got me out of a book slump!!
'how it all blew up' by arvin ahmadi follows two timelines: amir azadi and his family's interviews in airport interrogation rooms, as well as amir's first person narrative in the month leading up to the interrogation. in the first person narrative, we see the story unfold from amir's eyes: a boy standing at the crossroads of being the perfect Muslim son and also being gay when he's forced to come out. the solution? to avoid the situation entirely by catching a plane to rome.
while in rome, amir experiences a whirlwind summer of romance, friendship, and just being able to be himself. i loved seeing amir's experience in rome, and the beautiful storytelling that really brought the city to life. reading how it all blew up feels like you're there in rome, in the cafe or at the party. in addition, i also loved the character of jahan, amir's guide in rome, introducing him to new friends and connecting with him as a fellow gay Muslim. initially, amir describes jahan like a sun. but later we get to see much, much more that truly proves that even a supporting character is well fleshed out.
meanwhile, in the interrogation segments, we get glimpses into what amir's family thinks of the whole situation as they regurgitate their experiences from memory. this gives insight into the thoughts of his mother, father, and younger sister soraya on his disappearance and his sexuality. i was really interested in soraya, who's sassy, clever, and a really interesting contrast to amir's first person narrative.
'how it all blew up' is a powerful masterpiece that has just the right amount of serious beats and funny moments. i'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves destination/travel fiction or is a fan of young adult contemporaries like love, simon or love à la mode.
while in rome, amir experiences a whirlwind summer of romance, friendship, and just being able to be himself. i loved seeing amir's experience in rome, and the beautiful storytelling that really brought the city to life. reading how it all blew up feels like you're there in rome, in the cafe or at the party. in addition, i also loved the character of jahan, amir's guide in rome, introducing him to new friends and connecting with him as a fellow gay Muslim. initially, amir describes jahan like a sun. but later we get to see much, much more that truly proves that even a supporting character is well fleshed out.
meanwhile, in the interrogation segments, we get glimpses into what amir's family thinks of the whole situation as they regurgitate their experiences from memory. this gives insight into the thoughts of his mother, father, and younger sister soraya on his disappearance and his sexuality. i was really interested in soraya, who's sassy, clever, and a really interesting contrast to amir's first person narrative.
'how it all blew up' is a powerful masterpiece that has just the right amount of serious beats and funny moments. i'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves destination/travel fiction or is a fan of young adult contemporaries like love, simon or love à la mode.