I have a friend who has stated, more than once, that one must be without a heart if this book does not make them cry. I was a bit worried when, in the first half of the book, I did not feel an emotional tug. I liked the story, but I had expected to feel more, especially since two tragic situations that were introduced very early on were things I could relate to from my own childhood.
Rest assured, readers, that I do have a heart. I suspect Sabaa Yahir worked out some sort of deal with all facial tissue companies before writing this book. Really, she must have.
A slow burn novel is often like getting to know someone who you’ll eventually form a deep, meaningful bond with. You might not feel a lot for them at first, but you will. Oh, you will.
I did find that I could relate to many of the hard-hitting aspects of this novel. Not all, of course, but I felt for the characters, regardless of how familiar the circumstances were. I especially loved Misbah’s chapters and I think Tahir’s execution with this particular character was brilliantly done, circling me back to the beginning when I’d felt so little; where I now suddenly felt so much.
I appreciated the author’s emphasis on how circumstances can change a person; how desperation can make people become something they never thought they’d be. Tahir demonstrated the many dimensions of being human in these expertly crafted characters.
I must also note that there were a lot of literary and musical references here that I got a bit of a high off of. Tahir mentioned many of the songs and artists who helped me through my own difficult teenage years. Elizabeth Bishop’s phenomenal poem “One Art” played a major role in the story and there were nods toward my favorite book (A Monster Calls) and my favorite book in the Bible (Ecclesiastes). All of that made this book even more memorable for me.
All My Rage has received a great deal of acclaim already and I completely understand why. This is truly a remarkable story and one I imagine is deeply personal for the author herself. If you have wavered on this one at all, I urge you not to hesitate any further. Add this to your list or, better yet, grab yourself a copy and begin reading it now!
I am immensely grateful to BookishFirst, Razorbill Books, Sabaa Tahir, and Libro.fm for both my physical copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
Rest assured, readers, that I do have a heart. I suspect Sabaa Yahir worked out some sort of deal with all facial tissue companies before writing this book. Really, she must have.
A slow burn novel is often like getting to know someone who you’ll eventually form a deep, meaningful bond with. You might not feel a lot for them at first, but you will. Oh, you will.
I did find that I could relate to many of the hard-hitting aspects of this novel. Not all, of course, but I felt for the characters, regardless of how familiar the circumstances were. I especially loved Misbah’s chapters and I think Tahir’s execution with this particular character was brilliantly done, circling me back to the beginning when I’d felt so little; where I now suddenly felt so much.
I appreciated the author’s emphasis on how circumstances can change a person; how desperation can make people become something they never thought they’d be. Tahir demonstrated the many dimensions of being human in these expertly crafted characters.
I must also note that there were a lot of literary and musical references here that I got a bit of a high off of. Tahir mentioned many of the songs and artists who helped me through my own difficult teenage years. Elizabeth Bishop’s phenomenal poem “One Art” played a major role in the story and there were nods toward my favorite book (A Monster Calls) and my favorite book in the Bible (Ecclesiastes). All of that made this book even more memorable for me.
All My Rage has received a great deal of acclaim already and I completely understand why. This is truly a remarkable story and one I imagine is deeply personal for the author herself. If you have wavered on this one at all, I urge you not to hesitate any further. Add this to your list or, better yet, grab yourself a copy and begin reading it now!
I am immensely grateful to BookishFirst, Razorbill Books, Sabaa Tahir, and Libro.fm for both my physical copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.