mistylane132's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
bookcaptivated's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Racial slurs, and Murder
Minor: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism
littlewestfall's review against another edition
4.0
shelf: diverse-books (poc main character)
Edito para decir que lo he reseñado ampliamente: http://prettylittlehuman.blogspot.com/2018/06/resena-amor-odio-y-otros-filtros.html
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La verdad es que no suelo poner 4 estrellas a este tipo de libros. Y por "este tipo de libros" me refiero a romances adolescentes. No me gustan los romances adolescentes. No tienen sentido, son una maraña de sentimientos contradictorios y de poner por encima de todo el soñar con el beso del chico que te gusta. Pero hay algo muy importante en este tipo de libros, y es que son libros NORMALES. ¿Y qué pasa con estos libros normales? Que siempre, o casi siempre, son sobre personas blancas. La animadora, la chica estudiosa, el chico popular que se enamora de la chica tímida, el deportista buenorro que se fija en la chica con gafas. No me gustan estos romances porque no los veo como nada más que eso.
En cambio, este libro me parece muy importante precisamente por su normalidad. Porque, HOLA MUNDO, la normalidad no es blanca. La normalidad es diversa, es una sociedad con diversidad cultural, racial, sexual. Maya es una adolescente estadounidense de ascendencia india y de religión musulmana que estudia en un instituto cualquiera de un pueblo cualquiera como una chica cualquiera. Y entender esto es súper importante.
Así que no, el romance en sí mismo no me ha gustado, pero el libro sí, porque es un libro mucho más normal que cualquier romance adolescente que hayáis leído en vuestra vida porque TIENE EN CUENTA la diversidad racial y cultural de los países occidentales.
Y dejando la ficción del romance a un lado. De lo que hablaré más cuando lo reseñe es del giro argumental, del racismo y la islamofobia. De cómo nacer en un país no es suficiente incluso para una protagonista como Maya, que vive entre dos culturas formando la suya propia. De cómo el miedo y la inseguridad tienen significados diferentes según el color de tu piel...
Intentaré traer la reseña pronto, pero esencialmente hablaré de todo esto, intentando no alargarme mucho. Y siempre desde un punto de vista analítico.
Edito para decir que lo he reseñado ampliamente: http://prettylittlehuman.blogspot.com/2018/06/resena-amor-odio-y-otros-filtros.html
///
La verdad es que no suelo poner 4 estrellas a este tipo de libros. Y por "este tipo de libros" me refiero a romances adolescentes. No me gustan los romances adolescentes. No tienen sentido, son una maraña de sentimientos contradictorios y de poner por encima de todo el soñar con el beso del chico que te gusta. Pero hay algo muy importante en este tipo de libros, y es que son libros NORMALES. ¿Y qué pasa con estos libros normales? Que siempre, o casi siempre, son sobre personas blancas. La animadora, la chica estudiosa, el chico popular que se enamora de la chica tímida, el deportista buenorro que se fija en la chica con gafas. No me gustan estos romances porque no los veo como nada más que eso.
En cambio, este libro me parece muy importante precisamente por su normalidad. Porque, HOLA MUNDO, la normalidad no es blanca. La normalidad es diversa, es una sociedad con diversidad cultural, racial, sexual. Maya es una adolescente estadounidense de ascendencia india y de religión musulmana que estudia en un instituto cualquiera de un pueblo cualquiera como una chica cualquiera. Y entender esto es súper importante.
Así que no, el romance en sí mismo no me ha gustado, pero el libro sí, porque es un libro mucho más normal que cualquier romance adolescente que hayáis leído en vuestra vida porque TIENE EN CUENTA la diversidad racial y cultural de los países occidentales.
Y dejando la ficción del romance a un lado. De lo que hablaré más cuando lo reseñe es del giro argumental, del racismo y la islamofobia. De cómo nacer en un país no es suficiente incluso para una protagonista como Maya, que vive entre dos culturas formando la suya propia. De cómo el miedo y la inseguridad tienen significados diferentes según el color de tu piel...
Intentaré traer la reseña pronto, pero esencialmente hablaré de todo esto, intentando no alargarme mucho. Y siempre desde un punto de vista analítico.
mlottermoser's review against another edition
3.0
Maya is an aspiring film artist who wants to go to NYU. But her parents are hoping she will marry a nice Indian boy and stick closer to home. This book is a glance into the life of a Indian Muslim High Schooler. She deals with all the typical high school drama and loves, but she also has to deal with Islamaphobia and hate crimes.
basicbbookworm's review
3.0
I've been trying to make a conscious effort to read more books with POC as the main character. Reading is one of the few ways I am able to *sort of* experience what it is like to be in the shoes of people with different skin colors, religions, or other life circumstances than myself and I appreciate being able to have that.
As for the story, it was cute. It seemed like the lighter version of A Very Large Expanse of Sea, and to be honest it wasn't as powerful for me probably because of that. The additional layer of Maya trying to figure out her relationship with her more traditional parents was one difference between the two that explored another possible facet of being first generation American. I did like Maya and appreciated her spunk. Enjoyed it overall.
As for the story, it was cute. It seemed like the lighter version of A Very Large Expanse of Sea, and to be honest it wasn't as powerful for me probably because of that. The additional layer of Maya trying to figure out her relationship with her more traditional parents was one difference between the two that explored another possible facet of being first generation American. I did like Maya and appreciated her spunk. Enjoyed it overall.
victoryforthereads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
themagicviolinist's review
2.0
First book read in the New Year! But grrrr, I was hoping to like it more. I'll start with what I didn't like so I can at least end this review on a positive note:
-The romance was cliché, predictable, and not at all interesting. It was super obvious from very early on what was going to happen and there were so few obstacles standing in Maya's way.
-The Islamophobia and terrorist attack became background plot. I was expecting it to be a huge focus, but it wasn't, and I was super disappointed. This book could have been the next THE HATE U GIVE, but I found the problems that came from the terrorist attack to be very easily taken care of when they should have been complicated.
-There also wasn't any focus on Muslim culture?????? Maya NEVER talks about what she thinks about her religion or anything, even though she clearly has different thoughts from her parents on everything.
-The writing wasn't great and the dialogue was awkward. I didn't like most of the characters because of this, even though I should have liked the characters otherwise.
-The whole thing just felt super surface level and too easy. If the author had dug a little deeper, it could've been a masterpiece, but it was just fluffy, and not everything in it was supposed to be fluffy.
-MAYA WAS SO UNFAIR TO HER PARENTS. Sometimes she had the right to be a little annoyed, but other times she acted exasperated by them when they were being totally reasonable. At one point, her mom offers to stay home with her because she's not feeling well and she's like, "Mom, I'm being smothered!" So rude.
Things I did like:
-There was a huge focus on Indian culture, which I found to be refreshingly diverse and interesting. It made for great family dynamics and perspectives on how to straddle two cultures (American and Indian).
-I liked that Maya wanted to be a documentarian! I've never seen that kind of art portrayed in a YA book and it was cool to see a unique side of movie-making.
-The book touched on a lot of different important issues Indian-American and Muslim-American families faced today, and while I wish those issues had been explored more, they were still brought up, and that's a step in the right direction.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI, which I personally didn't like that much, but I know many people did. It read very similarly.
-The romance was cliché, predictable, and not at all interesting. It was super obvious from very early on what was going to happen and there were so few obstacles standing in Maya's way.
-The Islamophobia and terrorist attack became background plot. I was expecting it to be a huge focus, but it wasn't, and I was super disappointed. This book could have been the next THE HATE U GIVE, but I found the problems that came from the terrorist attack to be very easily taken care of when they should have been complicated.
-There also wasn't any focus on Muslim culture?????? Maya NEVER talks about what she thinks about her religion or anything, even though she clearly has different thoughts from her parents on everything.
-The writing wasn't great and the dialogue was awkward. I didn't like most of the characters because of this, even though I should have liked the characters otherwise.
-The whole thing just felt super surface level and too easy. If the author had dug a little deeper, it could've been a masterpiece, but it was just fluffy, and not everything in it was supposed to be fluffy.
-MAYA WAS SO UNFAIR TO HER PARENTS. Sometimes she had the right to be a little annoyed, but other times she acted exasperated by them when they were being totally reasonable. At one point, her mom offers to stay home with her because she's not feeling well and she's like, "Mom, I'm being smothered!" So rude.
Things I did like:
-There was a huge focus on Indian culture, which I found to be refreshingly diverse and interesting. It made for great family dynamics and perspectives on how to straddle two cultures (American and Indian).
-I liked that Maya wanted to be a documentarian! I've never seen that kind of art portrayed in a YA book and it was cool to see a unique side of movie-making.
-The book touched on a lot of different important issues Indian-American and Muslim-American families faced today, and while I wish those issues had been explored more, they were still brought up, and that's a step in the right direction.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI, which I personally didn't like that much, but I know many people did. It read very similarly.