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thepetitepunk's review
1.0
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I was super excited for Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know because I absolutely loved Love, Hate, and Other Filters. However, this book just didn't do it for me.
I can't even provide a comprehensive summary of this story because most of the text left my brain immediately after I read it. There really wasn't anything I cared about: the characters, the plot, the writing style, the dialogue, the contemporary and historical perspectives, the romance--nothing. I was extremely disappointed because Samira Ahmed's writing has definitely made me feel intense emotions and has made me feel a strong liking towards her characters, but I felt nothing but bored while reading this novel. I struggled to finish and felt like I still didn't exactly know what Ahmed's goal was by the time I reached the last page. The romance and mystery, which drove this story, never caught my attention at any point. I can't even remember the characters' names even though I finished the novel a few minutes ago.
Overall, I found Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know to be terribly disappointing--however, I'll be looking out for future works by Samira Ahmed because I know she's capable of so much more!
I was super excited for Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know because I absolutely loved Love, Hate, and Other Filters. However, this book just didn't do it for me.
I can't even provide a comprehensive summary of this story because most of the text left my brain immediately after I read it. There really wasn't anything I cared about: the characters, the plot, the writing style, the dialogue, the contemporary and historical perspectives, the romance--nothing. I was extremely disappointed because Samira Ahmed's writing has definitely made me feel intense emotions and has made me feel a strong liking towards her characters, but I felt nothing but bored while reading this novel. I struggled to finish and felt like I still didn't exactly know what Ahmed's goal was by the time I reached the last page. The romance and mystery, which drove this story, never caught my attention at any point. I can't even remember the characters' names even though I finished the novel a few minutes ago.
Overall, I found Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know to be terribly disappointing--however, I'll be looking out for future works by Samira Ahmed because I know she's capable of so much more!
laylavreads's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
barnesbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the premise of this book. Women amplifying other women's voices? Yes please!
Much like with other fiction novels that relate to real life people and events, I kept wondering what was real and what was fictionalized. I'm glad Ahmed clarifies that in the end (and includes a bibliography)
The one thing i didn't like as much was the romantic drama. The conflict of the two boys seemed ridiculous to me as one was clearly better for her than the other, at least in my opinion.
I would love to see a sequel of Kayyam continuing to find, uplift, and protect women's stories.
Much like with other fiction novels that relate to real life people and events, I kept wondering what was real and what was fictionalized. I'm glad Ahmed clarifies that in the end (and includes a bibliography)
The one thing i didn't like as much was the romantic drama. The conflict of the two boys seemed ridiculous to me as one was clearly better for her than the other, at least in my opinion.
I would love to see a sequel of Kayyam continuing to find, uplift, and protect women's stories.
laura_cs's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A summer in Paris. A girl with her life crumbling around her. A boy with a secret and a famous ancestor. A woman with raven tresses--but was she even real, or purely fictional? A painting that may or may not exist. A biracial French writer. A series of letters. And the Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know Lord Byron himself. What do they all have in common? A nearly two century old mystery.
Khayyam Maquet is many things--sometimes too many things: Indian. French. American. Muslim. Biracial. A budding art historian. In Paris for her annual vacation with her parents, Khayyam is recovering from the stinging blow and potential end to her art historian career before it even begins after a failed entry to an essay contest; to make it worse, the boy she has been dating is refusing to put a label on their relationship, and posting selfies of himself with another girl. So when she bumps into a boy whose name is--100% legitimate--Alexandre Dumas, she finds herself accompanying him all across Paris to solve a mystery.
Did Alexandre Dumas receive a painting from painter Eugene Delacroix? And what does it have to do with the Byron poem, "The Giaour", a poem that Delacroix created a painting based off of? And who was the woman with raven tresses? What is her story?
Ahmed weaves a masterful story in two different time periods, with two different strong female protagonists--who are perhaps not as different as they seem. A delightful mystery that leads the characters--and reader--to go deeper, question more about life, love, art, and literature set in a glorious backdrop of the City of Lights (and Love). Grab some French pastries and curl up with "Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know!"
A summer in Paris. A girl with her life crumbling around her. A boy with a secret and a famous ancestor. A woman with raven tresses--but was she even real, or purely fictional? A painting that may or may not exist. A biracial French writer. A series of letters. And the Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know Lord Byron himself. What do they all have in common? A nearly two century old mystery.
Khayyam Maquet is many things--sometimes too many things: Indian. French. American. Muslim. Biracial. A budding art historian. In Paris for her annual vacation with her parents, Khayyam is recovering from the stinging blow and potential end to her art historian career before it even begins after a failed entry to an essay contest; to make it worse, the boy she has been dating is refusing to put a label on their relationship, and posting selfies of himself with another girl. So when she bumps into a boy whose name is--100% legitimate--Alexandre Dumas, she finds herself accompanying him all across Paris to solve a mystery.
Did Alexandre Dumas receive a painting from painter Eugene Delacroix? And what does it have to do with the Byron poem, "The Giaour", a poem that Delacroix created a painting based off of? And who was the woman with raven tresses? What is her story?
Ahmed weaves a masterful story in two different time periods, with two different strong female protagonists--who are perhaps not as different as they seem. A delightful mystery that leads the characters--and reader--to go deeper, question more about life, love, art, and literature set in a glorious backdrop of the City of Lights (and Love). Grab some French pastries and curl up with "Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know!"
carelime's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
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
3.5
alos3478's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
ralphiereads76's review
4.0
This delightful read was like a YA feminist reboot of an art history mystery, á la Da Vinci Code or National Treasure. Except the main character was such an interesting perspective: American and French dual citizen, Indian Muslim with parents who are literature buffs. I have a newfound interest in Sufi poets. #herstory and a little ranty at times, but I'm here for it because there were also moments of writing that were so gorgeous (The food descriptions! The love letters!) I had to reread them.
aahmed's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
clayrmorrell's review
I LOVED this book. The premise is like no other YA book I’ve read, and I was immediately sucked in and didn’t want to stop reading til the very end. Captivating and smart, clever and beautifully written, this is an amazing story I’m so glad I got to enjoy.