A review by kim_j_dare
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed

3.0

I have no doubt that many of Samira Ahmed’s fans will enjoy her latest. But it’s frustrating when a book that could have been really good is offered in mediocre form. In this story of modern-day Khayyam, whose life becomes intertwined with that of Leila, a nineteenth-century Muslim woman, Ahmed seems to be going for a theme of women being able to star in, and tell, their own stories. But she doesn’t give her readers enough credit, choosing instead to dumb things down by telling rather than showing through awkward, artificial dialog. And the contrived plot twists and convenient discoveries of documents and letters.... Whew!

Ahmed tackles big issues. I hope that as she continues to write YA lit, she’ll have a little more confidence in her readers and their ability to navigate nuance.

Thank you, NetGalley and Soho Teen, for the advance readers copy.