Savage Tongues is a difficult book, but one that reflects the back and forth and deeply layered comings of age of young woman. Rife of trauma, parts of this book were difficult to read, and the narrator has this distance from herself that makes descriptions of her relationships and realizations feel so abstract. Despite my frustration at these moments as a reader, I think Azareen can see Vliet Oloomi shows off her writing chops here the most—in this disconnected academic-like voice that tries to find the objective in the most intimate and personal moments. Arezu is a character deserving of this complexity but particularly in the reflective sections at the end of the novel, it feels like there’s missed opportunity to dive into characterization that allows for a more solid reader connection, rather than leaving us on the outside of her life.