Good Intentions

Good Intentions by Kasim Ali

Reviewed by Mimi
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Thank you @4thestatebooks for this copy!

Nur is a young Pakistani Muslim who falls in love with Yasmina, a young Black Muslim. He feels the need to keep their relationship from his parents assuming racism will lead to their disapproval. They are together for 4 years and already living together before he drops the bombshell on his parents.

The positives to start with, it is rare to read a "romance" novel from the perspective of a man and it is also rare to read something about a relationship in this way that doesn't feel a bit mushy or superficial. This book dealt with some significant themes - mental health was a big one as well as race and prejudice. It had a lot more substance to it than I expected.

The real issue for me is the way it is not written chronologically and jumps between phases of time. I don't think it’s a technique that rewards the reader’s investment. It certainly didn't encourage me to care about the stories of the peripheral characters, such as Yasmina's sister Hawa with severe mental illness or Nur's best friend, Imran who is a gay Muslim. In my opinion, jumping between times meant I just wanted to figure out what was going to happen to Nur and Yasmina, and everyone else just felt surplus to the story. I also didn't feel that we delved enough into Nur's parents. They have such a big role in this story and I would have liked to know them better.

Certainly, a different read and one to get you thinking!