Review: The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

 

Y'all, why a book gotta make me feel like that? It's unfair afaik. Like seriously, it made me feel like that. Yo why isn't this book famous already? Y'all the book market is just, ignorant of all the good books out there. INJUSTICE!

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan is the story of Rukhsana Ali. Coming from a conservative family, Rukhsana finds it harder and harder to meet their expectations as her senior year comes to an end. Just a few more months and then she'd be off to Caltech with her girlfriend Ariana to lead a new life. But when Rukhsana's parents find her kissing Ariana, she's immediately taken to Bangladesh, in the hopes of getting her mind back on the "right path". In a world of arranged marriages and traditions, being a Bengali Muslim lesbian isn't easy.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 4/5, pretty nice read, I liked it.

PROS:

1. Easy flowing narrative:  I think that I have made it very clear that I enjoy first person narration. But if the narrative in first person ends up being a longass infodump, heavens help you in convincing me to pick up the book again because YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET it goes into the DNF zone. The writing style is simple and engaging, which is a really nice break from tense chapters.

2. Rep: In case of those who don't know what rep means, it means representation. There were mainly three types of rep in the story, the Muslim Community, The Bengali Community and the LGBTQIA+ community. To be honest, this was the first book with Bengali rep in it and I couldn't help but get mini jolts of excitement whenever I read some randomass Bengali phrase. Mind you, I had to reread it over to actually understand that yes, that's Bengali. Ms Sengupta, pls don't kill me if you're reading this.  So yeah, that, was kinda nice. And pls, Sohail being gay was the most hilarious shit ever. 

3. The pain, the angy: THIS BOOK ALMOST SUCCEEDED IN MAKING ME BAWL YO! YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT! THIS IS UNFAIR. Buuuuuuuuuuuut thankfully enough, it couldn't. Because I'm supreme chaos, a wild force of nature, free and untamed. THE ANGY AND SOHAIL'S DEATH WAS UNCALLED FOR BRIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH.

CONS:

If I am going to be honest, it's hard to tell what I didn't like about it. Maybe it was the bite size chapters, maybe it was something else, we'll never find out. Maybe we will. I am DEFINITELY NOT high while writing this.

MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Rukhsana's grandma, freaking girlboss. Like the lady actually got married at the age of like 12? Huge respect for that yo. I'd actually run away if someone tried to do that to me. For real. And Rukhsana's nani is literally a girlboss for actually sticking up with Rukhsana and encouraging her to run away. And even supporting her for being a lesbian. I mean, which grandparent does that? At least mine don't. I'd love to have a grandma like her. Please someone get me a grandma like her.

Honourable mention: Aamir and Irfan.

LEAST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Rukhsana's parents. For real. I mean, if they were real, I'd either be in jail for murder or someone would have to hold me back from committing arson. I'm pyromaniac kids, do not follow my footsteps. LIKE SENDING YOUR KID OFF TO MARRY SOMEONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE FUCKING SCARED OF SOME NARROW MINDED PEOPLE? Bruh just hold me back cuz I'll be somewhere rubbing my hands with citrus rub. To mask the smell of something, you know. Ahem.  Don't come for me plz I've yet to see Haikyuu season 5. Also soda is flavoured carbonic acid.

OVERALL, A NICE READ, kinda enjoyable.