Thursday 16 June 2022

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar


Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read May 2021.

5/5 stars

Nishat has just come out to her parents but they are traditional Muslim Bangladeshis who absolutely do not approve. Be who you want, except a lesbian. Then at a family wedding Nishat re-meets Flavia who she went to primary school with. Flavia is biracial Brazilian and she and her mum moved to get to know her white Irish side better, especially her cousin Chyna.

At the wedding there was an instant connection but things soon sour when both girls choose doing henna for their school's business competition. Nishat is angry at Flavia's cultural appropriation and her friends lack of support. Things deteriorate further when someone outs her at their all-girls Catholic Irish school.

I loved Nishat's relationship with her sister Priti but I wish the side characters had been developed a little more. There were family things I loved but then a couple of plot points were abandoned. I loved the writing style, it just could have done with more length and a touch more finessing.

Stef Out x

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