I read this a while ago but never managed to write a review. I always really wanted to share this read because it felt like one of those hidden gems that came from nowhere for me. So when someone told me the other day that they missed my book reviews, I knew I had to make a comeback with this one.

This book is filled with memories for me. It’s what got me through the stress of my ACA exam week and the butterflies of my engagment week. I’d go to the library near my study college every lunch time and find a nook to read. Yess, just like you are thinking , I’m talking about the same week here - I got engaged and sat my ACA exams the same week. Sunday night was me getting engaged, while Monday morning this engaged girl was running to her tax exam. Looking back, i dont know how i did it, but no wonder this book feels nostalgic to me!

But back to the review.

The book was honestly such a pleasure to read. It had a full set of characters which you couldn’t help rooting for and a plot that was a tad crazy.

This was the story of Bilal trying to fulfil his mothers dying wish of building a mosque in his quaint village, Babbels End. Bilal grew up in Birmingham but moves to Babbels End in his adult life, a quaint white village where he and his wife are the only Muslims.

Bilal loves his village and the people love him… that is until they hear of his mother’s dying wish.

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Honestly, the book hit all the right spots for me. The craziness of the plot and the set of characters is what makes the book so fun and heartwarming to read.

On the other hand, the book deals with some very real issues. The author did a really good job of shining a light on the superficial nature of ‘inclusivity’. It’s something we’ve all seen and experienced living here, the lie of inclusivity- an inclusivity that only extends to those of us who see the world exactly like them.

I think the highlight of the book was how the author really was able to give the characters these beautiful arcs - we saw characters shed their armours, we saw unlikely friendships blossom, and most importantly, we saw characters grow.

An unpopular opinion 

The reason why I subtitled this as an unpopular opinion is because I know the reviews on goodreads and other sites are not great. To be honest, I would’ve never picked it up if it wasn’t for a good review from a bookstagram I trusted.

So here I am sharing my honest thoughts on this lovely book. I hope you try it out and let me know if you agree with my review or not!

I’d love to hear either way.

If you reached till the end of this reflection/ book review, thank you my friend. I appreciate it!

I hope we get to meet each other in my next post too. Until then, if you have any thoughts about what you’ve just read let me know (in the comments or any other way). I’d love to start a conversation!

Until next time,

Thasneema 🌻