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rebeccazh's Reviews (2.89k)
a 3.5 star read from me. this book is loosely inspired by Pride & Prejudice, although it doesn't follow P&P strictly. it's a very fun take on the idea of two flawed, prideful and prejudiced individuals falling in love with each other and the two main characters are Muslims in Canada's local South Asian community. i did have some issues with the book though, as pointed out in Lady H's review.
i loved reading about the lives of the community that Ayesha and Khalid are in, and i like that the author wrote two very flawed characters but made them sympathetic. however, i did feel that the book was a bit too long, and the bulk of the story hinges on a miscommunication that could have been very easily avoided if two characters spoke to each other. and also, although Ayesha was a main character, the book seemed to prioritize Khalid more than Ayesha, so i feel like the title doesn't quite tie it in there.
i loved reading about the lives of the community that Ayesha and Khalid are in, and i like that the author wrote two very flawed characters but made them sympathetic. however, i did feel that the book was a bit too long, and the bulk of the story hinges on a miscommunication that could have been very easily avoided if two characters spoke to each other. and also, although Ayesha was a main character, the book seemed to prioritize Khalid more than Ayesha, so i feel like the title doesn't quite tie it in there.
I paused my binge reading of Chinese web novels to read this extremely harrowing tale of abuse and coercion. I wish the blurb and title had focused less on the 'survivalist' family and higher learning education, and more on familial abuse, power and coercion.
This is a tale that is heartbreakingly familiar - a very isolated family, father as patriarch controlling the entire family, wife and children as victims, perpetrators or co-conspirators of abuse in turns, and the unequal power dynamics and lack of escape in such families.
The things that Tara, the mother and the other children go through are absolutely harrowing and heartbreaking to read. I appreciated the nuanced portrayals of her family - she tries to portray both her parents as people instead of abusers - and I feel like she really managed to capture their complexity. I do wish we could have understood more of her father's history because it is still a mystery to me why he fixated on the government as the enemy, of all things.
I think she did a fantastic job describing the effects of the abuse on her - the desire to please her parents despite how they abuse her, the constant self-doubt, the distrust of others, the inability to accept help from others or from authorities... Heartbreaking how she kept going back to them, wanting their approval. There was also a lot to be said about the effects of Mormonism shaping the father's beliefs (glorifying suffering, gender roles), and the misogyny that enables or worsens the abuse towards her.
Shawn really disturbed me, especially knowing that he has two kids?! And a wife dependent on him. And the fact that half of the adult children depend on the parents financially.
Criticisms of the book often question the way details do not line up, but the many footnotes that show how differently each family member remembers the events seem to speak to the effect of gaslighting and abuse. And also trauma and the fact that the author was a child mean that memories are likely going to be very distorted. I also find it very ironic that a victim of gaslighting is being questioned for her memories.
But anyway, the strength of this book lies in the unflinching portrayal of abuse in the family. I was so RELIEVED when the author finally got into therapy.
This is a tale that is heartbreakingly familiar - a very isolated family, father as patriarch controlling the entire family, wife and children as victims, perpetrators or co-conspirators of abuse in turns, and the unequal power dynamics and lack of escape in such families.
The things that Tara, the mother and the other children go through are absolutely harrowing and heartbreaking to read. I appreciated the nuanced portrayals of her family - she tries to portray both her parents as people instead of abusers - and I feel like she really managed to capture their complexity. I do wish we could have understood more of her father's history because it is still a mystery to me why he fixated on the government as the enemy, of all things.
I think she did a fantastic job describing the effects of the abuse on her - the desire to please her parents despite how they abuse her, the constant self-doubt, the distrust of others, the inability to accept help from others or from authorities... Heartbreaking how she kept going back to them, wanting their approval. There was also a lot to be said about the effects of Mormonism shaping the father's beliefs (glorifying suffering, gender roles), and the misogyny that enables or worsens the abuse towards her.
Shawn really disturbed me, especially knowing that he has two kids?! And a wife dependent on him. And the fact that half of the adult children depend on the parents financially.
Criticisms of the book often question the way details do not line up, but the many footnotes that show how differently each family member remembers the events seem to speak to the effect of gaslighting and abuse. And also trauma and the fact that the author was a child mean that memories are likely going to be very distorted. I also find it very ironic that a victim of gaslighting is being questioned for her memories.
But anyway, the strength of this book lies in the unflinching portrayal of abuse in the family. I was so RELIEVED when the author finally got into therapy.
This was so good! I really enjoyed it. I read the first half with a lot of long breaks in between so I don't remember much of what I thought of that part, but the second half is spectacular. It's a really fun fantasy and mystery. I really hope the author will write another installment in this world because it is fascinating. Eg, I'm so curious why al-Jahiz disappeared.
A collection of essays by environmental activists in Singapore. This was pretty informative.
I really wanted to like this but unfortunately I think this isn't for me. Like others have mentioned, the book is very slow-paced. On top of that, I'm a character-driven reader and neither of the two main leads really grew on me. I did like their scenes together and the romance, but I found it hard to really grow attached to either character. However, I really appreciated the commentary on empire. This was where the book really shone, in it's portrayal of empire and colonization.
A quick read - this is sort of a middle grade book written in verse about Jude's experience immigrating to US. She has to leave half her family behind while trying to fit in and find a way of belonging in a foreign country, dealing with exclusion and racism and xenophobia in schools. She's trapped between two identities, like a lot of the relatives she meets in the States.
This was very easy to read and I felt like the author really captured the voice of a young girl who's trying to belong. I liked the characterizations of the side characters and I loved the connections she formed. Overall, a really enjoyable read.
This was very easy to read and I felt like the author really captured the voice of a young girl who's trying to belong. I liked the characterizations of the side characters and I loved the connections she formed. Overall, a really enjoyable read.
With the world news being what it is the past few days, this book was a very welcome escape. It's basically hurt/comfort. A very kind leader takes over an abused pack and sets out to help the people of the pack heal with his two other friends who are very good people. 4* for the story about a leader who leads by example and models compassion and kindness (transformational leadership at its finest), thus letting the people he is leading learn to trust that there is good in the world. There's the righting of injustice, caretaking, healing and emotional resolution for the survivors, which is a much-needed message with the war going on.
Unfortunately, 2* for the writing, which is really kind of... not so great. It reminds me of Nalini Singh's books, with awkward and amateurish sentences.
Unfortunately, 2* for the writing, which is really kind of... not so great. It reminds me of Nalini Singh's books, with awkward and amateurish sentences.
i'm too lazy to write a proper review. scattered thoughts: this was such a fun ride -- lots of good tropey stuff and it is more 'genre-y' than [b:千秋 Qian Qiu |50169322|千秋 Qian Qiu |Meng Xi Shi (梦溪石)|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567557176l/50169322._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73534980], which seemed very experimental and read more like a character study (i loved it though).
just a note that there is the usual portrayal of non-Han Chinese ethnic groups as barbarians and savages skilled in dark magic, poison, curses...
this author also really likes politics and it was hard to keep track of and stay interested with the many side characters that appeared in the last arc. one of the villains was brought in really late (felt a bit abrupt -- lack of build-up) and i felt that the last bit would have been stronger if she had been incorporated into the story more frequently.
anyway, this was so fun!
just a note that there is the usual portrayal of non-Han Chinese ethnic groups as barbarians and savages skilled in dark magic, poison, curses...
this author also really likes politics and it was hard to keep track of and stay interested with the many side characters that appeared in the last arc. one of the villains was brought in really late (felt a bit abrupt -- lack of build-up) and i felt that the last bit would have been stronger if she had been incorporated into the story more frequently.
anyway, this was so fun!