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courtneyfalling's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was so beautifully written but so sad and introspective and left me hollow inside. It reminds me a lot in tone and lyrical style of Nina LaCour's We Are Okay, in terms of how I felt while reading. The inconclusive ending is heartbreaking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Grief, Islamophobia, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
ceecee9093's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Grief, Islamophobia, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Self harm
Minor: Car accident, Cursing, and Suicide attempt
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Though short, this book packs an emotional punch that you won't soon recover from. It felt like reading Shadi's diary; there are other characters and though they're complex, no one gets as much development as Shadi. We see things only from her perspective, and grow and grieve with her.
There's not a ton of stuff happening plot-wise, and don't go into this expecting a neat resolution with everything tied in a bow. This one definitely has more of an open-ended ending—but I thought it was a nice reflection on real life, where nothing is ever resolved easily, especially grief and complex family relationships. It's also well-written, so if you like things more on the literary side, but with a touch of that young adult feel, you'll probably like this.
Thank you to Libro.fm, Harper Audio, and the author for my ALC.
There's not a ton of stuff happening plot-wise, and don't go into this expecting a neat resolution with everything tied in a bow. This one definitely has more of an open-ended ending—but I thought it was a nice reflection on real life, where nothing is ever resolved easily, especially grief and complex family relationships. It's also well-written, so if you like things more on the literary side, but with a touch of that young adult feel, you'll probably like this.
Thank you to Libro.fm, Harper Audio, and the author for my ALC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Moderate: Medical content
betweentheshelves's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this to review! I loved Tahereh Mafi's last foray into contemporary, and I was super excited for this one. As expected, it was a very emotional journey with a lot to unpack.
Every time I read a book by Mafi, I'm always in awe of her prose. It feels so poetic, and that shines in this book. Her prose lends itself to the emotions in this book, bringing them to life. Shadi is hurting, and you can feel it through the pages of this book. She misses her brother, she misses her friends, and she's angry with her father. An Emotion of Great Delight is such a fitting title for this book, and definitely the strength of the story.
This book is also a great study in character. We learn a lot about Shadi throughout the book, as it flips between before and after her brother's death. The landscape for Muslim people right after 9/11 is so realistic in this book. Mafi's books definitely stand out in this regard, as I don't think I can think of any other books that deal specifically with that time period. You feel Shadi's desire to hide, to blend in. This is definitely an emotional, character driven book.
The only complaint I really have is the ending. Overall, the book is on the shorter side for YA, and the ending comes kind of abruptly. At least, it felt abrupt for me. There's a little resolution in Shadi's situation, but I never really felt like Shadi herself had a resolution. While I normally don't mind open endings, I just wanted a little more from the ending in this book that was so incredibly emotional.
All in all, if you're looking for an emotion driven book with poetic prose, this is the book for you! Plus, that cover is just gorgeous.
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Wow, this ends so abruptly. Mafi's prose is so poetic and emotional, I'm just confused by the ending of this book. More to come in a review next week!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Islamophobia, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Medical content
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