Written in the Stars: A Novel

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The only true part I actively disliked though was Darcy’s brother. His involvement and meddling is supposedly affecting Darcy’s and Elle’s relationship positively; it’s him, after all, who sets them up and his meddling “helps” them along the way. But I absolutely hated him and his blatant disregard of boundaries that was downplayed at every turn. Every scene with him in it was a struggle to get through for me because he irritated me so much.

Writing this review has made me realize a few things. 1) I loved this book more than I thought I did when I started this review. 2) I've been out of school for a couple months and I really miss writing things. I need to write more. 3) There really needs to be more diverse books in YA literature. And I need to read more of the ones that already exist. We are literally made of stardust." Moonlight danced off the tips of Elle's pale blond eyelashes and made her eyes twinkle. If anyone was made of star stuff, it was her.”

Nalia’s family tells her a trip to Pakistan to spend time with all their extended family is just want they all need. Their stay should be only a few weeks. What happens when weeks become months and then a marriage is arranged?

This book isn't saying arranged marriages are bad, but arranging a marriage for someone, against their will and forcing them to marry is wrong. It's totally fine for parents to choose their childs partner in life as long as their daughter/son is willing to and saying it is okay. I hated Naila's parents. They didn't listen to her, they didn't let her explain herself and did this to her. Worst of all, they thought it was for her own good. I'm so glad my parents aren't like this and are more open minded. Excuse me, I'm gonna go hug my mom. This review is probably going to be a jumble of thoughts because this book hit me really hard (much harder than I was expecting) and I'm still reeling from it. I chose this particular quote, because it embodies what Written in the Stars entails. It's a story of a teenage girl who had her voice, life, and freedom taken away from her. but, anyway, the chemistry! the sexual tension and smut are impeccable, the romance is lovely and sparkling, and the emotions are big and intense. it's refreshing that the book doesn't shy away from any big emotions - the good or the bad.

I was so enthused when I started this book because these characters’ first meeting was a wild ride but so very perfect to set the tone, I just wished the rest had kept up. Nonetheless, I recommend this book to everybody particularly the readers who appreciate a good book on a social vice. The book carries a strong message that needs to find its way to everybody's shelf. Our protagonist in this story is Naila, a Pakistani American teenager in her last year of high school – good lord she is so YOUNG – who is part of a very conventionally desi household. She has to attend lunches her brother gets to skip, she might be two years older but her 15-year-old brother gets the driving lessons, and so on. But these are injustices most desi girls learn to swallow because that’s just the way things are. Soon Naila will be going away to college, something she looks forwards to because she will finally be able to spend time properly with her boyfriend Saif. While Naila’s story never steers that far, it still falls uncomfortably close to the fault line of such a mentality. Her parents, who see what they are doing as ultimately good for their daughter, take her to Pakistan with the sole focus of getting her married off. There, Naila is shown to a various number of families with prospective bachelors without her consent or even awareness. Once she finds out, her attempts to escape are thwarted, resulting in physical violence, being drugged and forced into a marriage, and then onto the villainy of horrible in-laws, marital rape, and an unwanted pregnancy.

I’ll be on the watch for more books this author writes, she definitely is gifted and her voice very powerful. Arranged marriages remain a worldwide concern, not only in less developed countries. As the author has put it, this problem presents itself as a silent epidemic.

Eventually, when those massive stars reach the end of their lives, they go out with a bang, a supernova so bright, so beautiful it drowns out all the other stars. And when they do, they throw out all those elements they created. That’s what we’re made of. We’ve got calcium in our bones and iron in our blood and nitrogen in our DNA . . . and all of that? It comes from those stars.” Elle’s eyes glistened, sparkling as bright as the stars she spoke of as she blinked and pointed up at the sky. “We are literally made of stardust.” Anyway, Aisha Saeed wrote Written in the Stars beautifully and it teaches young people (or any audience of this book because, really, someone of any age can read it) to have empathy and tolerance towards the sorts of situations Naila goes through. The most important part of this book, I think, is what it teaches the reader. It definitely taught me a lot.