The characters remain consistent, which isn’t to say they don’t grow, but they’re never out of character. Noor and Maryam are both good women but are very different. Noor stays logical yet artsy, emotional but strong. Maryam reads younger than Noor, always sleeping until noon and disappearing with her new boyfriend, but her more passionate personality stays within some bounds that demonstrate what her parents were like and her values. No man is “tamed,” no woman is “caught” when it comes to the romantic plot lines, making them enjoyable to read because each character develops naturally in each scene.

While reading Nothing but Patience, I felt a sense of security. Even though there are people doing bad deeds, the novel avoids sexism, ableism, homophobia, and most xenophobia (Noor notes that her bags are always searched when she flies or rides a train). You may argue that it’s unrealistic to populate a book with a decent narrator whose very essence is equity, and plenty of characters who manage to avoid off-color jokes, lascivious stares, and patronizing women, but I read as if I were hanging out with the kind of person I want to be around and experienced an ease in my heart.

Check out the full review at https://grabthelapels.com/2021/04/22/nothing-but-patience/