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notapenguin's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual content and Alcoholism
megplant's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual content, and Vomit
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
plumpaperbacks's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m always eager to read more sapphic stories, and this one has been on my radar for some time now. While at first I did find Rachel unreasonably aggressive, it all worked out in the end. Safi’s sophomore novel has complex, diverse characters that steal both the spotlight and your heart, equally complex but ultimately great family dynamics, filmmaking and discussions of sexism in the film industry, and delicious gay yearning. There’s drama, yes, but it’s balanced out by a sweet romance I absolutely loved. It took less than 100 pages for me to be invested in Rachel and Sana’s story and about that many for me to decide they needed to kiss yesterday. Lesbian love stories are one of my favorite things to read, and Tell Me How You Really Feel didn’t disappoint. It deserves so much more hype. I’m going to buy my own copy, recommend it to everyone, and also read more of Safi’s books as soon as possible.
Representation:
Representation:
- Rachel is a Jewish Mexican lesbian
- Sana is a Muslim Persian-Indian lesbian
- Sapphic romance between the two protagonists
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Homophobia
Regarding the sexism, it’s more discussion of it than actual present experiences. The homophobia is more microaggressions than anything severe, in that Sana’s family forgets she’s gay. There’s also a brief car accident about halfway through the book, and following that is a brief hospital scene. There are no lengthy descriptions or severe injuries.
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