Actions can lead to changes in life, and the intentions of a person can make him/her place never thought of. Intentions of a person are showcased through words and actions, let us see if the Good Intentions got on the right track.
Book Title & Book Cover:
Good Intentions by Kasim Ali's book cover grabs attention instantly as the book title is written in bright colors. The caricature of the lead characters of the story finds its place on the cover.
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The Plot:
Nur, a young Brit, an aspiring writer, and University graduate, belongs to a close-knit family of Pakistani immigrants. He is always confused about his future and possesses an indecisive mind. Nur, the eldest of the three siblings, loves his family very much. He wants his society and family to look up to him as a family's good boy.
The story starts with the New Year's Eve celebration where Nur, hesitating share his lady love, Yasmina with his family. He hides his relationship with Yasmina for four long years as he is afraid of how his parents will react when they will know that Yasmina is a Sudanese black.
Yasmina, a beautiful and self-possessed aspiring journalist belongs to minority immigrants and is open with her family about her relationship with Nur and expects the same from her boyfriend.
Nur is assisted at his every step by Yasmina and his friends constantly advising him that his presumption may lead him to trouble someday.
- Does Nur listen to his love and overcome his shortcomings?
- Do his parents accept Yasmina?
- Or do the roots of racial prejudices come across their love life?
Getting to know all these questions is worth reading.
Things to grab:
The author, Kasim Ali has focussed on many sensitive subjects in the story. He has clearly put across the thought that how racism finds a place in that little corner of the heart and how societal prejudices can haunt the future life.
Here the author has also portrayed how being the eldest sibling brings with it a lot of expectations from the family and the society and how fitting into these expectations kills one's interest and dream.
The beautiful narration makes every character of the story come alive.
Many different thought-provoking aspects are introduced and explain how inclusion and acceptance can change the way we look at life.
The entire story is spun around four years of the love life of Nur and Yasmina.
The chapters alternate the past and present life of the lead characters.
The relationship of Nur and Yasmina with their parents and siblings is portrayed beautifully.
Things that put me off:
- The pace of the storyline could have been a bit faster as it seemed slow to fast reader like me.
- The month and year adorn the chapter titles which was very confusing as I had to juggle back and forth several times to understand the time of the story setting making it quite difficult to keep track of details.
Final thought:
Good Intentions by Kasim Ali is a great resource especially for young generations to understand how important it is to clear our minds off the societal expectations and build the confidence to make their own decisions at the right point in time.
This debut novel is more than a romantic fiction that compels us to think, realize, and assess how timing is the key to decision-making in life.
One message is loud and clear, There are times when things go haywire despite our good intentions.
About the Author : Kasim Ali
Kasim Ali works at Penguin Random House and has previously been shortlisted for Hachette’s Mo Siewcherran Prize, longlisted for the 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize, and has contributed to The Good Journal. He comes from Birmingham and now lives in London.
Book Details
Book Title: Good Intentions
Author: Kasim Ali
ISBN no.:978-0-00-855334-0
Genre: Fiction
No of pages: 346
My Rating: 4/5
This Book Review is part of #BookChatter by Blogchatter. All the pointers expressed in the review are honest.
A love story with between a Pakistani and Sudani seems like ab interesting read. Racism is sure to come forth and it's the strength of their relationship that'll decide how much it matters. Seems like a good read.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like an interesting plot , I would really like to give it a read to know what really happened to their love story.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your frank and honest feedback. This is not my type of book: a heartbreaking debut about an interracial couple torn apart by the burdens of parental expectations and the heavy cultural pressures working against them. I will undoubtedly recommend it to a friend who enjoys reading a wide range of stories and novels.
ReplyDelete-Anjali
It seems this book has struck right chords as far as social messages are corned. The concerns you have mentioned put me off too. Will check it out.
ReplyDeleteI love reading love stories and in this one, the love between two different country people make it more interesting. would love to give this a try. loved your honest review. agree, expressing time transition through writing is a daunting task and seems author has struggled with it.
ReplyDeleteLooks a fair first attempt by author in the form of this book. I can agree with the underlying messages given in the book about racism and more. Would have love to read it if it was a quick read but basis your review I shall pass.
ReplyDeleteBoth from extreme ethnicities but same religion, this would be quite a read. I would love to give it a read, if it covers the real issues of acceptance in social parlance. Lovely, you got me here for this book with this review.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to pick this up for long. Glad I came across your review. Love how you have put what put you off as well. Thanks for honest review
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be an interesting love story read. I would love to get my hands on this book and read it.
ReplyDeleteI am not any more into love stories, pretty much after college. I will recommend this book to my cousin who enjoys such books.
ReplyDelete