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A review by sarahmreads
Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
3.5
Zayneb is suspended from her school for attempting to stand up to her Islamophobic teacher, so for her extended spring break she travels to Doha to spend time with her Aunt. However, on that trip the last thing she expects is to meet Adam, a fellow Muslim and cute boy with an interesting history. How will this spring break end? And can they help each other?
I liked this book. The plot was interesting but also kind of non-existent? The only consistent plots lines are Adam traversing his diagnosis as well as Zayneb trying to figure out how to get back at her teacher while also navigating her anger. The style of writing was also a bit hard to get into, since it's kind of in a journal format but also not? It was a bit hard to tell. Because of that, the story as a result felt rough to really get into. There was one day where I sped through the middle section of the story but the rest was a tad choppy.
I do think the representation in this book was well executed, although I cannot fully speak to the true accuracy of it as I am neither Muslim nor someone who has MS. But I did like how the story opened my eyes more to the struggles of people who are Muslim and people diagnosed with MS and the impacts is has on their lives.
In terms of characters, I felt I related a lot more to Zayneb and her struggles than Adam. Adam I kind of related to, as I had a relative diagnosed with a disease, and although we did not lose her, I understood where he was coming from. It did feel like their love story didn't really progress until 2/3 of the way through the book, so I wish there was some more buildup with that.
Overall, if you're looking for a diverse, cute romance, Love from A to Z is for you.
I liked this book. The plot was interesting but also kind of non-existent? The only consistent plots lines are Adam traversing his diagnosis as well as Zayneb trying to figure out how to get back at her teacher while also navigating her anger. The style of writing was also a bit hard to get into, since it's kind of in a journal format but also not? It was a bit hard to tell. Because of that, the story as a result felt rough to really get into. There was one day where I sped through the middle section of the story but the rest was a tad choppy.
I do think the representation in this book was well executed, although I cannot fully speak to the true accuracy of it as I am neither Muslim nor someone who has MS. But I did like how the story opened my eyes more to the struggles of people who are Muslim and people diagnosed with MS and the impacts is has on their lives.
In terms of characters, I felt I related a lot more to Zayneb and her struggles than Adam. Adam I kind of related to, as I had a relative diagnosed with a disease, and although we did not lose her, I understood where he was coming from. It did feel like their love story didn't really progress until 2/3 of the way through the book, so I wish there was some more buildup with that.
Overall, if you're looking for a diverse, cute romance, Love from A to Z is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Racism, Medical content, and Death of parent