A review by maria161985
Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

3.0

This is the first time that I've read anything from Samira Ahmed therefore, I was excited to give it a try. This book focused on a young woman named Maya, who was trying to become her own person, while defying her parents in order to go to school in New York. After a terrorist attack occurs in the area where she is living, her parents become worried, telling her that she isn't able to do what she likes in this life, considering that the terrorist attacks were initially, targeted at Maya's specific ethnic group. In the end, Maya was given what she wanted however, it did cost her, and in more ways then one. I found that this book did a great job at describing teenage angst, and the desire for one to grow into a mature individual of society. However, I felt that the terrorist attack which took place was a bit 'out of context', and didn't really contribute to how Maya had developed as an individual. I also wasn't too keen on her 'love triangle', which involved Kareem and Phil, both of whom I felt were just passing fads. I found Maya to be an underdeveloped character at times, with little to no feelings that should have been discussed when writing about a teenager. Overall, this book just didn't fulfill me as I would have hoped, leaving many open-ended questions that were never answered.