Member Review
Review by
Sara B, Reviewer
Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie
Thank you Netgallery UK for the ARC e-book for an unbiased review.
I had loved Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie so was grateful to get the chance to read this.
I was genuinely unsure whether to say this was 3/5 or 4/5 stars for me.
It felt as if the book was strongest in the first half, Karachi 1998. Then it jumped forward to London 2019 (& an epilogue that was Spring 2020). With that 2nd part, it lost some of the magic for me.
Zahra and Maryam were best of friends and as teenagers during the political unrest seen in Karachi in 1998, the events they witnessed and dealt with were strongly portrayed. The prose was so good you felt immersed into all that was going on around them and with them.
London 2019 then all just felt flat for me. I think had that been the start of the book it wouldn't have been so jarring, and why I'm hovering on the rating. I think I'm happy enough to give it 4/5 stars as the 1st part is strong enough and while the 2nd wasn't as great for me, it wasn't something I perhaps would've automatically rated down if it was the initial part of the book.
I'd say if you're a fan of Home Fire as I was, you will enjoy this book and shouldn't discount it. But perhaps temper the expectations that it will reach the same heights. It is good though and I'd happily have this on my shelf to read again sometime. It might be a book that on a 2nd read through I gain more appreciation of it.
A slightly wavering 4/5 stars 🌟
Thank you Netgallery UK for the ARC e-book for an unbiased review.
I had loved Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie so was grateful to get the chance to read this.
I was genuinely unsure whether to say this was 3/5 or 4/5 stars for me.
It felt as if the book was strongest in the first half, Karachi 1998. Then it jumped forward to London 2019 (& an epilogue that was Spring 2020). With that 2nd part, it lost some of the magic for me.
Zahra and Maryam were best of friends and as teenagers during the political unrest seen in Karachi in 1998, the events they witnessed and dealt with were strongly portrayed. The prose was so good you felt immersed into all that was going on around them and with them.
London 2019 then all just felt flat for me. I think had that been the start of the book it wouldn't have been so jarring, and why I'm hovering on the rating. I think I'm happy enough to give it 4/5 stars as the 1st part is strong enough and while the 2nd wasn't as great for me, it wasn't something I perhaps would've automatically rated down if it was the initial part of the book.
I'd say if you're a fan of Home Fire as I was, you will enjoy this book and shouldn't discount it. But perhaps temper the expectations that it will reach the same heights. It is good though and I'd happily have this on my shelf to read again sometime. It might be a book that on a 2nd read through I gain more appreciation of it.
A slightly wavering 4/5 stars 🌟
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