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A review by siobhanward
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
NYT Notable Books 2021: 10/100
This was one of those books where everything came together right at the end, but the fact that the whole book was just kind of build up to that moment made it hard to enjoy. The idea behind the book was solid, but I found the execution to be lacking at some points. Maybe it's because I tend not to love books that move back and forth through time, but I think the intentional anonymity and lack of details in the present left me with more questions than answers, as things were only kind of answered on the very last page.
This was one of those books where everything came together right at the end, but the fact that the whole book was just kind of build up to that moment made it hard to enjoy. The idea behind the book was solid, but I found the execution to be lacking at some points. Maybe it's because I tend not to love books that move back and forth through time, but I think the intentional anonymity and lack of details in the present left me with more questions than answers, as things were only kind of answered on the very last page.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia