Samira Ahmed is the queen of disappointing me. She’s made an Olympic sport out of it, and not only does she keep winning gold, she keeps beating her own records as well.

Maybe my disappointment comes from the fact that I was so hyped for his book. A historical mystery, unearthed years later? 19th-century France? A critique of Orientalism? Muslim rep in YA?? On paper, it sounds perfect for me, but an awesome premise does not a good book make. The book itself isn’t even terrible - I don’t have it in me to give it 1 star, because it’s ultimately competent and tells A Story, even if it’s not the one I wanted - but I can’t help but feel betrayed and frustrated.