considerable amount of thought into every word in order to create beautiful moments throughout the book. But, again, I wish some of the themes that were brought up (e.g., gender, religion, sibling relationships, etc.) were explored more in depth, even if it meant sacrificing some of the beautiful writing.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Islamophobia
katrinadalythompson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bookishbrenbren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A beautiful, heartbreaking story that fans of Safia Elhillo, Akwaeke Emezi, Ocean Vuong, books in verse, or novels written by poets, generally speaking. I love everything about this book - it's easily one of the best I've read this year. I hope this book will find the people who need it.
I especially love the fresh style of writing this story is told in, incorporating occasional verse, interview-type dialogue, and other things my simple novel-model-reader mind cannot name. The writing itself is excellent, growing more mature as the character ages, for example. At times, the length of the chapters adjusts to the length of the thoughts of Kausar, sentences growing shorter and choppier with panic and dreamy and fuzzy with episodes of dissociation. I didn't really understand the ending, I don't know that it fit well with the main character's arc, but it didn't lessen my appreciation for the story at all.
I also love so much the way the author captured the unique love-adoration-worship that younger sisters have for their older sisters - and the ways sisters/siblings are so open and vulnerable to each other that they also tend to be the ones who can harm us the most, the deepest, the worst, the quickest, the easiest. It's a relationship/connection that deserves to get more attention in literature.
My only complaint is that the pacing did feel a bit off, with the beginning (30%) feeling achingly slow (especially because it's such heartbreaking content) and the rest of the book flying. Secondly, the book is very sad, it's dark. That's not a critique as, obviously, some stories must be dark to be told at all, but beware if you tend to hate books that are not (sad + happy ending) or (sad + hopeful), but are just honest and open and sad (still, it's brilliant writing - keep that in mind) you may not enjoy this one.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship