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jamiee_f's review
I loved the premise, I liked our main character, and I was so excited to understand the mystery of The Centre! Anisa was sassy and online and very millenial which I appreciated. She's even kind of an unlikeable main character, which I usually enjoy. There was good commentary on success, friendships, relationships, finding yourself, being an immigrant/child of immigrants, cultural appropriation, who has a right to write which stories, class consciousness, and I liked most of that but it was a LOT to tackle all at once. Then it just.....absolutely dragged in the last half/third.
I couldn't motivate myself to finishafter it seemed like we were slowly driving towards magic cannibalism without a real explanation, and it seemed like all our characters were on board with it. I guessed it would be some sort of cannibalism pretty early on, but by the end it felt like the metaphor of cannibalizing people's souls for cannibalizing culture got SO heavy handed but also didn't go far enough.
I looked up the ending after I met the men who created the center by paying slaves to participate and submit their bodies/souls to the process, because the book was moving too slowly, and it was no longer fun how unlikable all these characters were. I was more interested in understanding the how and why of the process, that's what I was hoping for, but it didn't feel fleshed out enough (no pun intended). I also didn't like the reveal at the end that our main character decided to dedicate her own soul to the Centre. Like...why? It was unsatisfying to me.
I wanted to like it, I wish the ending third did it for me, because the premise was so call and the first two thirds I enjoyed! I would try another work from this author.
I couldn't motivate myself to finish
I looked up the ending after I met the men who created the center by paying slaves to participate and submit their bodies/souls to the process, because the book was moving too slowly, and it was no longer fun how unlikable all these characters were. I was more interested in understanding the how and why of the process, that's what I was hoping for, but it didn't feel fleshed out enough (no pun intended). I also didn't like the reveal at the end that our main character decided to dedicate her own soul to the Centre. Like...why? It was unsatisfying to me.
I wanted to like it, I wish the ending third did it for me, because the premise was so call and the first two thirds I enjoyed! I would try another work from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Sexual assault, Death, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Sexism
melliedm's review
challenging
dark
reflective
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
A dark, messy look at legacy, language, colonialism, and patriarchy, and what it means to consume and be consumed.
A part of me wanted to stay in this narrative for another 200 pages, but it truly does end in a powerful place, leaving us with the questions of what Anisa has observed vs what she has learned.
A part of me wanted to stay in this narrative for another 200 pages, but it truly does end in a powerful place, leaving us with the questions of what Anisa has observed vs what she has learned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Hate crime, Cannibalism, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Racial slurs
anntharai's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Normally if I guess the twist it can't be a 5 star book for me, but even though I got it early on I thought this book was fantastic. Its also one of the best applications of audiobook production I've heard. Tiny bit obsessed.
It's the layering that gets me, it's not just about one thing. The esstereggs are there (including on the cover art, IMO but no idea if that's intentional or not)
It's the layering that gets me, it's not just about one thing. The esstereggs are there (including on the cover art, IMO but no idea if that's intentional or not)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Classism
Moderate: Islamophobia, Sexism, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual content
not_another_ana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3.25/5
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
Anisa, a young Pakistani woman living in London, is in a bit of a slump. She has a crummy job subtitling Bollywood films, a boyfriend she doesn't care much for and an allowance from her wealthy parents. But she has big dreams, she wants to become a famous translator. When her lame white boyfriend suddenly learns to speak Urdu like a native in a week she confronts him and discovers the root of his linguistical success: an exclusive, expensive, invite only learning program known as The Center. And just like that her life is changed. But not everything is at it seems at The Center and Anisa will have to reckon the truth behind the program's sucess.
I enjoyed this book more when it was about Anisa, as a person, an immigrant, a young woman, and less when it focused on the mystery of The Center. I pretty much saw the big twist coming. The writing was quite earnest and sincere and I liked Anisa as the protagonist. I could relate to her struggles and to feeling like her life wasn't what she had envisioned. The descriptions were quite good too and the plot flowed nicely but it lost me at 70% or so. I did finish it, I just felt like the ending was rushed. Overall a great debut that I would recommend for anyone looking for something different to read.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
Anisa, a young Pakistani woman living in London, is in a bit of a slump. She has a crummy job subtitling Bollywood films, a boyfriend she doesn't care much for and an allowance from her wealthy parents. But she has big dreams, she wants to become a famous translator. When her lame white boyfriend suddenly learns to speak Urdu like a native in a week she confronts him and discovers the root of his linguistical success: an exclusive, expensive, invite only learning program known as The Center. And just like that her life is changed. But not everything is at it seems at The Center and Anisa will have to reckon the truth behind the program's sucess.
I enjoyed this book more when it was about Anisa, as a person, an immigrant, a young woman, and less when it focused on the mystery of The Center. I pretty much saw the big twist coming. The writing was quite earnest and sincere and I liked Anisa as the protagonist. I could relate to her struggles and to feeling like her life wasn't what she had envisioned. The descriptions were quite good too and the plot flowed nicely but it lost me at 70% or so. I did finish it, I just felt like the ending was rushed. Overall a great debut that I would recommend for anyone looking for something different to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Cannibalism
Moderate: Classism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
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