A promising and insightful romance.
Sixteen-year-old Bangladeshi American Karina Ahmed lives by a different set of rules than all of her friends.
Her Muslim parents insist that she go to medical school even though Karina would prefer to major in English—and they’re planning to arrange her marriage. Although she chafes against their restrictions, Karina is also terrified of disappointing her parents, a situation that has led her to a self-diagnosis of anxiety. Karina always assumed she would bend to her parents’ expectations until two events converge: Her parents leave for Bangladesh for a month and her English teacher asks her to tutor White student Alistair “Ace” Clyde, the school’s notorious bad boy. At first, Ace does little to endear himself to Karina: He doesn’t take studying seriously, and he announces to his parents that they are in a relationship without asking Karina’s consent. But as the two get to know each other, they start to realize that they have more in common than they thought. As their friendship deepens into a romance, and as her parents’ return grows closer, Karina must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to satisfy them. Karina’s experiences are raw and conveyed empathetically, encompassing as they do real issues of gender inequality in South Asian communities. While the narratorial voice is strong, exposition explaining scenes that already shine with depth and meaning slows down what would otherwise be an action-packed plot.
A promising and insightful romance. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-335-20997-9
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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