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A review by perfect_leaves
Jasmine Falling by Shereen Malherbe
5.0
The gist of my review: I would recommend Jasmine Falling.
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Jasmine Falling certainly put me through the wringer. Within pages I would find myself going from pitying Jasmine to being downright angry with her (she makes a number of decisions I don't agree with). In the end I was overwhelmingly happy for her, because she "found what her heart wanted" (I promise that isn't too much of a spoiler). I had a hard time figuring Josh out; I think I dismissed him for a while, but in the end I think he's probably a good guy.
When I took a step back from the book, I realized I was getting way more involved with the characters than I normally do. I was quoting the book and narrating Jasmine's life to those around me (mostly my mother, ha) which speaks volumes (pun intended) about how well-written the novel is. It's peppered with references to Islam, but the book does it feel "Islamic," nor do the references get in the way of the story. In fact, the references propel the story as Jasmine goes down the path of growth and self-understanding.
This book may be particularly poignant for people who grew up outside of their parents' culture, or who have parents from two different cultures but only lived in one. It certainly made me realize how important it is to acknowledge and celebrate all of the cultures of those who reared me, lest I feel incomplete.
--
Jasmine Falling certainly put me through the wringer. Within pages I would find myself going from pitying Jasmine to being downright angry with her (she makes a number of decisions I don't agree with). In the end I was overwhelmingly happy for her, because she "found what her heart wanted" (I promise that isn't too much of a spoiler). I had a hard time figuring Josh out; I think I dismissed him for a while, but in the end I think he's probably a good guy.
When I took a step back from the book, I realized I was getting way more involved with the characters than I normally do. I was quoting the book and narrating Jasmine's life to those around me (mostly my mother, ha) which speaks volumes (pun intended) about how well-written the novel is. It's peppered with references to Islam, but the book does it feel "Islamic," nor do the references get in the way of the story. In fact, the references propel the story as Jasmine goes down the path of growth and self-understanding.
This book may be particularly poignant for people who grew up outside of their parents' culture, or who have parents from two different cultures but only lived in one. It certainly made me realize how important it is to acknowledge and celebrate all of the cultures of those who reared me, lest I feel incomplete.