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House of Glass Hearts
Maera and her ammi never talk about the Past, a place where they’ve banished their family’s heartache and grief forever. They especially never mention the night Maera’s older brother Asad disappeared from her naana’s house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather’s past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family’s secrets—the monsters that live inside her grandfather’s mysterious house of glass.
Seamlessly blending history with myth, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS follows a Pakistani-American teen’s ruthless quest to find her missing sibling, even if the truth would reveal her grandfather’s devastating secret and tear her family apart. In a narrative that switches between colonial India and present-day America, this ambitious debut explores how the horrors of the past continue to shape the lives of South Asians around the world.
Seamlessly blending history with myth, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS follows a Pakistani-American teen’s ruthless quest to find her missing sibling, even if the truth would reveal her grandfather’s devastating secret and tear her family apart. In a narrative that switches between colonial India and present-day America, this ambitious debut explores how the horrors of the past continue to shape the lives of South Asians around the world.
278 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2021
5 people are currently reading
1286 people want to read
About the author
Leila Siddiqui
2 books107 followersLeila Siddiqui is a Chicago-born Texan who calls New York home. She currently works in publishing in the marketing department. She is a horror film devotee and when not writing, spends her time fawning over her very floofy cats. She lives with her partner in Queens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 4, 2021
In a Nutshell: Full marks for the creativity of the plot but the writing needed more finesse.
Story:
I really, really wanted to like this book. I expected to love it, in fact. With that vivid cover, interesting title and fascinating blurb, the only way it could have gone wrong was in its writing. And I regret to say, the writing/editing is where the book needed more work.
Don’t get me wrong. The plot is absolutely mind-blowing. The way the author weaves in factual horrors such as the bloodshed and politico-religious turmoil during the Indian partition of 1947 with fantastical horrors is splendid. I wasn’t expecting horror elements to be part of this story, and that too horror with such a strong Indian feel. (No spoilers, but readers from the Indian subcontinent will find a familiar horror entity in this book. It adds to the fun.) I loved the use of the Urdu words sprinkled in the narrative unabashedly, and without any meanings given in brackets. It added so much authenticity to the cultural point of view.
The story is written from two broad perspectives: that of Maera in the present USA and of her grandfather during the 1940s India/Pakistan. This makes for an interesting contrast of narratives. I enjoyed the historical narrative much better as there was more meat to it. The 1940s atmosphere is pretty well written and accurate, bringing the past alive. The present timeline was quite bland in comparison except at the very end.
On the other hand, the characters are pretty unidimensional. I didn’t empathise with most of them even when they were supposedly going through such a huge trauma. There are many character-based loopholes in the plot. Some are merely revolving door characters, coming and going as per the need of the plot. I didn’t understand the need for a romantic arc between two of the characters. It is just there because it’s there. There’s no build-up to it, and there’s no requirement for it in the plot.
For a debut work, I am pretty impressed with the author’s imagination. All that is needed is a little fine-tuning in the writing and I’m sure she will have a bright future ahead of her. I must say, she won my heart with this particular paragraph in her author’s note:
"History is often a series of causalities. There are enormous implications for what colonization did to my ancestors and their Hindu and Sikh neighbors and brethren. And so, perhaps within these pages is a silent plea that instead of taking sides against our own people, our neighbors across the border, we should recognize and work to heal from the horrors of Imperialism."
My best regards to this new writer; I’ll certainly keep her future books on my radar. I just wish this book had worked out better for me. If you wish to try an interesting debut writer and/or a horror story based on the factual-cum-fictional history of India, do give it a try.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to Yali Books and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
While on vacation at their grandfather’s house in Karachi (Pakistan), Maera’s elder brother Asad mysteriously disappeared leaving no clue at all about his whereabouts. Now, ten years later, Maera and her mother live a dull life in the US, making no mention of the past. However, when her grandfather’s derelict greenhouse makes a sudden appearance in their backyard, Maera is forced to confront the past and venture into the secrets this glass house holds, with the help of her cousin Jimmy, best friend Sara and neighbour Rob. What horrors await them therein? Is all this connected anyway with Asad? Read and find out.
I really, really wanted to like this book. I expected to love it, in fact. With that vivid cover, interesting title and fascinating blurb, the only way it could have gone wrong was in its writing. And I regret to say, the writing/editing is where the book needed more work.
Don’t get me wrong. The plot is absolutely mind-blowing. The way the author weaves in factual horrors such as the bloodshed and politico-religious turmoil during the Indian partition of 1947 with fantastical horrors is splendid. I wasn’t expecting horror elements to be part of this story, and that too horror with such a strong Indian feel. (No spoilers, but readers from the Indian subcontinent will find a familiar horror entity in this book. It adds to the fun.) I loved the use of the Urdu words sprinkled in the narrative unabashedly, and without any meanings given in brackets. It added so much authenticity to the cultural point of view.
The story is written from two broad perspectives: that of Maera in the present USA and of her grandfather during the 1940s India/Pakistan. This makes for an interesting contrast of narratives. I enjoyed the historical narrative much better as there was more meat to it. The 1940s atmosphere is pretty well written and accurate, bringing the past alive. The present timeline was quite bland in comparison except at the very end.
On the other hand, the characters are pretty unidimensional. I didn’t empathise with most of them even when they were supposedly going through such a huge trauma. There are many character-based loopholes in the plot. Some are merely revolving door characters, coming and going as per the need of the plot. I didn’t understand the need for a romantic arc between two of the characters. It is just there because it’s there. There’s no build-up to it, and there’s no requirement for it in the plot.
For a debut work, I am pretty impressed with the author’s imagination. All that is needed is a little fine-tuning in the writing and I’m sure she will have a bright future ahead of her. I must say, she won my heart with this particular paragraph in her author’s note:
"History is often a series of causalities. There are enormous implications for what colonization did to my ancestors and their Hindu and Sikh neighbors and brethren. And so, perhaps within these pages is a silent plea that instead of taking sides against our own people, our neighbors across the border, we should recognize and work to heal from the horrors of Imperialism."
My best regards to this new writer; I’ll certainly keep her future books on my radar. I just wish this book had worked out better for me. If you wish to try an interesting debut writer and/or a horror story based on the factual-cum-fictional history of India, do give it a try.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to Yali Books and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
August 2, 2021
Firstly, I would to thank NetGalley for my advanced copy of House Of Glass Hearts.
Wow, I absolutely loved reading this twisty tale of love, loss and learning. This is definitely not the type of thing I would usually read but I thought I’d step out of my comfort zone with this one. And I was certainly not expecting this. House Of Glass Hearts is a fantastical thriller mostly set in Pakistan. What I loved most of all about this book, is the in-depth look at Pakistani culture. Prior to reading this, I didn’t really know much about it so not only did reading the book provide me with a fantastic mystery, but it also served as a learning experience.
The Plot
This is the synopsis I got from NetGalley:
Maera and her Ammi never talk about the Past, a place where they’ve banished their family’s heartache and grief forever. They especially never mention the night Maera’s older brother Asad disappeared from her Naana’s house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather’s past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family’s secrets—the monsters that live inside her grandfather’s mysterious house of glass.
Seamlessly blending history with myth, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS follows a Pakistani-American teen’s ruthless quest to find her missing sibling, even if the truth would reveal her grandfather’s devastating secret and tear her family apart. In a narrative that switches between colonial India and present-day America, this ambitious debut explores how the horrors of the past continue to shape the lives of South Asians around the world.
I honestly think that the plot was one of the best things about the book! It was gripping and kept me hooked throughout. Like I said before, I really liked the addition of Pakistani culture and history. Also, the plot twist near the end had me wanting to throw my iPad across the room. I absolutely didn’t see that coming from a mile off!
Writing
I actually found the writing quite hard to understand at some points and found myself getting confused. It was probably just because of the complex plot line (which I absolutely adored!)
Characters
I won’t go in depth into all the characters, because their is just too many good ones to write a good paragraph about each of them! I found that they were all very fleshed out and relatable. My favourite character was probably Shah Jehan, I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but I loved how brave she was as a woman in a very much male-dominated society.
Final Thoughts
I really liked this book and I recommend that you all pick it up when it gets released in September!
Wow, I absolutely loved reading this twisty tale of love, loss and learning. This is definitely not the type of thing I would usually read but I thought I’d step out of my comfort zone with this one. And I was certainly not expecting this. House Of Glass Hearts is a fantastical thriller mostly set in Pakistan. What I loved most of all about this book, is the in-depth look at Pakistani culture. Prior to reading this, I didn’t really know much about it so not only did reading the book provide me with a fantastic mystery, but it also served as a learning experience.
The Plot
This is the synopsis I got from NetGalley:
Maera and her Ammi never talk about the Past, a place where they’ve banished their family’s heartache and grief forever. They especially never mention the night Maera’s older brother Asad disappeared from her Naana’s house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather’s past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family’s secrets—the monsters that live inside her grandfather’s mysterious house of glass.
Seamlessly blending history with myth, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS follows a Pakistani-American teen’s ruthless quest to find her missing sibling, even if the truth would reveal her grandfather’s devastating secret and tear her family apart. In a narrative that switches between colonial India and present-day America, this ambitious debut explores how the horrors of the past continue to shape the lives of South Asians around the world.
I honestly think that the plot was one of the best things about the book! It was gripping and kept me hooked throughout. Like I said before, I really liked the addition of Pakistani culture and history. Also, the plot twist near the end had me wanting to throw my iPad across the room. I absolutely didn’t see that coming from a mile off!
Writing
I actually found the writing quite hard to understand at some points and found myself getting confused. It was probably just because of the complex plot line (which I absolutely adored!)
Characters
I won’t go in depth into all the characters, because their is just too many good ones to write a good paragraph about each of them! I found that they were all very fleshed out and relatable. My favourite character was probably Shah Jehan, I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but I loved how brave she was as a woman in a very much male-dominated society.
Final Thoughts
I really liked this book and I recommend that you all pick it up when it gets released in September!
January 19, 2022
This is magical. This is historical. This is a blend of the lore and the lost. Despite a hazy pace and character voice, the alternate perspectives told through two different timelines makes this a pleasant one-time read.
When Maera's grandfather dies, his greenhouse suddenly appears in her backyard and brings back memories of a dreadful past that took away her brother. Now, when this past that was never talked about physically manifests itself, Maera decides to find her missing brother—ten years after he had vanished overnight in the same greenhouse during a family trip to Karachi, Pakistan. And she hopes her late grandfather's diary would have answers. With the aid of her cousin Jimmy, friend Sara, and neighbor Rob, Maera enters the greenhouse and encounters a churail in the lush jungle.
Told in alternate timelines, switching between colonial India and present-day America, this debut authentically paints the historical horrors before and immediately after India's independence. The region's pain during WWII and the Partition seeps through a narration that not only discusses interreligious tensions, demands for division, and sacrifices during the freedom struggle, but also deals with intergenerational trauma and grief. It lets Indian & Pakistani folklore soak the present-day quest with a demonic spirit, a churail, plausibly acting as an embodiment of the horrors that the other simultaneous narrative unravels.
Rightly said to be Pan's Labyrinth meets The Night Diary, this genre-bending story brings in the darkness and thrill of a missing brother, an enchanting greenhouse, and an ominous fantastical creature, while unfolding a past of sadness that generations of the subcontinent wish was only of happiness for the freedom from years of British colonization. There's also a dash of Stranger Things but unfortunately, the voice of the characters—who are young adults but read tweens—doesn't let one fully engage with the massive cast and the rushed writing somehow slows down the speculative plot that centers the present-day arc.
Regardless of the disappointing overall reading experience, the historical elements are impactful and the ending doesn't fail to satiate. It's clear that this book might not be for everyone because it doesn't fit one box: it's not just a historical fiction, it's not just a fantasy; it's not just magical realism, it's not just an adventure. It's strengths carry the weight of glass hearts and it's few weaknesses surprisingly don't break them.
House of Glass Hearts is a debut young adult fiction lined with magical realism that blends history and myth.
When Maera's grandfather dies, his greenhouse suddenly appears in her backyard and brings back memories of a dreadful past that took away her brother. Now, when this past that was never talked about physically manifests itself, Maera decides to find her missing brother—ten years after he had vanished overnight in the same greenhouse during a family trip to Karachi, Pakistan. And she hopes her late grandfather's diary would have answers. With the aid of her cousin Jimmy, friend Sara, and neighbor Rob, Maera enters the greenhouse and encounters a churail in the lush jungle.
Told in alternate timelines, switching between colonial India and present-day America, this debut authentically paints the historical horrors before and immediately after India's independence. The region's pain during WWII and the Partition seeps through a narration that not only discusses interreligious tensions, demands for division, and sacrifices during the freedom struggle, but also deals with intergenerational trauma and grief. It lets Indian & Pakistani folklore soak the present-day quest with a demonic spirit, a churail, plausibly acting as an embodiment of the horrors that the other simultaneous narrative unravels.
Rightly said to be Pan's Labyrinth meets The Night Diary, this genre-bending story brings in the darkness and thrill of a missing brother, an enchanting greenhouse, and an ominous fantastical creature, while unfolding a past of sadness that generations of the subcontinent wish was only of happiness for the freedom from years of British colonization. There's also a dash of Stranger Things but unfortunately, the voice of the characters—who are young adults but read tweens—doesn't let one fully engage with the massive cast and the rushed writing somehow slows down the speculative plot that centers the present-day arc.
Regardless of the disappointing overall reading experience, the historical elements are impactful and the ending doesn't fail to satiate. It's clear that this book might not be for everyone because it doesn't fit one box: it's not just a historical fiction, it's not just a fantasy; it's not just magical realism, it's not just an adventure. It's strengths carry the weight of glass hearts and it's few weaknesses surprisingly don't break them.
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July 9, 2021
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publication house for my copy. What a delightful read it was! I enjoyed the fantastic blend of magic and historical events. Maera represents the modern generation quite well and I imagined the fantasy elements to represent the suppressed events that have taken place before we were even born. If this is Siddiqui's debut then, I can't wait to read more of her books. It was well written, researched and clearly written with care. Will def recommend!
August 3, 2021
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
House of Glass Hearts was an enjoyable read. The plot focuses on Maera in the present time dealing with grief, family struggles, and the mysterious greenhouse that had appeared in her backyard overnight-and her grandfather's life in the past. I enjoyed the grandfathers point of view and learning about his life more than I did Maera's story. I learned a lot about colonial India that I never knew. The magical elements to the story were an amazing touch.
I thought the writing was really good. My only downside about the writing was how slow paced the book was. A lot of the action didn't happen until halfway through, which got me a little bored during the first half.
The characters were all enjoyable for the most part. By the end of the story I felt Maera's character fell a bit flat. A heartfelt conversation between her and her mother would have been a great addition.
Overall, I liked the book and I will definitely read more historical fiction by Leila Siddiqui.
House of Glass Hearts was an enjoyable read. The plot focuses on Maera in the present time dealing with grief, family struggles, and the mysterious greenhouse that had appeared in her backyard overnight-and her grandfather's life in the past. I enjoyed the grandfathers point of view and learning about his life more than I did Maera's story. I learned a lot about colonial India that I never knew. The magical elements to the story were an amazing touch.
I thought the writing was really good. My only downside about the writing was how slow paced the book was. A lot of the action didn't happen until halfway through, which got me a little bored during the first half.
The characters were all enjoyable for the most part. By the end of the story I felt Maera's character fell a bit flat. A heartfelt conversation between her and her mother would have been a great addition.
Overall, I liked the book and I will definitely read more historical fiction by Leila Siddiqui.
August 20, 2021
Thank you Netgalley, Yali Books, and Leila Siddiqui for sending me an e-ARC of House of Glass Hearts in exchange for an honest review.
3 stars
House of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui was enjoyable. Obviously, the cover and synopsis drew me in when I was on Netgalley so I felt the need to request it. The book is really unique. The plot is original and not like other books I've read, and it's the first book I've read which alternates between two different points in time, the present and 1940s.
When Maera was 6, her older brother Asad disappeared at night when he tried entering the mysterious greenhouse in their backyard in Pakistan, which all the children were forbidden from entering. Now, 10 years later, Maera and her mother are living in Virginia. Her mother is still trying to cope and refuses to ever bring up the past. When Maera's Naana (grandfather) Haroon passes away, the green house that was in his backyard in Pakistan appears in Maera's backyard, along with a diary, belonging to Haroon during the 1940s, but her mom doesn't seem the least bit phased by it. When Maera sees a figure in the greenhouse, she teams up with her cousin, best friend, and Asad's old best friend to find Asad and discover the mysteries of the greenhouse and her Naana's past.
Honestly, for the first 3/4 of the book, I wasn't interested in Maera's chapters at all. They just didn't interest me and Maera herself annoyed me a lot. She's supposed to be 16 or 17 but talks and acts like a kid. I felt all the characters were flat and one-dimensional and I couldn't connect to anyone. I also think Maera's crush on Rob was totally unnecessary and really random. She saw him after 10 years of not seeing him and was like "Maera’s breath caught in her chest; she was shocked at how much she enjoyed feasting her eyes on this upgrade of young Bobby" and kept making a point about how much she enjoyed staring at him. It was sort of love at first sight but it didn't have anything to do with the plot and wasn't that important.
What I did enjoy was Haroon's chapters in the past. They were really interesting and intense and spread awareness of what happened to Indians during World War II and what happened to Muslims there after. I also enjoyed learning about Indian and Pakistani myths and legends. Originally, I was planning on labeling the book a 2.7 but I settled on 3 because I enjoyed the ending more than I thought I would.
Overall, House of Glass Hearts was an intriguing and original story but not something I think I would re-read unless my taste in books changes in the future.
3 stars
House of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui was enjoyable. Obviously, the cover and synopsis drew me in when I was on Netgalley so I felt the need to request it. The book is really unique. The plot is original and not like other books I've read, and it's the first book I've read which alternates between two different points in time, the present and 1940s.
When Maera was 6, her older brother Asad disappeared at night when he tried entering the mysterious greenhouse in their backyard in Pakistan, which all the children were forbidden from entering. Now, 10 years later, Maera and her mother are living in Virginia. Her mother is still trying to cope and refuses to ever bring up the past. When Maera's Naana (grandfather) Haroon passes away, the green house that was in his backyard in Pakistan appears in Maera's backyard, along with a diary, belonging to Haroon during the 1940s, but her mom doesn't seem the least bit phased by it. When Maera sees a figure in the greenhouse, she teams up with her cousin, best friend, and Asad's old best friend to find Asad and discover the mysteries of the greenhouse and her Naana's past.
Honestly, for the first 3/4 of the book, I wasn't interested in Maera's chapters at all. They just didn't interest me and Maera herself annoyed me a lot. She's supposed to be 16 or 17 but talks and acts like a kid. I felt all the characters were flat and one-dimensional and I couldn't connect to anyone. I also think Maera's crush on Rob was totally unnecessary and really random. She saw him after 10 years of not seeing him and was like "Maera’s breath caught in her chest; she was shocked at how much she enjoyed feasting her eyes on this upgrade of young Bobby" and kept making a point about how much she enjoyed staring at him. It was sort of love at first sight but it didn't have anything to do with the plot and wasn't that important.
What I did enjoy was Haroon's chapters in the past. They were really interesting and intense and spread awareness of what happened to Indians during World War II and what happened to Muslims there after. I also enjoyed learning about Indian and Pakistani myths and legends. Originally, I was planning on labeling the book a 2.7 but I settled on 3 because I enjoyed the ending more than I thought I would.
Overall, House of Glass Hearts was an intriguing and original story but not something I think I would re-read unless my taste in books changes in the future.
July 6, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was amazing how it explored the history of Pakistan and India and the terrible things that happened there. The characters were also well developed, even the mothers, who had backstories of their own. My favourite character was Shah Jehan because I thought that she was a really strong female character. She had her flaws and imperfections, but she never let the men in her life take over her or decide what she should do in life. I really liked the addition of their Naana's diary and how that was woven into the story. The story wouldn't have been the same without it. While I did predict the ending, it didn't make it any less emotional when I read it. Overall, this book was amazing and I would absolutely recommend it for some diverse OwnVoices reading.
October 10, 2021
3.5 stars
Thank you to Yali Books for sending me an advance copy of this book!
House of Glass Hearts follows the story of Maera, a Pakistani-American teenager as she unravels the secrets of her family’s past.
The book unravels two simultaneous narratives; Maera in the present day, taking on a desperate hunt to find her missing brother, and the story of Maera’s grandfather in pre-Independence India.
House of Glass Hearts deals beautifully with the oft-forgotten horrors of South Asia’s recent history. It deals with intergenerational trauma, the pain of knowing that your family history is fraught with unmentionable grief; it touches on the still-raw wound of Partition, a period of time so drenched in blood that its legacy reverberates through the Subcontinent nearly 75 years later.
The book was at its strongest when it was actively dealing with these themes. The story of Maera’s grandfather was strong, and the candid discussions of interreligious tensions, the complexities of the Indian freedom struggle, and the sheer pain of Partition absolutely stood out to me. It also effectively intertwined Indian folklore with magical realism. Conceptually, the book is great.
The parts of the narrative that dealt with the present day - with Maera and her friends - were far weaker. Another 100 pages of content would have strengthened the book immeasurably; at times, it was fast paced to the point of being near impossible to read. There was a massive cast of characters, and the novel did not have space to let any of them breathe. I would struggle to tell you any of Maera’s personality traits, because throughout most of the book she just felt like a vessel for the plot.
The writing at times felt rushed, as though the author was trying to get through as much plot as possible in very little time. The inclusion of extra plot threads, like a romantic arc, felt wholly unnecessary and very much shoehorned into an already crowded book.
Ultimately, though House of Glass Hearts was one of the most creative and unique books I’ve read in a while, I felt as though the execution required more polish. Leila Siddiqui is a debut author, and I’m definitely excited to read her future releases.
Thank you to Yali Books for sending me an advance copy of this book!
House of Glass Hearts follows the story of Maera, a Pakistani-American teenager as she unravels the secrets of her family’s past.
The book unravels two simultaneous narratives; Maera in the present day, taking on a desperate hunt to find her missing brother, and the story of Maera’s grandfather in pre-Independence India.
House of Glass Hearts deals beautifully with the oft-forgotten horrors of South Asia’s recent history. It deals with intergenerational trauma, the pain of knowing that your family history is fraught with unmentionable grief; it touches on the still-raw wound of Partition, a period of time so drenched in blood that its legacy reverberates through the Subcontinent nearly 75 years later.
The book was at its strongest when it was actively dealing with these themes. The story of Maera’s grandfather was strong, and the candid discussions of interreligious tensions, the complexities of the Indian freedom struggle, and the sheer pain of Partition absolutely stood out to me. It also effectively intertwined Indian folklore with magical realism. Conceptually, the book is great.
The parts of the narrative that dealt with the present day - with Maera and her friends - were far weaker. Another 100 pages of content would have strengthened the book immeasurably; at times, it was fast paced to the point of being near impossible to read. There was a massive cast of characters, and the novel did not have space to let any of them breathe. I would struggle to tell you any of Maera’s personality traits, because throughout most of the book she just felt like a vessel for the plot.
The writing at times felt rushed, as though the author was trying to get through as much plot as possible in very little time. The inclusion of extra plot threads, like a romantic arc, felt wholly unnecessary and very much shoehorned into an already crowded book.
Ultimately, though House of Glass Hearts was one of the most creative and unique books I’ve read in a while, I felt as though the execution required more polish. Leila Siddiqui is a debut author, and I’m definitely excited to read her future releases.
December 26, 2021
⭐⭐⭐ -- overall
⭐ -- for the present chapters
⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- for the past chapters
I wanted to like this one more than I did! It had such a creative and unique plot, but the writing just wasn't there to do it justice. The weakest part of the narrative was the present time period. The characters felt one dimensional, and I had a difficult time connecting with any of them. That said, the past timeline about India's part in WW2, and their immigration into Pakistan, was by far the best part of this book. The writing was much better. The characters more developed. I wish the entire book had taken place in the past. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
⭐ -- for the present chapters
⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- for the past chapters
I wanted to like this one more than I did! It had such a creative and unique plot, but the writing just wasn't there to do it justice. The weakest part of the narrative was the present time period. The characters felt one dimensional, and I had a difficult time connecting with any of them. That said, the past timeline about India's part in WW2, and their immigration into Pakistan, was by far the best part of this book. The writing was much better. The characters more developed. I wish the entire book had taken place in the past. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
December 11, 2023
Ok.. Wow. The last part just blew me.
Maera, an Indian-American teenage girl, lives with her Ammi. They never talk about The Past, especially never mention the night Maera’s older brother Asad disappeared from her naana’s house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather’s past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family’s secrets—the monsters that live inside her grandfather’s mysterious house of glass.
Not gonna lie, the first 70% of it, I was struggling to read it, struggling to accept the whole mess it was, because the plot was too complicated. There were three major genres, the mystery-thrill, historical and teen romance. I couldn't find a nice balance between them, especially with accepting those Churailain.
Having seen so many third class bollywood horror movies, I don't think that helped with the concept of Churail, infact, that made all of it even more ridiculous.
The writing was very slow paced, it just went on and on with not much happening and I just wanted to sleep through it. I tried to take it as a challenge, that's why I hadn't dnf'd it. Apart from that, there were sometimes I would find a line that's unedited? Because it makes so sense. Like this.. "Watch how the country will changes" or "She could felt her heart beat in a frenzied rhythm". What was that?
The last 20% accelerated from 0 to 100 so fast! For a while I thought it was even comical how the stakes went so high all of a sudden. But it was good. I liked the last part a lot, the rush and so many secrets.. I cared about that, I had a reaction.
I really liked Shah Jahan's character. She was the kind of person I would want to be best friends with.
To conclude it all, I don't think I have ever read something like it. I hope the targeted age is 5-13, you don't want elders laughing and rolling their eyes at this. The historical representation was amazing!
3.5 stars. 💙 Heart.
Maera, an Indian-American teenage girl, lives with her Ammi. They never talk about The Past, especially never mention the night Maera’s older brother Asad disappeared from her naana’s house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather’s past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family’s secrets—the monsters that live inside her grandfather’s mysterious house of glass.
Not gonna lie, the first 70% of it, I was struggling to read it, struggling to accept the whole mess it was, because the plot was too complicated. There were three major genres, the mystery-thrill, historical and teen romance. I couldn't find a nice balance between them, especially with accepting those Churailain.
Having seen so many third class bollywood horror movies, I don't think that helped with the concept of Churail, infact, that made all of it even more ridiculous.
The writing was very slow paced, it just went on and on with not much happening and I just wanted to sleep through it. I tried to take it as a challenge, that's why I hadn't dnf'd it. Apart from that, there were sometimes I would find a line that's unedited? Because it makes so sense. Like this.. "Watch how the country will changes" or "She could felt her heart beat in a frenzied rhythm". What was that?
The last 20% accelerated from 0 to 100 so fast! For a while I thought it was even comical how the stakes went so high all of a sudden. But it was good. I liked the last part a lot, the rush and so many secrets.. I cared about that, I had a reaction.
I really liked Shah Jahan's character. She was the kind of person I would want to be best friends with.
To conclude it all, I don't think I have ever read something like it. I hope the targeted age is 5-13, you don't want elders laughing and rolling their eyes at this. The historical representation was amazing!
3.5 stars. 💙 Heart.
July 5, 2021
* This ARC was provided to me through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion! *
This book was so good. The imagery was beautiful. The fantastical, magical elements were stunning. I especially loved the shifts in perspectives from the past to the present. This was amazing.
This book was so good. The imagery was beautiful. The fantastical, magical elements were stunning. I especially loved the shifts in perspectives from the past to the present. This was amazing.
August 8, 2023
overall it was a good read. 3,5/5⭐
Thank you NetGalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
March 24, 2022
3/5 stars. Thanks to the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
House of glass hearts follows Maura and her ammi who never talk about the Past, a place where they've banished their family's heartache and grief forever. They especially never mention the night Maera's older brother Asad disappeared from her naana's house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather's past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family's secrets-the monsters that live inside her grandfather's mysterious house of glass.
The main plot of this book is actually amazing. The interlaced use of historical events and fantasy elements alone bewitched me. eheh, this is the reason why i wanted to read this ARC.
And the cover & the beautiful layout. Detailed, significant, yet simple.
The characters, however, are cardboard cutouts put there only and only to fool the reader into thinking the book is not as empty as it is. And the worst part is, it fails. The content is complex and fairly done, but this unnecessary effort erases how well plotted the story is.
The worst part of the book, the writing. This novel is so fast paced that you barely understand one thing before jumping to another major plot point. While barely keeping up with the writing, the reader is exposed to nothing about the characters. For example, someone’s going through this huge trauma, but meanwhile, I am staring at the page thinking, yeah okay and now what. There is a very limited amount of literary features and according character and emotion descriptions.
Now that I’m done complaining about the writing, we can jump onto the AMAZING BEAUTIFUL SHOW-STOPPING quotes hidden in the narrative. Gorgeous words arranged like the rarest pearls of a necklace.
“We’re brown. We’ll never have what other people have, especially with their grandparents. I mean, we were born here, and they continued to live there. Mine don’t even speak English. It’s a struggle talking to them, and you know I have horrible Urdu.”
“She hadn’t expected the revelations to be so startling, especially the appalling realization that the heroism and glory she’d learned about had never been about her brown ancestors. India’s part in the war was reduced to a tiny blip, a footnote in her history classes. In books and movies and everything she’d ever known, the big wars were fought between good white guys and their white enemies. It was a bunch of Tom Hanks and Hardys fighting courageously, martyred as heroes, while countless brown experiences were stripped from those narratives. Now a piece of that history was hers, and she had no idea what to do with it, even as she realized that it never belonged to her anyways.”
“Our friends and neighbors, the people we thought were our friends and neighbors, are our enemies now. Whether we want it or not.”
“You’re a survivor. You would have survived. And now, you’re my good luck charm to get us to the other side of the border.”
“Are you pitying them? Don’t you remember what they do to men?”
“Maybe they deserve it. Men create wars. The world I’ve seen now is far more terrible than any churail. The only truly fearsome creatures I’ve seen are the ones I thought were my friends.”
“we can never go back. But somewhere, there is a home waiting for us.”
“Who was I becoming as I bore the weight of God’s cruelty on my shoulders?”
“Perhaps grief is a four-walled thing. Perhaps tragedy has boundaries and shapes.”
House of glass hearts follows Maura and her ammi who never talk about the Past, a place where they've banished their family's heartache and grief forever. They especially never mention the night Maera's older brother Asad disappeared from her naana's house in Karachi ten years ago. But when her grandfather dies and his derelict greenhouse appears in her backyard from thousands of miles away, Maera is forced to confront the horrors of her grandfather's past. To find out what happened to her brother, she must face the keepers of her family's secrets-the monsters that live inside her grandfather's mysterious house of glass.
The main plot of this book is actually amazing. The interlaced use of historical events and fantasy elements alone bewitched me. eheh, this is the reason why i wanted to read this ARC.
And the cover & the beautiful layout. Detailed, significant, yet simple.
The characters, however, are cardboard cutouts put there only and only to fool the reader into thinking the book is not as empty as it is. And the worst part is, it fails. The content is complex and fairly done, but this unnecessary effort erases how well plotted the story is.
The worst part of the book, the writing. This novel is so fast paced that you barely understand one thing before jumping to another major plot point. While barely keeping up with the writing, the reader is exposed to nothing about the characters. For example, someone’s going through this huge trauma, but meanwhile, I am staring at the page thinking, yeah okay and now what. There is a very limited amount of literary features and according character and emotion descriptions.
Now that I’m done complaining about the writing, we can jump onto the AMAZING BEAUTIFUL SHOW-STOPPING quotes hidden in the narrative. Gorgeous words arranged like the rarest pearls of a necklace.
“We’re brown. We’ll never have what other people have, especially with their grandparents. I mean, we were born here, and they continued to live there. Mine don’t even speak English. It’s a struggle talking to them, and you know I have horrible Urdu.”
“She hadn’t expected the revelations to be so startling, especially the appalling realization that the heroism and glory she’d learned about had never been about her brown ancestors. India’s part in the war was reduced to a tiny blip, a footnote in her history classes. In books and movies and everything she’d ever known, the big wars were fought between good white guys and their white enemies. It was a bunch of Tom Hanks and Hardys fighting courageously, martyred as heroes, while countless brown experiences were stripped from those narratives. Now a piece of that history was hers, and she had no idea what to do with it, even as she realized that it never belonged to her anyways.”
“Our friends and neighbors, the people we thought were our friends and neighbors, are our enemies now. Whether we want it or not.”
“You’re a survivor. You would have survived. And now, you’re my good luck charm to get us to the other side of the border.”
“Are you pitying them? Don’t you remember what they do to men?”
“Maybe they deserve it. Men create wars. The world I’ve seen now is far more terrible than any churail. The only truly fearsome creatures I’ve seen are the ones I thought were my friends.”
“we can never go back. But somewhere, there is a home waiting for us.”
“Who was I becoming as I bore the weight of God’s cruelty on my shoulders?”
“Perhaps grief is a four-walled thing. Perhaps tragedy has boundaries and shapes.”
July 30, 2021
I’d like to thank NetGalley for letting me read the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.4/5 stars
I enjoyed this book. This is the first time I’ve read a book that follows 2 plot lines - one in the past and one in modern setting. It was very interesting to learn about India’s history during WW2 and the mass migration of Muslims and Hindus crossing the border of India and Pakistan. I’ve never even heard about these events before. I also liked learning more about the Indian and Pakistani culture, along with some legends and terms.
The magical realism aspect of this book was also good - this weird greenhouse from her grandfather’s house in Pakistan suddenly appears on Maera’s backyard. I would never have guessed the ending!
However, I think that this book is not for everyone. If you don’t like historical fiction - this book is not for you. If you want to read something fast paced - this is not it. Introduction felt like ages for me and there was barely anything happening until like 60-70% of the book. Because of it, it took me almost 3 weeks to finish this book. As for the rest 30% - so fast that sometimes I had reread the page to understand what is happening. The ending was sad and surprising.
3.4/5 stars
I enjoyed this book. This is the first time I’ve read a book that follows 2 plot lines - one in the past and one in modern setting. It was very interesting to learn about India’s history during WW2 and the mass migration of Muslims and Hindus crossing the border of India and Pakistan. I’ve never even heard about these events before. I also liked learning more about the Indian and Pakistani culture, along with some legends and terms.
The magical realism aspect of this book was also good - this weird greenhouse from her grandfather’s house in Pakistan suddenly appears on Maera’s backyard. I would never have guessed the ending!
However, I think that this book is not for everyone. If you don’t like historical fiction - this book is not for you. If you want to read something fast paced - this is not it. Introduction felt like ages for me and there was barely anything happening until like 60-70% of the book. Because of it, it took me almost 3 weeks to finish this book. As for the rest 30% - so fast that sometimes I had reread the page to understand what is happening. The ending was sad and surprising.
August 4, 2021
House Of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui. Thanks to @yalibooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ten years after her brother mysteriously disappears in Pakistan, Maera’s grandfather dies and decrepit greenhouse appears in her backyard, thousands of miles from Pakistan. In order to understand, she must find out her family’s secrets and history.
It takes some time to get into this one but once you do, you are in. I enjoyed the diary and moments when we step back and learn Pakistan history. A lot of it I was not aware of. There is a touch of magical realism to the story, which I always find a nice addition. This was an easy read where the language flows.
“The Past remains in the Past. Deaths and disappearances were pushed back there. Heartache and heartbreak were packed away and sent on a one-way journey to the Past.”
House of Glass Hearts comes out 8/29.
Ten years after her brother mysteriously disappears in Pakistan, Maera’s grandfather dies and decrepit greenhouse appears in her backyard, thousands of miles from Pakistan. In order to understand, she must find out her family’s secrets and history.
It takes some time to get into this one but once you do, you are in. I enjoyed the diary and moments when we step back and learn Pakistan history. A lot of it I was not aware of. There is a touch of magical realism to the story, which I always find a nice addition. This was an easy read where the language flows.
“The Past remains in the Past. Deaths and disappearances were pushed back there. Heartache and heartbreak were packed away and sent on a one-way journey to the Past.”
House of Glass Hearts comes out 8/29.
November 28, 2021
The book just wasn`t for me. it started out somewhat interesting, but fell kind of quickly.
It was just so much info dump and characters talking and all, without getting me as a reader interested.
I got this eARC from netgalley.
July 9, 2021
What I liked:
- The plot. The author does not hesitate to begin the story right away. It was beautiful from start to finish and it was original, I don't think I've read anything like it before.
- It was informative. The plot includes what occurred in the World War II and how it affected the relationship between India and Pakistan. We get to see what it was like for Muslims living in India and how their lives had changed because of war.
- The entire story was filled with adventure and mystery, and it came to a satisfying ending for Maera and her family and friends.
- The character development was just really lovely and it was the bizarre yet fascinating story that helped with the different characters development.
- It teaches the reader the benefits of letting go of the painful past and the importance of unity amongst family.
What I didn't like?
- I think the only thing that irritated me was the naivety and the way the MC, Maera, behaved sometimes. She could be very childish and stubborn, but she was literally a senior in High School so... Yeah her behaviour did not always sit right with me.
I definitely recommend this though if you're looking to read more POC books and just to have a fun tale to read about.
- The plot. The author does not hesitate to begin the story right away. It was beautiful from start to finish and it was original, I don't think I've read anything like it before.
- It was informative. The plot includes what occurred in the World War II and how it affected the relationship between India and Pakistan. We get to see what it was like for Muslims living in India and how their lives had changed because of war.
- The entire story was filled with adventure and mystery, and it came to a satisfying ending for Maera and her family and friends.
- The character development was just really lovely and it was the bizarre yet fascinating story that helped with the different characters development.
- It teaches the reader the benefits of letting go of the painful past and the importance of unity amongst family.
What I didn't like?
- I think the only thing that irritated me was the naivety and the way the MC, Maera, behaved sometimes. She could be very childish and stubborn, but she was literally a senior in High School so... Yeah her behaviour did not always sit right with me.
I definitely recommend this though if you're looking to read more POC books and just to have a fun tale to read about.
September 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley as well as Yali Books for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel followed two storylines: one in the present, with Maera unable to understand the sudden appearance of a greenhouse in her backyard; the second in the past, following Maera's gradfather as he traversed pre-partition India before experiencing the horrors of the journey to Pakistan. Only one of these two points of view really appealed to me.
The other—Maera's—was a little too simplistic in its execution for me to enjoy it. For starters, a small section of the plot (Maera discovering and entering the greenhouse) was stretched across eight whole chapters; a significant portion of the action was condensed and rushed through near the very end. The pacing, therefore, was off. Most of the characters were two-dimensional, with only a few select personality traits to keep them going. It didn't help that Maera herself, the eyes through which the reader views the story, was too thoughtless in her actions for me to like her.
Maera's grandfather, though, gave me a whole different story that had me hooked from the get-go. He tells a story that us Pakistanis have heard from our own grandparents, a story that is familiar to many; some of our relatives experienced the partition firsthand while others heard of it from those around them. Chotu makes it personal: the reader gets to see such events unfold, and these scenes are lent authority by the author's note at the end, where Siddiqui mentions how she took parts of the plot from what her own grandmother told her. The pacing for this half of the novel is pretty well done, and the characters all given depth and motivation for their actions.
I look forward to reading future works by this author, especially if they tend towards historical fiction.
This novel followed two storylines: one in the present, with Maera unable to understand the sudden appearance of a greenhouse in her backyard; the second in the past, following Maera's gradfather as he traversed pre-partition India before experiencing the horrors of the journey to Pakistan. Only one of these two points of view really appealed to me.
The other—Maera's—was a little too simplistic in its execution for me to enjoy it. For starters, a small section of the plot (Maera discovering and entering the greenhouse) was stretched across eight whole chapters; a significant portion of the action was condensed and rushed through near the very end. The pacing, therefore, was off. Most of the characters were two-dimensional, with only a few select personality traits to keep them going. It didn't help that Maera herself, the eyes through which the reader views the story, was too thoughtless in her actions for me to like her.
Maera's grandfather, though, gave me a whole different story that had me hooked from the get-go. He tells a story that us Pakistanis have heard from our own grandparents, a story that is familiar to many; some of our relatives experienced the partition firsthand while others heard of it from those around them. Chotu makes it personal: the reader gets to see such events unfold, and these scenes are lent authority by the author's note at the end, where Siddiqui mentions how she took parts of the plot from what her own grandmother told her. The pacing for this half of the novel is pretty well done, and the characters all given depth and motivation for their actions.
I look forward to reading future works by this author, especially if they tend towards historical fiction.
February 25, 2022
[25.7.21]
This book follows Maera, a Pakistani-American teen; after her grandfather dies, his greenhouse suddenly appears in her backyard, and after years of avoiding talking about the Past and her brother's disappearance, that Past suddenly shows up and is basically unavoidable, and Maera and her mother have to confront it at some point.
I loved how we were thrown straight into the story, it was perfect because that's basically what happened to these characters. I'm also in love with this concept; avoiding the Past until a physical manifestation of it just shows up in your backyard, unexpected, and I love seeing how all these characters actually dealt with it, it felt very real. This fantasy aspect of the book was a great way of showing how characters dealt with the past.
I loved the two timelines of Maera's present day and her grandfather's POV from India right before and during the partition (The reading list in the author's note was great - will definitely checking that out) The history was explored through diary entries of his and I loved how everything was slowly revealed and coming together in the end, the reader was reading the diaries as Maera was discovering it and I think that was so much fun.
I felt like the writing got a bit slow at points in the middle and then really fast in the end (though I do love how the author writes these action-packed scenes that are at the same time really emotional, I did tear up at the end) Some things in the end happened that were expected but other things just completely blew my mind, this was a great book, I definitely recommend this!
[17.7.21] thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I'm going to take a couple days to gather my thoughts and write a review soon, but I enjoyed this. I loved the concept, loved the writing, loved the characters, the POV from her grandfather as well as the present day POV, loved the mystery and fantasy elements, and it was really emotional.
This book follows Maera, a Pakistani-American teen; after her grandfather dies, his greenhouse suddenly appears in her backyard, and after years of avoiding talking about the Past and her brother's disappearance, that Past suddenly shows up and is basically unavoidable, and Maera and her mother have to confront it at some point.
I loved how we were thrown straight into the story, it was perfect because that's basically what happened to these characters. I'm also in love with this concept; avoiding the Past until a physical manifestation of it just shows up in your backyard, unexpected, and I love seeing how all these characters actually dealt with it, it felt very real. This fantasy aspect of the book was a great way of showing how characters dealt with the past.
I loved the two timelines of Maera's present day and her grandfather's POV from India right before and during the partition (The reading list in the author's note was great - will definitely checking that out) The history was explored through diary entries of his and I loved how everything was slowly revealed and coming together in the end, the reader was reading the diaries as Maera was discovering it and I think that was so much fun.
I felt like the writing got a bit slow at points in the middle and then really fast in the end (though I do love how the author writes these action-packed scenes that are at the same time really emotional, I did tear up at the end) Some things in the end happened that were expected but other things just completely blew my mind, this was a great book, I definitely recommend this!
[17.7.21] thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I'm going to take a couple days to gather my thoughts and write a review soon, but I enjoyed this. I loved the concept, loved the writing, loved the characters, the POV from her grandfather as well as the present day POV, loved the mystery and fantasy elements, and it was really emotional.
September 17, 2021
I want to thank NetGalley and Yali Books Publishing for my advance copy of House of Glass Hearts. It’s publishing month for Leila Siddiqui’s debut novel rich in Pakistani history and lore. An atmospheric, souls-stirring tale filled with family secrets, war, love, and loss.
5/5 Stars! of Glass Hearts was a fantastic debut novel and a fantastic read. The way the author blended magic, lore, and history was beautiful. I am personally not very familiar with Pakistani history, so this was a lovely educational experience since I went down a rabbit hole learning about the Partition of India into two independent dominions of what we know now as present-day India and Pakistan. I also went down a rabbit hole reading about some of the lore to better understand and appreciate the story. I loved this story; it was eerie, mysterious, and magical while simultaneously heart-wrenching and filled with heartache and loss due to war and the devastation it leaves behind for generations to come. I love non-linear timelines and having to piece the story together little by little like a puzzle. The author did a fantastic job transporting the reader from present-day America to 1940’s Colonial India. Siddiqui also did a beautiful job with the plot, gripping me deeper into the story, and she wrote in such a way that I felt deeply the pain Haroon felt as he saw his country be torn apart by war and religious intolerance. Honestly, this was such a powerful and poignant novel. I loved this book, and I recommend you pick it up when it gets released on September 29th.
5/5 Stars! of Glass Hearts was a fantastic debut novel and a fantastic read. The way the author blended magic, lore, and history was beautiful. I am personally not very familiar with Pakistani history, so this was a lovely educational experience since I went down a rabbit hole learning about the Partition of India into two independent dominions of what we know now as present-day India and Pakistan. I also went down a rabbit hole reading about some of the lore to better understand and appreciate the story. I loved this story; it was eerie, mysterious, and magical while simultaneously heart-wrenching and filled with heartache and loss due to war and the devastation it leaves behind for generations to come. I love non-linear timelines and having to piece the story together little by little like a puzzle. The author did a fantastic job transporting the reader from present-day America to 1940’s Colonial India. Siddiqui also did a beautiful job with the plot, gripping me deeper into the story, and she wrote in such a way that I felt deeply the pain Haroon felt as he saw his country be torn apart by war and religious intolerance. Honestly, this was such a powerful and poignant novel. I loved this book, and I recommend you pick it up when it gets released on September 29th.
July 15, 2021
House of Glass Hearts is a story about coming to terms with generational trauma intertwined with South Asian folklore and magical realism. 10 years prior to the start of this story, Maera's (our main character) family experiences a tragic loss and, at the start of the novel, they are still suffering from it. The novel is split between the present day struggles of Maera and her mother and journal entries from Maera's grandfather in 1940s India. Through these journal entries, Maera and her cousin learn of the tragedies and strife that their grandfather experienced during the Partition of India and Pakistan after World War ll.
Things I liked:
- Naana's (Maera's grandfather) journal entries were intense, emotional and shocking. I felt really invested in Haroon/Naana's journey and was devastated to read about what he went through. Like Leila Siddiqui mentions in her author's note, this history of India and Pakistan is often glazed over in history classes. I hadn't realized that Indians were forced to fight for the British and I wasn't aware of the emotional and phyiscal destruction that happened during the Partition.
- The ending of the story was beautiful and it truly felt like the three generations of Maera's family were able to begin healing in some way.
- Learning about some elements of Pakistani and Indian folklore was really fascinating. Using supernatural beings to teach lessons and tell stories can be really interesting and valuable.
Things I didn't like:
- I thought a lot of the present day characters fell flat. Rob, Sara, and Jimmy/Jamal really only have 1-2 character traits and they're sort of just there for Maera to play off of. I think it would have been nice to have a couple chapters after the prologue that just focused on a normal week for these characters. I just didn't get a chance to really connect to them.
- I also think the world-building of the present day was a little lacking. We get all this lush description of India and Pakistan through Haroon's POV, but all we know about where Maera lives is that it's summer in some Virginia suburb and we only hear about the rest of her neighborhood in the last few chapters.
- Maera's crush on Rob also felt a little random; I can understand how this would happen in normal life, but it didn't really add to the plot in any way.
My overall rating for this novel is a 3.25 out of 5 stars. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Yali Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Things I liked:
- Naana's (Maera's grandfather) journal entries were intense, emotional and shocking. I felt really invested in Haroon/Naana's journey and was devastated to read about what he went through. Like Leila Siddiqui mentions in her author's note, this history of India and Pakistan is often glazed over in history classes. I hadn't realized that Indians were forced to fight for the British and I wasn't aware of the emotional and phyiscal destruction that happened during the Partition.
- The ending of the story was beautiful and it truly felt like the three generations of Maera's family were able to begin healing in some way.
- Learning about some elements of Pakistani and Indian folklore was really fascinating. Using supernatural beings to teach lessons and tell stories can be really interesting and valuable.
Things I didn't like:
- I thought a lot of the present day characters fell flat. Rob, Sara, and Jimmy/Jamal really only have 1-2 character traits and they're sort of just there for Maera to play off of. I think it would have been nice to have a couple chapters after the prologue that just focused on a normal week for these characters. I just didn't get a chance to really connect to them.
- I also think the world-building of the present day was a little lacking. We get all this lush description of India and Pakistan through Haroon's POV, but all we know about where Maera lives is that it's summer in some Virginia suburb and we only hear about the rest of her neighborhood in the last few chapters.
- Maera's crush on Rob also felt a little random; I can understand how this would happen in normal life, but it didn't really add to the plot in any way.
My overall rating for this novel is a 3.25 out of 5 stars. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Yali Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
October 6, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and the publication house for sharing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
House of Glass Hearts is in a split timeline. In the current timeline Maera, a Pakistani American along with her mother, are in denial about what happened to her older brother Asad ten years ago in Pakistan. They refuse to discuss or talk about it. Following the death of her grandfather, the greenhouse which was in his backyard in Pakistan, mysteriously materializes in Maera's backyard. Most of her grandfather- Haroon's story during the Second World War and India's partition is narrated through his diary. His runaway trip to Calcutta, his love for Shah Jehan and his encounter with the supernatural were all meticulously recorded in his journal.
After a long time, I have delved into young adult fiction. Though House of Glass Hearts did not disappoint me completely, it was not something I expected. It started on a good note and the build-up was great. I enjoyed Haroon's story more than Maera's as it had a more realistic feel to it. Maera at times came across as annoying and the current timeline seemed needlessly stretched. Haroon's story set during the partition of India drew me in. The author has done an accurate and vivid description of the bloodshed and the violence during the partition. But the plot lost its steam towards the end and the narrative got muddled. Too much was happening at once and it got complicated. Leila Siddiqui had beautifully blended myth, fantasy with history. She has incorporated the myths widespread during the said era in the story and it fits in perfectly.
House of Glass Hearts is in a split timeline. In the current timeline Maera, a Pakistani American along with her mother, are in denial about what happened to her older brother Asad ten years ago in Pakistan. They refuse to discuss or talk about it. Following the death of her grandfather, the greenhouse which was in his backyard in Pakistan, mysteriously materializes in Maera's backyard. Most of her grandfather- Haroon's story during the Second World War and India's partition is narrated through his diary. His runaway trip to Calcutta, his love for Shah Jehan and his encounter with the supernatural were all meticulously recorded in his journal.
After a long time, I have delved into young adult fiction. Though House of Glass Hearts did not disappoint me completely, it was not something I expected. It started on a good note and the build-up was great. I enjoyed Haroon's story more than Maera's as it had a more realistic feel to it. Maera at times came across as annoying and the current timeline seemed needlessly stretched. Haroon's story set during the partition of India drew me in. The author has done an accurate and vivid description of the bloodshed and the violence during the partition. But the plot lost its steam towards the end and the narrative got muddled. Too much was happening at once and it got complicated. Leila Siddiqui had beautifully blended myth, fantasy with history. She has incorporated the myths widespread during the said era in the story and it fits in perfectly.
October 18, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book completely drew me in when I discovered it on Netgally. It was so unique and different to anything I had read previously so I was pretty eager to read it.
I enjoyed the book as a whole - particularly the references to Indian partition (which I was not very knowledge able on previously and found this quite educational - especially how the author incorporated elements of her family story into the plot). I also enjoyed the unique elements to the story and mentions of Indian Folklore and Culture.
But even so, I found I didn't really connect with Maera, the main character - she came across rather juvenile in how she acted and I didn't enjoy her chapters as much as I did her Grandfather. All in All I found the pace a little slow for me and I didn't really get into it fully until the latter half.
The synopsis of this book completely drew me in when I discovered it on Netgally. It was so unique and different to anything I had read previously so I was pretty eager to read it.
I enjoyed the book as a whole - particularly the references to Indian partition (which I was not very knowledge able on previously and found this quite educational - especially how the author incorporated elements of her family story into the plot). I also enjoyed the unique elements to the story and mentions of Indian Folklore and Culture.
But even so, I found I didn't really connect with Maera, the main character - she came across rather juvenile in how she acted and I didn't enjoy her chapters as much as I did her Grandfather. All in All I found the pace a little slow for me and I didn't really get into it fully until the latter half.
September 6, 2021
This is the story of Maera, a Pakistani American, and her family after the disappearance of her brother, Asad, and then the death of her grandfather when a mysterious greenhouse appears in her backyard.
This book follows two storylines. The one of Maera in the present and the one of her grandfather from when he was young. It started out a bit slow and then towards the end it picked up a lot but I had to push through.
Overall the storytelling was a bit flat but not at all bad. The characters and the plot are definitely aimed at a younger YA audience but it’s still pretty dark. This is a more than decent historical fiction book that weaves history, magic, action, and the importance of family into one. I would recommend this book and I’m looking forward to more from the author.
This book follows two storylines. The one of Maera in the present and the one of her grandfather from when he was young. It started out a bit slow and then towards the end it picked up a lot but I had to push through.
Overall the storytelling was a bit flat but not at all bad. The characters and the plot are definitely aimed at a younger YA audience but it’s still pretty dark. This is a more than decent historical fiction book that weaves history, magic, action, and the importance of family into one. I would recommend this book and I’m looking forward to more from the author.
July 23, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book for review!
Gosh this book was so interesting! It paralleled two timelines, which I've usually found I don't enjoy in books, but this one pulled it off so well. I found myself invested in the characters from both time periods. The book got off to a bit of a slow start, but once the plot got rolling, I could not put this book down and when I opened another book, all I wanted was to go back to this one. The way it seamlessly combines myth and real life was stunning, and I loved simultaneously learning about a new culture with the backdrop of an incredibly magical setting. I've only just finished this book, so I'm not exactly sure what to say about it, but I'd recommend it to fans of magical realism and literally anything else. Once you're sucked into the story, you're entranced for the rest of the book, and I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
Gosh this book was so interesting! It paralleled two timelines, which I've usually found I don't enjoy in books, but this one pulled it off so well. I found myself invested in the characters from both time periods. The book got off to a bit of a slow start, but once the plot got rolling, I could not put this book down and when I opened another book, all I wanted was to go back to this one. The way it seamlessly combines myth and real life was stunning, and I loved simultaneously learning about a new culture with the backdrop of an incredibly magical setting. I've only just finished this book, so I'm not exactly sure what to say about it, but I'd recommend it to fans of magical realism and literally anything else. Once you're sucked into the story, you're entranced for the rest of the book, and I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
February 28, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
House of Glass Hearts begins with a story about trying to find a lost sibling. With the emergence of a greenhouse one day, it sets into motion a series of actions which uncover the past. In Maera's house, one does not speak of the past. Throughout House of Glass Hearts, Siddiqui illustrates the danger of trying to silence the past. This theme exploration was one of my favorite parts of House of Glass Hearts. The past seems to literally come back. Using it as a symbol, the historical fiction story line takes on new meaning.
In chapters of her grandfather's diary, he tells us the story of India right after independence, during WWII, and the Partition. These chapters and the way they connect to the present, illustrates the echoes of trauma that continue to haunt us even if we try to bury it. By telling this story in parallel story lines, House of Glass Hearts masterfully shows how the past influences the present (and the future). However, the story line in the present, Maera's story was where I had a bit of trouble.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
House of Glass Hearts begins with a story about trying to find a lost sibling. With the emergence of a greenhouse one day, it sets into motion a series of actions which uncover the past. In Maera's house, one does not speak of the past. Throughout House of Glass Hearts, Siddiqui illustrates the danger of trying to silence the past. This theme exploration was one of my favorite parts of House of Glass Hearts. The past seems to literally come back. Using it as a symbol, the historical fiction story line takes on new meaning.
In chapters of her grandfather's diary, he tells us the story of India right after independence, during WWII, and the Partition. These chapters and the way they connect to the present, illustrates the echoes of trauma that continue to haunt us even if we try to bury it. By telling this story in parallel story lines, House of Glass Hearts masterfully shows how the past influences the present (and the future). However, the story line in the present, Maera's story was where I had a bit of trouble.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
October 22, 2021
This 278 page magical realism YA book featuring a Muslim family grabs your attention and heart in the prologue, unfortunately it quickly releases it, and until you get over a third of the way in to the story, it is a struggle to read. Once you accept that half of the book, the storyline set in the present, is going to be terrible, you enjoy the historical narrative and appreciate that the short book with a quick pace spends more time in the subcontinent during partition, than it does with the painfully underdeveloped characters trying to make sense of past secrets and their present day manifestations. The book doesn’t have any major flags in terms of religious representation, it is just ritual acts of praying and reading Quran, nothing detailed or explored, and relationship-wise there is nothing high school readers can’t handle (spoilers and more details can be read in the FLAGS section). Despite being a first time author, she works as an editor, so one would really expect the climax to hit harder with clearer writing, the characters to be developed, the details written to serve a purpose, and the protagonist teen’s voice not to read overwhelmingly at the beginning as a five year old. The overall story concept and historical fiction component are exciting, the development of the characters just really failed an otherwise engaging read.
SYNOPSIS:
Maera’s brother Asad goes missing in 2011 from their grandfather’s home in Pakistan while they are visiting. They search and cannot locate him or a body, the loss devastates Maera’s family. Ten years later, her grandfather passes away, and the next morning a greenhouse appears in their backyard in America. Not just any greenhouse, her grandfather’s greenhouse from Pakistan. Maera thinks she is going crazy, her mother doesn’t acknowledge the structure, she doesn’t acknowledge much, not about the reality in front of them, not the night Asad disappeared, or the needs of her daughter. Maera’s aunt (mom’s twin) and cousin come from Pakistan to mourn the loss of the grandfather together, he passed in Pakistan, not sure why Maera and her mom didn’t go there, but I digress. Cousins Jamal, aka Jimmy, and Maera are the only two that seems determined to figure it all out. Their grandfather’s journal turns up and with Maera’s friend Sara and Rob, the neighbor and former best friend of Asad, the four of them set out to understand what is going on in the greenhouse.
The greenhouse seems to be alive, and entering it dependent on the whims of something within, a churail, a shape shifting creature of myth that is more than a witch, a succubus that targets men. A woman who died violently and was wronged by men, whose feet are turned backward, and who is neither alive or dead. As the four work through the journal, venture in to the greenhouse, and confront those within, secrets will be unearthed, exposed, and finally dealt with.
The historical interwoven story is that of the grandfather during colonial British rule and partition. As a young boy Haroon is searching for his father fighting in Burma and the adventures he has along the way. Shah Jehan’s father takes Haroon in at one point, and the girl with an emperor’s name sneaks him out to watch the village deal with the churail who are killing the men in their village. The incident scars Haroon, but his affection for Shah Jehan and the role she will continue to have in his life is established. The understanding that the subcontinent is being carved up and starved by the colonizers in the name of freedom is made clear in the characters that Haroon encounters and the quickly maturing boy grows in to a young man as he starts to understand the world around him and the larger powers at play. When the migration and violence between Hindus getting to India and Muslims going to Pakistan occurs, the pieces in the past and present come together to reveal the terrors that the greenhouse houses.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I loved the commentary both in the text, and explicitly detailed in the afterward about how culturally the past is handled. How little generations discuss what they have endured and been through. I have been asked by my father-in-law a few times to try and coax my mother-in-law to detail her journey with their oldest son from India to Pakistan. She has apparently never clearly told what happened, what she saw, and what they experienced. She waves it off now, but her own children didn’t even know there was more to the story, and as my inlaws approach their 90s I have little hope of them recalling or sharing their stories. Recently my son needed to hear some first person accounts of war, so he contacted my American grandfather to learn about his time in the Korean War, much of it I knew, Americans, generally speaking, talk about this type of experience in passing. My son, also wanted to compare his story to someone who lived as a civilian through a war, and asked my mother-in-law, his Dadi, about her experience living through the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, not that long ago, and we all sat spellbound as she recalled the sirens and how they kept the children fed and calm and whatnot. They were stories no one had thought to ask it seemed. She has seven children and almost thirty grandchildren. This book struck such a chord with me, I need to actively seek out these stories before it is too late. Chances are no one else in the family will. Not speaking the language fluently has cost me my chance to learn my own father’s family’s stories and I need to find a way to gather my husband’s family’s stories before it is too late. I love that in the book, The Past is capitalized as if it is a named living person shaping the lives of so many. It is, and these stories are wonderful reminders and motivators to ask the elders to share their memories.
The present day story thread, however, is chalked full of holes, one dimensional characters, and pointless tangents. Sara and Maera read like they are early elementary aged. They are so terribly voiced in the beginning, I have no idea, how an editor author and mainstream publisher did not require correction. The dialogue, the action, the role of the parents, it is terrible. Speaking of terrible, the mother and aunt are absolutely flat and useless. They mope, sleep and sit in the corner. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t develop them to link the past story to the present one. I’m not being picky here, it is that bad. I also wanted to know why the dad left. Seems like it would flesh out the mom a bit, justify her approach to life. Sara and Rob are obviously brought in to serve as vessels for the action, and for Maera and possibly Jimmy to play off of. But their backstories are so pathetic. How do you not know or see your neighbor for ten years. Ok, I get that he was Asad’s best friend and your family in their grief and denial pushed him away, but he never checked the mail or took out the trash, or was seen? And Sara offers absolutely nothing to the story other than to be part of the forced crush/romance line pairing off her and Jimmy and Rob and Maera. Alhumdulillah, it stays tame with the angsty longing and hand holding.
Random details that serve no purpose reach a pinnacle with the paragraph long time spent on Maera wearing Rob’s tank top. I have no idea why we should care that she is wearing a tank top. Sure as a Muslim reviewer it furthered the notion to me, that she is probably more culturally religious, and yes I know Muslim’s dress to different degrees of modesty, but I really couldn’t find any other reason for the emphasis on the black tank top. Overall, all the friendships in the story seem so off: Rob and Asad, and Sara and Maera. They should be easy plot points, but they don’t connect, or read believable.
Plot wise: if you had a building magically appear in your back yard along with a journal, would you not read that journal as fast as possible? Sure you would lose sleep and maybe skip a meal or two, but hello, a building just appeared in your back yard that is moving and growing, your grandfather died and your brother’s body was never found: stop what you are doing and read the journal. It mentions that when Asad went missing there were a lot of other kids, cousins at the house, so where are they now? Why was there no mention of them, and only Jimmy seems to have a vested interest in the grandfather passing, and the growing need to remember Asad. I did not understand the sacrifice and hair connection and how that was what Maera understand the Churail to be asking for. I did not understand the end of chapter entitled “The Separation,” it says they entered together, so…. ya?Off and on in the greenhouse there are multiple churail, this seems inconsistent with what we learn from the one churail about leaving. The whole climax needs a Cliff’s Notes synopsis. I honestly have no idea what happened. The churail was scared of the beast, but they all went off together, affectionately? I’m trying not spoil anything here. Why was the churail so different at the beginning compared to the end, why did she get a growth arc, when the other characters didn’t? Shouldn’t there have been some cathartic reprieve verbalized between the mom and SPOILER (sorry I tried) Asad? I felt deprived.
There were a few grammar errors, but because I read an ARC, I’m hoping they have been corrected
FLAGS:
There is a little bit of language (F word at least once). Children are conceived, it isn’t explicit, but the fact that it happened is critical to the story. There are crushes, angsty/longing, hand holding, hugging. There is sexual assault implied as a major plot point, but not detailed. There is death, and killing, often gruesome, some real, (hits harder), some far fetched. The book is YA and ok for high school readers and up in my opinion.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would be interested in seeing if some of the muddled passages are cleaned up in the published physical copy, the book’s characters are weak, but the historical fiction component is a story that needs to be shared more and more as we, collectively, seek to understand the past, the impact of colonization, and the emergence of telling our OWN voice stories. For all the flaws, I haven’t completely written off the book, I’m hopeful that even if this one doesn’t make the cut for a book club, that inshaAllah the author will keep writing and filling in the blanks.
SYNOPSIS:
Maera’s brother Asad goes missing in 2011 from their grandfather’s home in Pakistan while they are visiting. They search and cannot locate him or a body, the loss devastates Maera’s family. Ten years later, her grandfather passes away, and the next morning a greenhouse appears in their backyard in America. Not just any greenhouse, her grandfather’s greenhouse from Pakistan. Maera thinks she is going crazy, her mother doesn’t acknowledge the structure, she doesn’t acknowledge much, not about the reality in front of them, not the night Asad disappeared, or the needs of her daughter. Maera’s aunt (mom’s twin) and cousin come from Pakistan to mourn the loss of the grandfather together, he passed in Pakistan, not sure why Maera and her mom didn’t go there, but I digress. Cousins Jamal, aka Jimmy, and Maera are the only two that seems determined to figure it all out. Their grandfather’s journal turns up and with Maera’s friend Sara and Rob, the neighbor and former best friend of Asad, the four of them set out to understand what is going on in the greenhouse.
The greenhouse seems to be alive, and entering it dependent on the whims of something within, a churail, a shape shifting creature of myth that is more than a witch, a succubus that targets men. A woman who died violently and was wronged by men, whose feet are turned backward, and who is neither alive or dead. As the four work through the journal, venture in to the greenhouse, and confront those within, secrets will be unearthed, exposed, and finally dealt with.
The historical interwoven story is that of the grandfather during colonial British rule and partition. As a young boy Haroon is searching for his father fighting in Burma and the adventures he has along the way. Shah Jehan’s father takes Haroon in at one point, and the girl with an emperor’s name sneaks him out to watch the village deal with the churail who are killing the men in their village. The incident scars Haroon, but his affection for Shah Jehan and the role she will continue to have in his life is established. The understanding that the subcontinent is being carved up and starved by the colonizers in the name of freedom is made clear in the characters that Haroon encounters and the quickly maturing boy grows in to a young man as he starts to understand the world around him and the larger powers at play. When the migration and violence between Hindus getting to India and Muslims going to Pakistan occurs, the pieces in the past and present come together to reveal the terrors that the greenhouse houses.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I loved the commentary both in the text, and explicitly detailed in the afterward about how culturally the past is handled. How little generations discuss what they have endured and been through. I have been asked by my father-in-law a few times to try and coax my mother-in-law to detail her journey with their oldest son from India to Pakistan. She has apparently never clearly told what happened, what she saw, and what they experienced. She waves it off now, but her own children didn’t even know there was more to the story, and as my inlaws approach their 90s I have little hope of them recalling or sharing their stories. Recently my son needed to hear some first person accounts of war, so he contacted my American grandfather to learn about his time in the Korean War, much of it I knew, Americans, generally speaking, talk about this type of experience in passing. My son, also wanted to compare his story to someone who lived as a civilian through a war, and asked my mother-in-law, his Dadi, about her experience living through the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, not that long ago, and we all sat spellbound as she recalled the sirens and how they kept the children fed and calm and whatnot. They were stories no one had thought to ask it seemed. She has seven children and almost thirty grandchildren. This book struck such a chord with me, I need to actively seek out these stories before it is too late. Chances are no one else in the family will. Not speaking the language fluently has cost me my chance to learn my own father’s family’s stories and I need to find a way to gather my husband’s family’s stories before it is too late. I love that in the book, The Past is capitalized as if it is a named living person shaping the lives of so many. It is, and these stories are wonderful reminders and motivators to ask the elders to share their memories.
The present day story thread, however, is chalked full of holes, one dimensional characters, and pointless tangents. Sara and Maera read like they are early elementary aged. They are so terribly voiced in the beginning, I have no idea, how an editor author and mainstream publisher did not require correction. The dialogue, the action, the role of the parents, it is terrible. Speaking of terrible, the mother and aunt are absolutely flat and useless. They mope, sleep and sit in the corner. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t develop them to link the past story to the present one. I’m not being picky here, it is that bad. I also wanted to know why the dad left. Seems like it would flesh out the mom a bit, justify her approach to life. Sara and Rob are obviously brought in to serve as vessels for the action, and for Maera and possibly Jimmy to play off of. But their backstories are so pathetic. How do you not know or see your neighbor for ten years. Ok, I get that he was Asad’s best friend and your family in their grief and denial pushed him away, but he never checked the mail or took out the trash, or was seen? And Sara offers absolutely nothing to the story other than to be part of the forced crush/romance line pairing off her and Jimmy and Rob and Maera. Alhumdulillah, it stays tame with the angsty longing and hand holding.
Random details that serve no purpose reach a pinnacle with the paragraph long time spent on Maera wearing Rob’s tank top. I have no idea why we should care that she is wearing a tank top. Sure as a Muslim reviewer it furthered the notion to me, that she is probably more culturally religious, and yes I know Muslim’s dress to different degrees of modesty, but I really couldn’t find any other reason for the emphasis on the black tank top. Overall, all the friendships in the story seem so off: Rob and Asad, and Sara and Maera. They should be easy plot points, but they don’t connect, or read believable.
Plot wise: if you had a building magically appear in your back yard along with a journal, would you not read that journal as fast as possible? Sure you would lose sleep and maybe skip a meal or two, but hello, a building just appeared in your back yard that is moving and growing, your grandfather died and your brother’s body was never found: stop what you are doing and read the journal. It mentions that when Asad went missing there were a lot of other kids, cousins at the house, so where are they now? Why was there no mention of them, and only Jimmy seems to have a vested interest in the grandfather passing, and the growing need to remember Asad. I did not understand the sacrifice and hair connection and how that was what Maera understand the Churail to be asking for. I did not understand the end of chapter entitled “The Separation,” it says they entered together, so…. ya?Off and on in the greenhouse there are multiple churail, this seems inconsistent with what we learn from the one churail about leaving. The whole climax needs a Cliff’s Notes synopsis. I honestly have no idea what happened. The churail was scared of the beast, but they all went off together, affectionately? I’m trying not spoil anything here. Why was the churail so different at the beginning compared to the end, why did she get a growth arc, when the other characters didn’t? Shouldn’t there have been some cathartic reprieve verbalized between the mom and SPOILER (sorry I tried) Asad? I felt deprived.
There were a few grammar errors, but because I read an ARC, I’m hoping they have been corrected
FLAGS:
There is a little bit of language (F word at least once). Children are conceived, it isn’t explicit, but the fact that it happened is critical to the story. There are crushes, angsty/longing, hand holding, hugging. There is sexual assault implied as a major plot point, but not detailed. There is death, and killing, often gruesome, some real, (hits harder), some far fetched. The book is YA and ok for high school readers and up in my opinion.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would be interested in seeing if some of the muddled passages are cleaned up in the published physical copy, the book’s characters are weak, but the historical fiction component is a story that needs to be shared more and more as we, collectively, seek to understand the past, the impact of colonization, and the emergence of telling our OWN voice stories. For all the flaws, I haven’t completely written off the book, I’m hopeful that even if this one doesn’t make the cut for a book club, that inshaAllah the author will keep writing and filling in the blanks.
July 30, 2021
Woah, this book was so mesmerizing, I think I read it all in like a half day...
House of Glass Hearts is this amazing, intricate genre blending book, all with a cast a brown characters and brown history. There's two timelines to it:
1. Maera's older brother, Asad, disappeared one day during a family visit to Pakistan. He's never been found since, and the event has affected her mother deeply. But she wants to talk about The Past, to get rid of what plagues her: what really happened to her brother? And when a mysterious greenhouse and her grandfather's diary appear after his death one day, Maera realizes that maybe she'll finally get to know.
2. Haroon is only 12, but he's living through India's biggest events: World War II and the Partition afterwards. When his father leaves for the war, he's afraid that he'll never see him again and goes on a relentless quest to find him. Along the way, he meets Shah Jahan Begum, a girl who may have a boy's name but has a spirit just as strong. When they sneak out one day, they find that the stories of churails are true after all, and Haroon's life has never been the same since, leaving him to realize that the world is crueler and darker than he thought.
Using interweaving tales, magical realism, mystery, and history, House of Glass establishes the long-forgotten story of India on the global page.
While I liked the historical part of it a lot, I can't say the same for the contemporary. In that part of the story, there was honestly no reason for a relationship to develop. Like seriously? A mysterious greenhouse appears, the mc finally sees the guy next door again after like 12 years (how could they not see each other at all if they lived next door??) But when they do, all of a sudden, they're in live. Is this how all teenagers have become? Defiantly disobedient and quick to fall in love. I'm disgusted.
House of Glass Hearts is this amazing, intricate genre blending book, all with a cast a brown characters and brown history. There's two timelines to it:
1. Maera's older brother, Asad, disappeared one day during a family visit to Pakistan. He's never been found since, and the event has affected her mother deeply. But she wants to talk about The Past, to get rid of what plagues her: what really happened to her brother? And when a mysterious greenhouse and her grandfather's diary appear after his death one day, Maera realizes that maybe she'll finally get to know.
2. Haroon is only 12, but he's living through India's biggest events: World War II and the Partition afterwards. When his father leaves for the war, he's afraid that he'll never see him again and goes on a relentless quest to find him. Along the way, he meets Shah Jahan Begum, a girl who may have a boy's name but has a spirit just as strong. When they sneak out one day, they find that the stories of churails are true after all, and Haroon's life has never been the same since, leaving him to realize that the world is crueler and darker than he thought.
Using interweaving tales, magical realism, mystery, and history, House of Glass establishes the long-forgotten story of India on the global page.
While I liked the historical part of it a lot, I can't say the same for the contemporary. In that part of the story, there was honestly no reason for a relationship to develop. Like seriously? A mysterious greenhouse appears, the mc finally sees the guy next door again after like 12 years (how could they not see each other at all if they lived next door??) But when they do, all of a sudden, they're in live. Is this how all teenagers have become? Defiantly disobedient and quick to fall in love. I'm disgusted.
October 11, 2021
Thank you to Yali Books for sending me an ARC of House of Glass Hearts!
3.5 stars rounded down.
House of Glass Hearts is a dual perspective story that follows Meara, a Pakistani American, in the present day and Meara's maternal grandfather from the period of right before British India became free.
HoGH touches on some incredibly difficult topics for many Desi families including, but not limited to, the true horrors of pre, during, and post Partition, intergenerational trauma, and the loss of a loved one.
The true strength of HoGH was the parts of the story that were written in Meara's Nana's perspective. The held so much history, love, and sacrifice in them that it was almost impossible to put the book down during his chapters.
Meara's chapters felt the exact opposite to me. They felt rushed and not nearly as developed as Nana's. The romance bit was wholly unnecessary considering the main themes/conflict of the story. The connection between Nana's life and Meara's reality was weak and while the twist definitely caught me by surprise, there wasn't any other oomph to Meara's part.
I usually comment that books need to be shorter, but in this case, I think an extra 50-150 pages more of character development, magic explanation, and connection between Nana and Meara's story was necessary.
GoGH is a brilliant story that just unfortunately was not executed to the best of its ability. However, I recognise that this a debut and I very much so look forward to reading Leila Siddiqui's future works.
3.5 stars rounded down.
House of Glass Hearts is a dual perspective story that follows Meara, a Pakistani American, in the present day and Meara's maternal grandfather from the period of right before British India became free.
HoGH touches on some incredibly difficult topics for many Desi families including, but not limited to, the true horrors of pre, during, and post Partition, intergenerational trauma, and the loss of a loved one.
The true strength of HoGH was the parts of the story that were written in Meara's Nana's perspective. The held so much history, love, and sacrifice in them that it was almost impossible to put the book down during his chapters.
Meara's chapters felt the exact opposite to me. They felt rushed and not nearly as developed as Nana's. The romance bit was wholly unnecessary considering the main themes/conflict of the story. The connection between Nana's life and Meara's reality was weak and while the twist definitely caught me by surprise, there wasn't any other oomph to Meara's part.
I usually comment that books need to be shorter, but in this case, I think an extra 50-150 pages more of character development, magic explanation, and connection between Nana and Meara's story was necessary.
GoGH is a brilliant story that just unfortunately was not executed to the best of its ability. However, I recognise that this a debut and I very much so look forward to reading Leila Siddiqui's future works.
July 11, 2021
Title: House of Glass Hearts
Score: ⭐⭐
Recommended Age: +13
English level: B1-B2
This book has a combination of fantasy, mystery, and historical events.
I liked that he tells us the history of India, Pakistan and how they suffered and passed the wars in 1940 and a great detail was made to me as well as joins it with fantasy.
Maera tells us the story of a girl who lost her brother when she was little and after something appears in her house, she relives the memory of her brother and tries to find out what happened to him while learning more about his family history. .
The characters seemed good to me but I need more than to delve into their history and in parts it confuses me because it tells you in the present and in the past.
I feel that this book was not for me and I do not know if it is because I have read books with more fantasy and expected more from the story.
It is a good book to start off with fantasy and mystery for young adults.
Score: ⭐⭐
Recommended Age: +13
English level: B1-B2
This book has a combination of fantasy, mystery, and historical events.
I liked that he tells us the history of India, Pakistan and how they suffered and passed the wars in 1940 and a great detail was made to me as well as joins it with fantasy.
Maera tells us the story of a girl who lost her brother when she was little and after something appears in her house, she relives the memory of her brother and tries to find out what happened to him while learning more about his family history. .
The characters seemed good to me but I need more than to delve into their history and in parts it confuses me because it tells you in the present and in the past.
I feel that this book was not for me and I do not know if it is because I have read books with more fantasy and expected more from the story.
It is a good book to start off with fantasy and mystery for young adults.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews