I wanted more.

filled star filled star star unfilled star unfilled star unfilled
angelas Avatar

By

I went into this book thinking it was a book representing queer Muslim’s in YA. I did not get that, at all during this short, but fast paced book. I think this book could have been incredible and unique considering it is written as a kind of count down to this huge scene in the book, and we have present tense moments where the main characters family is being detained at an airport. It just felt very underdeveloped, I didn’t care much for the main character and I don’t really get how this can be labeled as a Muslim book, when that was not at all a main point, or even a side point in this book.

Honestly, it felt very rushed. Amir, our main character, has not come out to anyone that he is gay and has a secret relationship with a boy at his high school. Some bullies at his school find out and blackmail him, he gets so scared he skips his graduation and flies to Rome. This part seems a little unbelievable. Amir flies to a whole different country, somehow gets an apartment, and gets in with a group that makes him feel welcome with his sexuality. I mean, maybe that could happen, but in my eyes that just doesn’t. Another part of this, is that like I said before it is so rushed. I feel like we got no insight into his relationship with his first boyfriend besides about two pages. In Rome, we see a lot of characters, but half of them we only see for a chapter, so I was confused why they were even included. I honestly didn’t even feel for Amir, like I don’t even know what I thought of him. Not to mention, my biggest disappointment was that ending. We know from the beginning that there is a fight on a plane between Amir and his family and now they are being interrogated. So, I am thinking it is going to be this huge blowout, and it just wasn’t. I honestly feel like nothing was resolved, like I just don’t get the point of this book. I just wanted more, more of everything.