I love ending the year with a great book, and this one exceeded all my expectations.
I went into this not having read Raybearer, so it did take me a wI love ending the year with a great book, and this one exceeded all my expectations.
I went into this not having read Raybearer, so it did take me a while to get into the story and the world it takes place in, but I absolutely loved the way Jordan introduces the setting to the reader. Immediately going in, you feel like you're being told a story, so when there are moments that might seem a bit info-dumpy, referencing things that have probably happened in Raybearer, it didn't take me out of the reading experience, but flowed very smoothly.
I loved every single character (except maybe Finnric–who just gives off major finance bro vibes–and of course Mamadele) and the romance was impeccable which is high praise coming from me. The chemistry was there from the second Sade meets the Crocodile and it just grew and developed so well even though it was over a shorter period of time. It didn't feel instalovey at all, and I was honestly rooting for the both of them.
Also the disability rep?? I was not expecting that going in, but wow was it done really well. And the ending almost made me cry in so many ways. This is the kind of rep I want to see in every book.
What I most loved about this book is the commentary on our world and the capitalistic systems that run it. I honestly need to go back and reread some passages one day and highlight all the conversations Sade has with the Crocodile. It was so interesting seeing the way the Crocodile wanted Sade to become a voice for the revolution and Sade realizing she didn't want to be a giant overlooking and running a revolution but she wanted to be one of the ants working together to make change. When I look at everything that has happened in our world the past year and a bit, I feel like this book captured all of that so well. The scene we get where the Crocodile takes Sade up to a tower overlooking Unity Square was not just empowering for Sade, but also left me with more hope for our world. It reminded me of all the students in universities and colleges around the world getting together to create encampments for Palestine. It reminded me of the voices and chants, and the protests where everyone gathered together to fight for justice. And recently it reminds me of the murder of a certain CEO and people realizing that our world, our governments, and the people profiting off of our labour and tax dollars are the true enemies and that none of this was ever meant to benefit us.
There's this certain part of this book that also made me think of an article I read the other day...
"If the wealthy could not survive without menial labourers, I realized, then they would create a world where such workers were always available. Always desperate. Plentiful and ripe for the picking, like fruit at a produce stall."
The criminalization of homelessness, the prison systems, and even the way our governments are handling COVID and now bird flu...They are creating a world where they can have never-ending labourers, so that they can continue to live in luxury and comfort, while we, the general population, suffers. The one thing Sade points out is that the other side may be louder, and they may be able to call on someone who makes you doubt what your purpose is, but we are many, and we're stronger and bigger united because without us and our skills and trade, nothing would work the way it does now. It's why strikes like the Canada Post strike, and now the Amazon and Starbucks strikes freak out the CEOs, because they realize how much their power is dependent on the complacency of the people who work under them. And when the people realize how important they are and the rights they should be due, and rise up, it threatens the status quo.
"Because the common people do not trust the nobles. They know that these lords and ladies do not want to share the space at all.
"So 'order' will mean guards with spears, whom the nobles will bribe to harass unwanted commoners. 'Beauty' will mean removing benches where people could sleep and erecting statues in any open space in which a large group could loiter, especially for the purpose of protest."
I keep think about Indigo CEO Heather Reisman bribing Toronto police to break into protestors houses and arrest them in the middle of the night. And I think about UofT claiming the Student Encampment for Palestine was taking over spaces where other students just wanted to "eat breakfast."
This book just reflects our current world so well I could not possibly rate this anything under 5 stars. 100% recommend picking this one up and I can't wait to read Raybearer one day and then reread this book!...more
This was actually a more emotional read than I was expecting. I had no idea going in that an actual archive of heartbeats exists, but now I really wanThis was actually a more emotional read than I was expecting. I had no idea going in that an actual archive of heartbeats exists, but now I really want to visit and record my own heart and listen to others.
The friendships and relationships in this book really stood out to me the most, especially Kenta and Suichi. And the little plot twists as we learn more about Suichi and Kenta's past were actual stabs to my chest. The ending was the perfect culmination to this book.
Something about books that take place in Japan always leave me feeling at peace with the world, especially when there doesn't seem to be a lot of peace right now. This was also a very quick read, and since I was feeling slumpy, it was perfect....more
A classic. I’m excited to see what it looks like in colour. I do really miss Tortall and the characters, though Alanna isn’t my favourite of the serieA classic. I’m excited to see what it looks like in colour. I do really miss Tortall and the characters, though Alanna isn’t my favourite of the series, it still holds a special place in my heart.
I have had time to think and process the ending to this trilogy, and I know people are expecting a review that is somewhat cWhat the actual fuck
*ahem*
I have had time to think and process the ending to this trilogy, and I know people are expecting a review that is somewhat coherent, so I will try my best.
It took me a while to read this book, not because it was slow-paced or difficult to read, but because I was dreading the end. I've somehow managed to avoid spoilers for this trilogy (ignoring the one spoiler I saw because I was googling something), but despite that, I knew the conclusion to this series would hurt me, and I kind of had an idea where things were headed, so my hesitance to finish was understandable.
This book kept me on edge because Rin was constantly on edge worrying about Nezha coming out to get her. Nezha was a very interesting character in this series. I started off hating him, then growing to like him, then kind of side-eyeing him/not trusting him, to hating him again, and then watching as he tried to pick up the pieces of a broken, scattered Republic. At the end, you realize that they're all just kids put into situations and forced to make horrible decisions. I don't know if you can really love Nezha or Rin all that much as characters, but I think they're both accurate portrayals of how people would respond/react to similar circumstances. It reminds me in many ways of Palestine and the PA versus Hamas.
One character I can't help to love and cherish is Kitay. I love him with all my soul. He's that little bit of light in all the darkness, the stability to Rin's chaos. He was funnier in The Dragon Republic, but this book is so much darker and grimmer. It feels like everyone is marching to their deaths the second you turn to the first page. I love his intelligence, his ability to strategize and plan ahead, and the way he struggles so much with the morality of war and resistance. He feels like a real person. I think as the reader, he's us in many ways. What I especially loved about him was his relationship with Rin. They are really opposites of each other, but they compliment each other so well. You can feel the love they have for each other, but it's purely platonic. It's just so good, so ugh, so sdfkdsgjdsklf. The little moments we have of them together, holding each other, touching each other, watching out for each other made the ending hurt even more. As we see Rin slowly start to lose her sanity and turn on the people she loves, I had a feeling I knew where things were headed. The fight scene at the end was something that had been long coming since the beginning. But those last looks Rin and Kitay share with each other before the end will forever be etched into my brain.
"Do it. Take what you want. I'll hate you for it. But I'll love you forever. I can't help but love you. Ruin me, ruin us, and I'll let you."
I honestly want to curl into a ball and cry just thinking about it. My only consolation is that they both went together because if Kitay had been the only one to die, I would have thrown this book across the room.
A lot happens in this book, especially when I think back to where this book started and where things ended. I liked seeing more of southern and eastern Nikara and watching as Rin comes to accept where she's from and fight for her people. But Rin is a difficult character to enjoy. There's quite a bit of repetitiveness and not as much development in the ways you would expect. She keeps trusting the wrong people and getting screwed over. She doesn't make the best decisions. And while Kitay is there to be reasonable and cool-headed, Rin does call most of the shots. When I think about the trauma Rin has been through and how paranoid she got by the end of this book, and how fragile her victory was, I knew things couldn't stay the way they were. There was no happy ending in her future. The only option was for Rin to destroy everything, let the world burn, and succumb to the fire herself. But what was the point if nothing was left.
The ending made me feel so hopeless. And I think that hopelessness is something we're all familiar with right now as we watch oppression and dehumanization take place right before our eyes. Rin remembering Kitay's words–"it's a long march to liberation"–and realizing that sometimes you have to give in and sacrifice yourself with the hope someone else will carry along the light of liberation, is just a stab in the heart. How many times have our people resisted against the white colonizer? Only for the oppressor to be replaced with a new oppressor, to colonize us in a different way? How many times have we won, but realized that the oppressor has too much control of the world for us to survive without relying on them? How many times have we had to compromise, "bend the knee", give in a little, just to live? The offer Nezha gave Rin was horrifying. To be unable to use her powers, to be a test subject for the rest of her life, to be unable to carry on the traditions and history, to be wiped out of existence from memory as well as life. We've seen this done over and over again by colonizers to Indigenous populations around the world. We're seeing it now in Gaza.
I hate the ending of this book BECAUSE it's too real. Most of us pick up books like this and want the ending to be hopeful and somewhat happy. But there was no way for Rin, Kitay, and Nezha to move on together from this. It boils my blood to imagine Nikara under Hesperian rule again, and it hurts because I know this has happened in our world. And it might happen again and again and again. I can't help wondering when this cycle will be broken. If it can ever be broken. How long is the long game going to last? I wish I knew the answers to these questions.
Picking up this series now was probably the best decision I've ever made. The emotions I went through reading this series would not have been the same if I had read this 4-5 years earlier. I will cherish this series forever and hopefully reread it again one day. My only complaint is Rebecca not being as vocal on Palestine. I had high expectations of her after reading Babel, but now having read this trilogy, I'm shocked she hasn't said anything about what we're seeing happening in Gaza. Especially the way she word for word has described everything we're seeing live right now: the bombings, torture, rape, dismemberment, decayed corpses, starvation, illness etc. As I sit here, writing this, I just remembered back in The Poppy War when the Federation gave the Nikara barrels of salt that contained some kind of explosive powder, which exploded after they had started distributing the salt to the civilians and how that eerily mimics what Israel has done to Lebanon just a couple days ago. The parallels I keep seeing between fiction and reality...I just wish all the authors I loved used their platforms to speak out, especially those who are less likely to suffer from the consequences because of how much money they make their publishers.
4.75/5 stars. Cannot wait to reread this trilogy one day....more
This was okay, but honestly the last couple chapters had me feeling kind of lost and confused. I have no idea what happened with the sea spirit under This was okay, but honestly the last couple chapters had me feeling kind of lost and confused. I have no idea what happened with the sea spirit under the water ...more
I've always loved Nicki's writing style and world building, and when I saw she was coming out with a middle-grade magiOKAY FOLKS
This book was SO GOOD!
I've always loved Nicki's writing style and world building, and when I saw she was coming out with a middle-grade magical boarding school series, I just knew I had to check it out. This exceeded all my expectations. It was cute, whimsical, and just left me feeling so happy.
I know many of us grew up with another magical boarding school series written by a super horrible person who should not be named. I also understand the feeling of nostalgia when you think about that series and the memories associated with those books. But this book and hopefully series has a lot of similar vibes and feel-goodness.
I'm struggling to review this because every aspect was so perfect–the friendships, Vin's relationship with the headmistress, capture the flag, the Free Mages, all the mysteries, and the final "battle" scene. I loved seeing Vin grow as a character and learn to embrace herself and her magic and open herself up to the people around her. I also loved how the students all worked together at the end to protect the school and their headmistress. While I did kind of predict where things are headed, it just makes me so excited to see what happens next.
I'm also obsessed with Brucifer. He reminds me of Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle, and I love him and his need for expensive wood chips so much. I NEED MORE OF HIM. And possibly a little water spirit to join the gang.
You just feel so good reading this book, and it's a feeling I've missed from other books I've been reading, and I think is sometimes almost exclusive to middle-grade books. There is danger and the unknown, but there's also such great friendship and camaraderie. It can have a lot of the typical tropes you would expect, but I never feel annoyed with them, because it does feel like coming home.
I really hope there's more books to come. And I'm just so curious to see what happens with the Free Mages. In part I kind of agree with what they stand for because it is unfair for kids who have different magical abilities to be excluded from magical society and schools, but I can also understand why the headmistress mistrusts them because of what they've done. I'm really curious to see if the plot thickens and gets more complicated, because it is something Nicki's done with her YA books, and I think it would be an interesting direction to take this series too. ...more
This review will contain spoilers and will probably make zero sense. So much happens in this damn book,Okay but what the actual fuck just happened!!!!
This review will contain spoilers and will probably make zero sense. So much happens in this damn book, my brain will probably never be able to process it completely unless I do a reread. And I already want to reread it, even though I just finished.
The ending???!! I did kind of get spoiled for Nezha's betrayal because I was googling something completely unrelated and it popped up out of nowhere. But I didn't actually get spoiled for how exactly he betrayed Rin, so while I was on high alert and stressed out of my mind, I was still not expecting what ended up happening.
This book has so much death *cue smashing tables and breaking chairs* I was not expecting to lose so many of my favourite side characters. No one warned me (I am glad they didn't, but still). We lose two members of the Cike off the bat, which was sad at first, but THE ENDING??? Baji and Suni??? AND THEN RAMSA?? Like what is even going to happen in book 3, I don't want to know. Ramsa was one of my favourite characters. Just a leetle bebe blowing things up. I loved him so much. And with Baji and Suni, they really provided the much needed comedic relief and camaraderie I needed in this book. And this is completely ignoring what happened to Qara, who I also loved.
I think as the reader, we feel more connected to these side character deaths than Rin does. Rin brushes over the death of her friends very easily, and moves on quickly–probably as a trauma response in order to cope with what needs to be done. And while I do really enjoy Rin as a character, and am pretty invested in what happens to her and the story, I don't know if I "love" her character like I would other characters who have better access to their emotions and feelings, besides just anger and revenge and hatred. I do understand why she is the way she is, and I kind of like reading a book with a character like this because it's refreshing and different, but it is at the same time, very weird. Rin spends so much of this book trying to humanize herself and her people for the Hesperians, but sometimes I wonder if she's forgetting to actually be human herself and experience her grief and pain, rather than just play a role for others.
The character development in this book was incredible though. We see so many light bulb moments for Rin (FINALLY) and things finally click together. As a reader, reading this in 2024, I am in awe at the parallels between what is happening in this book and our life right now. The realization that it's always the white man behind the world's problems. It's the white man whispering enticing words in the ears of the people they want to manipulate and colonize, telling them what to do and how to do it, getting them to enact the wars they want, only for the white man to swoop in at the end as a "saviour" with their ships and guns, ready to stay and build their military bases, spread their religious propaganda, and exploit the natural resources.
This quote especially had me pause mid-frantic reading:
"We live in the most beautiful country in the world. We have more manpower than the Hesperians. We have more natural resources. The whole world wants what we have, and for the first time in our history we're going to be able to use it."
How true is this quote for so many countries around the world, except they never get to actualize this statement and live the life they deserve to live because of foreign powers like the US and Britain and Canada and Europe.
My favourite character in this book is Kitay and I already know bad stuff is going to happen to him in the next book and I already want to burn the entire world down to protect him, BUT ANYWAY. I LOVE HIM. My precious baby scholar, just trying to do some accounting and reading, but realizing he has to kind of save the world and help Rin. Kitay is me. I am Kitay. I think if a character were to summarize how I've been feeling the last 10 months, it would be him.
“Kitay wanted vengeance and blood. Under that frail veneer of control was an ongoing scream of rage that originated in confusion and culminated in an overwhelming urge for destruction, if only so he could tear the world down and rebuild it in a way that made sense.”
His dark sense of humour and sarcasm honestly made me laugh out loud so many times, just ask Gretal because she had to deal with me laughing randomly during our Mooby lives. I love him so much I just want to squish him. And his bond with Rin is so precious and perfect. He balances out her rashness with his calm intellect. They are literally two sides of the same coin. Both want revenge, but both need each other. AND MORE PEOPLE NEED TO LISTEN TO KITAY. The poor kid was being dismissed left right and center throughout most of this book and he was right every time.
Venka surprised me in this book and I've grown from hating her to actually loving her. I'm so excited to see what happens in book three with her part of Rin and Kitay's group.
I'm still not over this ending though. Nezha's character arc took an interesting turn. But I think my favourite part of this book was when Rin realized (or more like put words to what she probably already knew) why she and Nezha never got along in the beginning and how the class difference between them in a way reflects the broader issue we see in this world between North and South Nikan. And how this leads her to finally accepting who she is and fighting for her people and the South. I think it was a very moving, powerful moment and wrapped this whole book up so perfectly.
I still want to personally murder the Hesperians, and Vaisra and his wife. And also Nezha deserves to be punched in the face a few times because wtf you selling out Rin to the evil white men for?? Rin gave as good as she got though and honestly Nezha deserved it even if he did sort of let them escape. I can't forgive him for what they did to Rin and the Cike, and what they would have done to Kitay too.
Anyway, this review doesn't make sense because it took me 3 days to write. I'm going to go read The Burning God now and hope I don't die. ...more
More of a 3.75/5 stars. I’ve been in an on/off book slump for a while. I go through periods where I read so fast and then pick up a really good book bMore of a 3.75/5 stars. I’ve been in an on/off book slump for a while. I go through periods where I read so fast and then pick up a really good book but it takes me way too long to read for no reason other than life or my brain isn’t in the best space. This book felt too real considering the US elections. So many parallels to our lives right now. I thought this just came out, but it’s a couple years old, but holds up well.
Ingrid was an interesting, messy character. I did love her relationship with Alex. My favourite part of this book were the conversations they had together and how that led to a very sweet ending to the story. Linden gave me Gale vibes from THG, but he did have some character development in the end.
I like how the book talks about rebellion and unrest among the populace because of rich people who only care about power and making more money. Like I said, eerily accurate. It captured all my feelings about capitalists and billionaires and politicians while watching our countries support multiple genocides. The only good thing that happened while reading this book is Israel finally being recognized as the apartheid state it is. Yet this book also shows that just because people know something is bad, doesn’t mean they’ll do something to stop it unless the average person messes things up. If the rich and privileged can no longer live in comfort, and if they are held accountable and given zero peace, maybe the rest of the world will finally get the justice and peace we deserve....more
You know when you read the last sentence of a book and just know this is a story you will remember for a while? That's this boWow, another great read.
You know when you read the last sentence of a book and just know this is a story you will remember for a while? That's this book.
Andrew's books are very dark and bloody, but I love them just the same. This book holds a special place in my heart purely for the medical aspects. It's horrible and so sad, yet the scene where the main character performs a c-section was fascinating to read as someone who regularly scrubs in for c-sections.
This book did take me a bit to get into, but I blame being busy with life and work. The intensity and pacing definitely picks up after the halfway mark and I could not put it down because I was so anxious to see how things played out.
I saw so much of myself in Silas–in his childhood and how he was forced to act a certain way to be "normal" and "like other girls"; in the rabbit that lived in his heart, constantly criticizing, judging, shaming; in the confusion with social etiquettes and communication. And his relationship with Daphne was so sweet and perfect. The other characters took me by surprise. I loved Isabelle the second she was introduced, but I went from hating Mary to actually liking her a lot.
The end of this book was so nerve-wracking, especially because a part of me wanted things to be over and for everyone to get a break, just like Silas was hoping for, except I knew it couldn't be that simple. That scene was so bloody, but also deeply satisfying. I honestly love books that make me feel stabby and murdery afterwards. It's a good feeling to have in the messed up world we live in right now....more
This was pretty good. It took me some time to warm up to Keza, but I do like her as a character. And the scene where Horace plays a tree with the littThis was pretty good. It took me some time to warm up to Keza, but I do like her as a character. And the scene where Horace plays a tree with the little felnexi was adorable. I did enjoy the first book more though. I think the pacing in this one kind of dragged a bit more, but the next book sounds exciting....more
Before I say anything, I just want to acknowledge how difficult this must have been to write for Etaf. This is 100% making it on my top books of 2024.
Before I say anything, I just want to acknowledge how difficult this must have been to write for Etaf. I know she was worried that this story would play into the stereotypes and prejudices people have about Muslims and Islam, especially relating to the role of women, arranged marriages, and abuse. I can say with confidence though, that this book does an excellent job distinguishing between culture/tradition and religion. We get a couple scenes where Isra or Deya notice the difference between what they're taught about Islam and what plays out in their lives and how it doesn't make any sense. It's also something I've realized myself over the last few years-how people are bound to their culture more than their faith, to the point where they act like culture is God over their religion.
I was originally planning to read Evil Eye first, when someone on Instagram told me it's actually her second book, so I quickly placed a hold on this book. I didn't even bother reading the synopsis, so I went into this book not sure what to expect...
This book hurt to read. It made me so angry I wanted to break something. And all I could think about was how this could have been me, and how it was almost me, but I got lucky and "ran away". I wasn't expecting to come away understanding my culture and family better, even though I'm not Arab, but I did. Etaf Rum wrote a book that was life-changing for me and one I will never ever forget.
We get three POVs–Isra, Deya, and Fareeda–one from each generation, which I think perfectly captured the generation divide that many of us have experienced or are experiencing. I saw so much of myself in Isra and Deya, to the point where it was triggering and painful. It brought back dark memories and parts of my past that I had forgotten. And while I hated this book for that, it also forced me to reflect and accept what I have been through and be proud of where I am today.
Isra as a character felt very much like me: quiet, dutiful, constantly trying to please and get people's approval and love, justifying the abuse, and blaming herself. I felt so much for Isra. I understood her darkness, her hopeless, her unhappiness. I cried for her because she was trying so hard, but felt like she was failing as a mother to her daughters. She wanted things to be different and better for her daughters, but she couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think a lot of people might find this difficult to understand, but unless you've been in these shoes, and felt what it's like to be trapped in a corner, with nowhere to go, no good options, you end up succumbing to what you know, what tradition and culture has taught you, and despite knowing about the horrors, you push it away because it's easier to ignore and just accept sometimes.
We see some of this in Deya too as she straddles between accepting that this is her lot in life and wanting to stand up for herself and fight back. So many parts of this book gave me deja vu. Both Deya and Isra reminded me of different parts of my past. Isra came first, then Deya, with a little but if Sarah sprinkled in. I felt so much for this young girl wanting desperately to know the truth and find a way out of the cycle of abuse she's witnessed and experienced. I understood when she didn't know what to do or what the best decision was. And I understood her fear. Fear is so powerful, but I'm glad Deya's self-preservation was stronger, just like it was for me.
Fareeda was a very interesting pov. Her chapters felt like everything I have heard growing up written out in paragraphs. At the same time, seeing this topic discussed across generations was very eye-opening for me. I felt like I finally understood why moms say and do the things they say and do. It doesn't make it okay at all, but sometimes understanding can be part of healing. Imagine living a life of occupation, displacement, starvation, abuse, being told over and over again that this is your role in life, and having no other options. It's very hard to think outside of a life like that. Anything that isn't your norm is scary and dangerous. There's comfort in sameness, even if that sameness means continuing on the cycle of abuse and trauma. Because it's something you can understand and predict. I think there's even a small part that says "If I went through this, so should you", which I don't think was discussed much in this book, but something I truly believe. Maybe it's the need to have others who can sympathize with you that make mothers and grandmothers want the same thing for their daughters...
Sarah is a character I have mixed feelings for. I did like her role in Deya's character development, but I think at times she was too harsh on the girl. While she didn't want Deya to follow in her footsteps, she also wasn't as forthcoming and helpful as I think she could have been. Yet at the same time, maybe the harshness was what Deya needed. I do think she could have been more understanding and accepting of Deya's point of view though, especially when Deya talks about how she felt her mother hated being a mother. Sarah denies this and says Isra loved being her mother, but I think it takes away from Deya noticing from a young age the way her mother treated her and her sisters. Even Isra notices herself acting in ways she shouldn't. And while that can be explained by her depression, I don't think it should take away from how Deya feels based off her memories of her.
There were a few scenes that stood out to me. The one where Sarah finds out her friend Hannah was murdered by her husband and realized that the same thing could happen to her, but her mother doesn't care. Sarah, Isra, and Deya realizing that despite their mothers having experienced abuse themselves, they're still okay with their daughters ending up with the same fate. And Deya confronting Fareeda about the truth and watching Fareeda make excuses for her son, but say absolutely nothing about protecting Isra more. All three girls come to realize that their gender means nothing to not just the men in their family but also the women who have raised them. And I think this is something that is prominent in all cultures. Sometimes the people who you would expect to have your back because they have gone through something similar are the ones twisting the knife in deeper. It's a painful realization to come to however.
The book ends kind of bittersweet. We see Deya able to go off to college and attain that freedom she's craved so badly, but we're also left with what might be Isra's final moments of trying to attain her freedom, yet we know as the reader how that ended.
I'm going to add a bunch of quotes I highlighted from this book here because I want to be able to go back and reread them.
"I don't know, it's just...Sometimes I think maybe happiness isn't real, at least not for me. I know it sounds dramatic, but...Maybe if I keep everyone at arm's length, if I don't expect anything from the world, I won't be disappointed."
"It was because they'd been loved in their lives that they believed in love, saw it surely for themselves in their futures, even in places it clearly wasn't."
"She had to give him what he wanted and enjoy giving it to him, too. And she would do that. She would give him herself if it meant he'd give her his love."
"If you live your life waiting for a man's love, you'll be disappointed."
"Maybe once she was married, she could finally be free."
"Or perhaps it was because Isra had been raised to think that love was something only a man could give her, like everything else."
"She knew that the suffering of women started in the suffering of men, that the bondages of one became the bondages of the other."
"But pretending nothing's wrong is not protecting yourself. If anything, it's much more dangerous to live pretending to be someone you're not."
"No matter how I look at it, I'm still being forced to get married. Just because I'm offered options, that doesn't mean I have a choice. Don't you see? A real choice doesn't have conditions. A real choice is free."
"She wasn't sure of the precise reason, but if her own family was willing to throw her away to the first man who asked, then why should she expect more from anyone else? She shouldn't. She was only being safe, she reasoned. She was only protecting herself."
"It's the loneliest people who love books the most."
"You're making it sound like I have more power over my life than I actually do, and it's not fair. If things were really that simple, then why didn't you do that yourself."
"You're telling me I need to accept myself for who I am, that I need to stand up for what I truly believe in instead of running away, but that only sounds good in theory. It doesn't work like that in the real world. Self-acceptance won't solve my problems, and courage won't get me anywhere. These things sound great in some inspirational speech, or in a book, but the real world is much more complicated."
"Isra resented her books in these moments when she thought about the limits of her life and how easy courage seemed when you boiled it down to a few words on paper."
"Words can do extraordinary things, but sometimes they were not enough."
"And, if that wasn't enough, how could they have urged her to get married young and quickly, as her parents had done. How could they risks something like this happening again? Happening to her?"
"Knowing she couldn't change things–that she didn't have a choice–made living it more bearable."
"That she would do the same thing to her daughters that Mama had done to her. That she would force them to repeat her life."
"Deya wanted to scream. No one she'd ever met actually lived according to the doctrines of Islam. They were all hypocrites and liars!"
"If we educate our women, we give them power over their lives and over themselves. And if we allow them this power, they're not going to put up with the injustices committed against them."
"Instead of reaching out, she is taught to reach in, conceal, pretend. When she internalizes this experience, she begins to enforce this silence in the women around her, teaching her daughters and granddaughters to do the same, a passing down of silence."
5/5 stars. A book I hope every immigrant girl reads....more
This is my fault. I didn’t realize this was book two, and while I don’t think you need the background from the first book to read this one, it was a bThis is my fault. I didn’t realize this was book two, and while I don’t think you need the background from the first book to read this one, it was a bit weird and confusing and ended super abruptly. Not awful but not amazing…...more
I am about to make this book my entire personality.
If you're looking for a book that accurately captures the 2024 mood, this one is for you. I could I am about to make this book my entire personality.
If you're looking for a book that accurately captures the 2024 mood, this one is for you. I could not put it down, and I'm a slow reader. It was gripping, horrifying, and very gory (like major trigger warnings). It made me angry and want to destroy everything and set the world on fire. This book is for those of us who are leftist and socialists; who believe in eating the rich, ending capitalism, and taking down the billionaires and politicians who care only about themselves; it's for those of us who believe in defunding the police because ACAB; and it's for those of us who are neurodivergent and/or queer, who feel like we don't fit in and have to conform to fit society's expectations of us.
I love this book with all my entire heart. I am so grateful I got to read it before it comes out and at such a perfect time too.
I don't even know what to say about this book because everything about it was incredible. The writing style was easy and quick to read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are stark and unforgettable. And the disturbing and dark aspects of this book fit the violence of the world we live in today. I was not expecting how bloody and gory this book ended up being, so content warning for anyone planning to pick this up. It might give you nightmares lol
I also really appreciated the ADHD and autism representation and the conversations surrounding that and masking to "fit in". I felt like Miles, coming to terms with how much this makes sense for me. There's also quite a bit of discussion on ableism and disfiguremisia which I feel like we rarely see in books.
I'm obviously going to end off with some of my favourite quotes because these made me scream and fall in love with this book even more.
"This is supposed to be a chapter about US support of genocidal regimes abroad, the sort of thing I soak up like a sponge, but my eyes keep slipping over the timeline of war crimes."
"...Twist Creek Calamity, given that the Davieses got a reputation for killing journalists and burning court transcripts"
"Someone made it up! Workers are exploited, rent is astronomical, the cost of healthcare is life-destroying not because they are the path the river carves through a canyon, but because some capitalist fuckers decided they wanted it this way."...more