Minerva Mcgongall pulled out her notebook and turned to the page that listed the names and details of that years Gryffindor Quidditch team. Her heart swelling with pride she jotted down the name “Harry Potter” next to the position “Seeker” before closing the book and opening a second drawer. She took out a small, wooden box and rummaged in it for a few seconds before withdrawing a worn out envelope, inside of which was a short letter and a photograph.
“Dearest Minnie,
Hope you’re doing well! I’m the same of course, driving Lily up the wall as usual, she sends you her love by the way!
Now I know I told you that you’ll never find a chaser as good as me ever again, but it just goes to show that even the brilliant are sometimes mistaken. I’ve found you (made you!) a replacement who will one day outshine his old man by leagues! Enclosed is a photograph of your new Quidditch prodigy so that you may assess his skills for yourself. We have him chasing the cat for practice. He’ll be unbeatable by the time he starts at Hogwarts! The youngest Quidditch player in a century!
I guarantee it, Minnie. And you know I’m never wrong, though you’ll never admit it!
Missing you and Hogwarts terribly,
Lots of love,
James
P.S. Sirius says his marriage proposal still stands.”
Wiping away a single tear that ran down her cheek and chuckling to herself, she smiled down at the photograph of a small, gleeful, black haired boy zooming along in a toy broom, a pair of legs chasing after him and a young woman laughing hysterically in a corner.
is not something that really happens to me and I am not interested in pressuring myself into doing anything -from flirting to having a relationship- just to please anyone other than myself’. We all struggle in different ways. Personally, I am still searching more about my sexuality and I have the urge to define myself because I cannot identify with the people close to me and sometimes knowing more about others who are going through similar situations feels nice. At the same time I am trying to
not define myself by a label because we don’t all experience things the same way. At this point I am just trying to observe how I physically and emotionally feel and just roll with it without judging myself.
This heart-wrenching novel explores what it is like to be thrust into an unwanted marriage. Has Naila’s fate been written in the stars? Or can she still make her own destiny?
Naila’s conservative immigrant parents have always said the same thing: She may choose what to study, how to wear her hair, and what to be when she grows up—but they will choose her husband. Following their cultural tradition, they will plan an arranged marriage for her. And until then, dating—even friendship with a boy—is forbidden. When Naila breaks their rule by falling in love with Saif, her parents are livid. Convinced she has forgotten who she truly is, they travel to Pakistan to visit relatives and explore their roots. But Naila’s vacation turns into a nightmare when she learns that plans have changed—her parents have found her a husband and they want her to marry him, now! Despite her greatest efforts, Naila is aghast to find herself cut off from everything and everyone she once knew. Her only hope of escape is Saif … if he can find her before it’s too late.
The Good: I was definitely invested in the character, and I really loved the setting. I don’t recall reading a book set in Pakistan before, so it was nice to read about that and experience something new in my reading. I was definitely never bored reading this book, and it tugged at my heartstrings big time. I was moved by the injustice this character was experiencing, and I felt myself fighting my worldview a lot while I was reading, which I count as a positive. It also makes me want to read more books about characters facing arranged marriages, but ones that turn out differently or follow a different path. I don’t want to limit myself to one narrative about this (anyone who reads this should be sure to read the Author’s Note in the back).
The Bad: I mean, the subject matter was very difficult and kind of upset me, but that was the point, so I don’t really count this as “bad.” I think if I had to think of anything that would have made this book better, it would have been more context for the culture. By that I mean it might have been nice for Naila to meet a couple whose marriage had been arranged who didn’t seem to hate it and were happy. Naila could have still struggled (rightly) with her darkly unjust situation, but it might have been nice to glimpse the other side of the coin, too. All that said, this is not my culture or my worldview, so it really doesn’t matter how I think the story should have been told–the author told this particular story for a reason, and I respect that!
Representation: Of course, this book is entirely about Pakistani-Americans and Pakistani people, set mostly in Pakistan! I think there’s one white girl who is barely on the page? This book is basically what it means to be #ownvoices. There’s no LGBT rep, but as I’ve said in other reviews, that’s not the story this book was trying to tell, and that’s okay. The story it did tell was very important and I’m happy to have read it.
Favorite Line: “The moon is absent, but the stars–for a moment, I am breathless. There are so many stars scattered across the sky tonight, the threaten to overtake the darkness.”
I’d love to have a pronunciation guide! I think my publisher would be totally fine with one, too, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Even if there isn’t one in the book itself, I’ll put one up on my blog when the publication gets closer (maybe an audio file too because I like to hear myself talk too much, lol)!
Quick reference: the ţ in “prinţesa” and “Viaţa” (another word which appears in the book frequently), is pronounced like an English ts or zz. So it’s preents-es-ah and vee-ats-uh. But stay tuned! I’ll definitely provide more info down the line. I won’t take it personally if you kind of come up with your own pronunciations in your head, though–that’s kind of what reading is all about!
2/2 I don’t know what to identify myself as? I don’t know anything. And I feel like I’m faking it, or that my entire sexual orientation is a lie because I’ve experienced sexual attraction once and I tend to prefer males over females. (I’m F) I feel down about myself and confused. Who the hell am I?
Hi baby! I was gonna save this until morning because I’ve had a lot of wine tonight and I’m worried this won’t be coherent, but I read this through and I just really want to give you a big hug. You’re not wrong, and you’re not broken! Your friend is wrong, because 1) it’s absolutely possible to be attracted to both females and males and other genders (bi-/pansexual and bi-/panromantic) and 2) it’s absolutely possible to not have a crush!!!
Honestly, what you’re describing to me sounds a lot like an asexual-spectrum orientation called demisexuality (or demiromantic, if you don’t feel any sexual attraction). Demisexuality requires a deep emotional bond before any attraction is experienced! You can also be attracted to more than one gender even if you’re demisexual, so some people style it as demi-biromantic, for example. You are absolutely not wrong for not experiencing attraction the same way other people do (and side note: how you practice your sexuality and what your orientation is don’t have to have anything to do with each other)!
Also, it’s okay if you identify one way and have a fluke attraction experience. It doesn’t make you a liar or wrong about your own identity. Honestly, I think I have experienced sexual attraction on one occasion (it freaked me the fuck out), but I don’t feel as though that makes me any less asexual, because it was once in nearly my whole life. Whatever you choose to call yourself is a tool for your use, not to prove yourself to anyone. And if no label really fits, that’s okay, too! It still doesn’t make you broken. You’re okay, sweetheart, and you don’t need to feel down on yourself. ❤ ❤ ❤ If any of this is confusing, please let me know and I’ll to clarify in the morning. You’re doing great just the way you are!
Sarah Viehmann 