I'm not crying you're crying

A very valuable story about a Nigerian family moving to England and how their experiences in the UK don't live up to their expectations. Also unique in its writer and protagonist being women. However, I found the writing and the overall plot a bit underwhelming.

More like 3.5 stars - overall really enjoyable and beautifully written, plus it being Sardinian made my heart very happy. But it didn't leave a strong impression on me, and some particular chapters I felt were unnecessary. I also wish the themes the novel tackles (euthanasia and a culturally specific type of adoption) had been dealt with more, they felt just kind of brushed upon, which is a shame considering they are the foundation of the book.

Was quite bored during the first half but loved the second part, so I have quite mixed feelings about this one. Generally would say I really liked it tho!

Really interesting structure, beautiful writing, and interesting characters. The story is really unique as well, and it's a very immersive book that completely swallows you up. My only complaint is that the ending didn't feel like it came together all that well. I understand why this was done, but I wanted more from it.

Super interesting book, explores sexuality, gender, and love in an Ancient Roman setting, with modern elements!

This book made me incredibly sad, and I think what it's attempting to do is really important, as it sheds light on a very confusing and violent conflict. However, I had a few issues with it. The writing is at times very journalistic, in the sense that events and people become sensationalised, probably because the author is herself a journalist. I also found her personal involvement in some of the stories slightly uncomfortable, and the final chapter of the book was too centred on foreign journalists, which felt both unnecessary and anti-climactic. Generally speaking though, she handles the topic with a fair amount of sensitivity, and I found the book very educational.