Thank you Allen & Unwin for this book in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Amir Azadi always knew coming out to his Muslim family would be messy–he just didn’t think it would end in an airport interrogation room. But when faced with a failed relationship, bullies, and blackmail, running away to Rome is his only option. Right?
Soon, late nights with new friends and dates in the Sistine Chapel start to feel like second nature… until his old life comes knocking on his door. Now, Amir has to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth to a US Customs officer, or risk losing his hard-won freedom.
At turns uplifting and devastating, How It All Blew Up is Arvin Ahmadi’s most powerful novel yet, a celebration of how life’s most painful moments can live alongside the riotous, life-changing joys of discovering who you are
Review:
How It All Blew Up was a fairly entertaining read, there were parts that I loved above others but over it, it wasn’t as epic as I originally thought.
I thought Amir was a strange character though he was likeable in the end, he just takes some time to get used to. Though I do love his train of thoughts, I found them similar to my own. Specially when it came to his family not accepting him, then creating a new family. I always love seeing books that touch base on families being created rather than born into, since a fair amount of people in society can relate to.
Whilst the premise of the book seemed brilliant, I overall wasn’t a big fan. The plot wasn’t captivating, and it was honestly one of those books that you could pick up, read for a little bit and then put it down and forget about it.
Rating: 3/5
Publisher: Hot Key Books
ISBN: 978147409929