Bookish Bliss: Love Hate & Other Filters SPOILER FREE Review
It’s been a month since I published the 25 Reading Resolutions Challenge created by a contributor for the young adult book community: Riveted! SOOOO Friends, it’s time to get down to BIZNIZ!
On this very blog, I’ll be posting up articles and reviews about what books I read that meet the challenge prompts. Some books may have some overlap, but for the most part, I’d really like to have a new book for each numbered challenge. Confused? Double check the official list on my first post and don’t fret. I’ll be mentioning the specifics here too!!
On this very blog, I’ll be posting up articles and reviews about what books I read that meet the challenge prompts. Some books may have some overlap, but for the most part, I’d really like to have a new book for each numbered challenge. Confused? Double check the official list on my first post and don’t fret. I’ll be mentioning the specifics here too!!
*You can now read my friend (and buddy reader! đŸ˜˜) Sid's review for Love, Hate & Other Filters on her blog!
Love Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
Resolution 24. Read a book with an interracial relationship
Resolution 6. Read a debut by an author of color
If this novel had a secondary title it would be the “Modern Day Love and Life of a Indian-American Teen” and ‘Love’ would be emphasized. It is the first word of the title after all, and it’s something Samira Ahmed never lets us forget.
I can be snarky when it comes to romance in young adult fiction. All too often tall, dark, and handsome boys are featured. Boys who are edgy and fast with dangerous pasts. The Bad Boy™. It’s a trope that I’m so so so so thrilled to say is NOT PART OF THIS BOOK AT ALL. No rebels without a cause here, or jerks who we’re supposed to find sexy and enticing. So with that, I was already gung-ho and upbeat about following the main character: Maya Aziz and was more inclined towards actually being invested in the story.
Let’s lay down some groundwork: Love, Hate & Other Filters features a 17-year-old Indian Muslim-American teen as she navigates her senior year of high school. Maya’s the daughter and only child of first-generation immigrant parents and has spent her whole life in Batavia, Illinois.
Both Sofia and Asif are successful dentists and raised Maya to be a Good Responsible Indian Girl.
What they DON’T know is that Maya’s video-making hobby is more than just a hobby. It’s her passion, her joy and her way of seeing the world around her. Always armed with at least ONE of her trusty cameras, Maya’s filming is almost like an extension of herself.
She’s constantly documenting her story although she doesn’t realize what the implications of what that meant until later in the story when a terrorist attack is committed by a man with the same last name as Maya in Chicago. The tragedy throws a wrench in Maya’s college plans, instantly making her and her family targets in their small, mostly white, town and threatening to take away everything Maya has fought SO hard for.
Maya doesn’t have the hair, body or charisma of a Bollywood actress. Nor is she keen on settling down with a Good Muslim Indian Husband. Her parental unit approved careers: lawyer OR doctor, don’t appeal to Maya. So with her Aunt Hina’s support, Maya secretly applies for NYU, totally deviating from the path she’s SUPPOSED to be following at the college she’s PERMITTED to attend: the University of Chicago.
And here’s the thing. Maya gets ACCEPTED to NYU. But she can’t pack her bags quite yet. Much of Love Hate & Other Filters is about her struggle with coming to clean to her parents about pursuing her director-documentarian dreams and being able to become her own person.
She doesn’t just angst about it to herself though, and she doesn’t throw herself pity parties. Instead, she opens up to not just her best friend Violet and Hina, but also to a cute Indian Muslim college boy named Kareem-- a guest at an Indian wedding Maya and her ‘rents attend in the opening chapter, and as Maya’s parents wink-nudge-not-so-subtly indicate- an extremely eligible and suitable match. Kareem and Maya instantly hit it off, they trade banter and have a humorous rapport that’s natural and really is very funny to read.
What Maya soon comes to realize is that her feelings for Kareem -- as rad and hilarious and kind as he is-- aren’t romantic. It leads her to confront her feelings for Phil, a cute football player in her senior class who she’s been in school with since Kindergarten, and quietly crushing on for years. But she never ever ever thought she’d have a shot with him not just because of the fact he was in a long relationship with another popular girl, Lisa, but because Maya is unmistakably brown. Unmistakably Indian.
Phil, in turn, is unmistakably white European. A majority of Maya’s peers are. To them, she’s the brainy ethnic girl. The one who’s best to go to for studying or homework help, but not much else. So she’s instantly suspicious when Phil approaches her for some advice on his independent study project.
Phil is a break from the stereotypical cocky hot jock character. (YES! Thank you, Samira!) He’s got a kindness and depth to him that we see over and over as he and Maya not only strike up an initial friendship but actually spend a lot of time together on a regular basis.
Love Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
Resolution 24. Read a book with an interracial relationship
Resolution 6. Read a debut by an author of color
If this novel had a secondary title it would be the “Modern Day Love and Life of a Indian-American Teen” and ‘Love’ would be emphasized. It is the first word of the title after all, and it’s something Samira Ahmed never lets us forget.
I can be snarky when it comes to romance in young adult fiction. All too often tall, dark, and handsome boys are featured. Boys who are edgy and fast with dangerous pasts. The Bad Boy™. It’s a trope that I’m so so so so thrilled to say is NOT PART OF THIS BOOK AT ALL. No rebels without a cause here, or jerks who we’re supposed to find sexy and enticing. So with that, I was already gung-ho and upbeat about following the main character: Maya Aziz and was more inclined towards actually being invested in the story.
Let’s lay down some groundwork: Love, Hate & Other Filters features a 17-year-old Indian Muslim-American teen as she navigates her senior year of high school. Maya’s the daughter and only child of first-generation immigrant parents and has spent her whole life in Batavia, Illinois.
Both Sofia and Asif are successful dentists and raised Maya to be a Good Responsible Indian Girl.
What they DON’T know is that Maya’s video-making hobby is more than just a hobby. It’s her passion, her joy and her way of seeing the world around her. Always armed with at least ONE of her trusty cameras, Maya’s filming is almost like an extension of herself.
She’s constantly documenting her story although she doesn’t realize what the implications of what that meant until later in the story when a terrorist attack is committed by a man with the same last name as Maya in Chicago. The tragedy throws a wrench in Maya’s college plans, instantly making her and her family targets in their small, mostly white, town and threatening to take away everything Maya has fought SO hard for.
Maya doesn’t have the hair, body or charisma of a Bollywood actress. Nor is she keen on settling down with a Good Muslim Indian Husband. Her parental unit approved careers: lawyer OR doctor, don’t appeal to Maya. So with her Aunt Hina’s support, Maya secretly applies for NYU, totally deviating from the path she’s SUPPOSED to be following at the college she’s PERMITTED to attend: the University of Chicago.
And here’s the thing. Maya gets ACCEPTED to NYU. But she can’t pack her bags quite yet. Much of Love Hate & Other Filters is about her struggle with coming to clean to her parents about pursuing her director-documentarian dreams and being able to become her own person.
She doesn’t just angst about it to herself though, and she doesn’t throw herself pity parties. Instead, she opens up to not just her best friend Violet and Hina, but also to a cute Indian Muslim college boy named Kareem-- a guest at an Indian wedding Maya and her ‘rents attend in the opening chapter, and as Maya’s parents wink-nudge-not-so-subtly indicate- an extremely eligible and suitable match. Kareem and Maya instantly hit it off, they trade banter and have a humorous rapport that’s natural and really is very funny to read.
What Maya soon comes to realize is that her feelings for Kareem -- as rad and hilarious and kind as he is-- aren’t romantic. It leads her to confront her feelings for Phil, a cute football player in her senior class who she’s been in school with since Kindergarten, and quietly crushing on for years. But she never ever ever thought she’d have a shot with him not just because of the fact he was in a long relationship with another popular girl, Lisa, but because Maya is unmistakably brown. Unmistakably Indian.
Phil, in turn, is unmistakably white European. A majority of Maya’s peers are. To them, she’s the brainy ethnic girl. The one who’s best to go to for studying or homework help, but not much else. So she’s instantly suspicious when Phil approaches her for some advice on his independent study project.
Phil is a break from the stereotypical cocky hot jock character. (YES! Thank you, Samira!) He’s got a kindness and depth to him that we see over and over as he and Maya not only strike up an initial friendship but actually spend a lot of time together on a regular basis.
This is where we see another major theme: girls can be friends with boys! Yay!
That yes, Maya has the hots for Phil, but she also gets to know him as a person beyond just a potential boyfriend. This also extends to Kareem’s status shifting to a close friend. Love triangles don’t have to be the default setting in young adult lit, and Love Hate & Other Filters quickly addresses that and puts it to bed. But there is definitely some drama and “woe is me” moments Maya spirals into when she thinks about being with Phil. It’s a bit eye-rolling and frustrating, but thankfully the moments don’t last too long.
Maya’s friendship with her flirty blond BFF Violet and her hip Aunt Hina is featured almost as much as her hangouts with Phil. The female friendship between Violet and Maya is fantastic.
Violet is Maya’s number one fan and supporter of her director/documentarian dreams, and she’s ALWAYS there for Maya. It’s such a positive and genuine representation that I loved reading every single moment the girls were together. There is no insecurity or drama between Violet and Maya and as a whole, there aren’t any cat fights or mean girl antagonists.
This novel is SO female-centric I can’t help but praise it! As someone who has several very close girlfriends seeing the bond between Maya and Violet and the constant support and reciprocity between the girls really made my heart happy and gave me extra incentive to keep reading.
As for Aunt Hina, she's is a free-spirited and imaginative woman who refused to be boxed into one of the Good Responsible Indian Girl careers. She's Maya’s closest confidant and inspiration so her friendship and bond with Maya play a HUGE role in Love, Hate & Other Filters.
Hina is such a joy to read. She has an energy and way of speaking that makes her instantly stand out as a character that is not only believable but also is ACTUALLY realistic.
Maya’s greatest struggles come from her insecurity about being a woman of colour and a believer in a religion that is demonized by American culture at large. She’s a brown-skinned girl who many people assume is middle-eastern, an illegal alien, and to an extent, a criminal. It’s a harsh reality that Maya constantly is vigilant about, and dreads.
Her fears intensify when a nearby terrorist attack kills hundreds of innocents--and the killer is identified as an Egyptian Muslim immigrant. It whips Maya’s classmates into a frenzy. With a sudden onslaught of death threats and hate crimes raining down Maya and her ‘rents both cope in their own unique ways.
This is where Love, Hate & Other Filters darkens. The especially unsettling and potent moments are in the vignettes that happen after every chapter: taking us into the headspace of the bomber and some of his victims, and as the book progresses they intensify.
Halfway through the novel the tone shifts, taking on a grittier and rawer look at the culture clash and Islamophobia. Prejudice is joined by assault, fear manifests itself through fists and hatred rages unchecked through teens and adults alike. And Maya finds herself in a precarious position. She can incriminate her assailant… but at what consequence?
To keep this spoiler free you’ll just have to wait and see! Pick up Love, Hate & Other Filters in your own time, lovely reader! I will say there is a plot twist that made me cry out OMG WHAT!?! But that’s all you’re getting out of THIS girl. đŸ˜‰
There are however two ways Love, Hate & Other Filters falters. Firstly, we never really see Maya’s Muslim identity. Mosques are briefly mentioned, but Maya doesn’t go once. We never see what it’s like for this 17-year-old to be Muslim in her small town. The religion isn’t explained or touched upon at all. I learned nothing new about the religion from reading this, unlike say the new Ms Marvel comics that feature Pakistani Muslim teen Kamala Khan.
Secondly, if you’re looking for instant gratification and in-your-face action you won’t find it here. Love, Hate & Other Filters takes its time getting to the climax.
That yes, Maya has the hots for Phil, but she also gets to know him as a person beyond just a potential boyfriend. This also extends to Kareem’s status shifting to a close friend. Love triangles don’t have to be the default setting in young adult lit, and Love Hate & Other Filters quickly addresses that and puts it to bed. But there is definitely some drama and “woe is me” moments Maya spirals into when she thinks about being with Phil. It’s a bit eye-rolling and frustrating, but thankfully the moments don’t last too long.
Maya’s friendship with her flirty blond BFF Violet and her hip Aunt Hina is featured almost as much as her hangouts with Phil. The female friendship between Violet and Maya is fantastic.
Violet is Maya’s number one fan and supporter of her director/documentarian dreams, and she’s ALWAYS there for Maya. It’s such a positive and genuine representation that I loved reading every single moment the girls were together. There is no insecurity or drama between Violet and Maya and as a whole, there aren’t any cat fights or mean girl antagonists.
This novel is SO female-centric I can’t help but praise it! As someone who has several very close girlfriends seeing the bond between Maya and Violet and the constant support and reciprocity between the girls really made my heart happy and gave me extra incentive to keep reading.
As for Aunt Hina, she's is a free-spirited and imaginative woman who refused to be boxed into one of the Good Responsible Indian Girl careers. She's Maya’s closest confidant and inspiration so her friendship and bond with Maya play a HUGE role in Love, Hate & Other Filters.
Hina is such a joy to read. She has an energy and way of speaking that makes her instantly stand out as a character that is not only believable but also is ACTUALLY realistic.
Maya’s greatest struggles come from her insecurity about being a woman of colour and a believer in a religion that is demonized by American culture at large. She’s a brown-skinned girl who many people assume is middle-eastern, an illegal alien, and to an extent, a criminal. It’s a harsh reality that Maya constantly is vigilant about, and dreads.
Her fears intensify when a nearby terrorist attack kills hundreds of innocents--and the killer is identified as an Egyptian Muslim immigrant. It whips Maya’s classmates into a frenzy. With a sudden onslaught of death threats and hate crimes raining down Maya and her ‘rents both cope in their own unique ways.
This is where Love, Hate & Other Filters darkens. The especially unsettling and potent moments are in the vignettes that happen after every chapter: taking us into the headspace of the bomber and some of his victims, and as the book progresses they intensify.
Halfway through the novel the tone shifts, taking on a grittier and rawer look at the culture clash and Islamophobia. Prejudice is joined by assault, fear manifests itself through fists and hatred rages unchecked through teens and adults alike. And Maya finds herself in a precarious position. She can incriminate her assailant… but at what consequence?
To keep this spoiler free you’ll just have to wait and see! Pick up Love, Hate & Other Filters in your own time, lovely reader! I will say there is a plot twist that made me cry out OMG WHAT!?! But that’s all you’re getting out of THIS girl. đŸ˜‰
There are however two ways Love, Hate & Other Filters falters. Firstly, we never really see Maya’s Muslim identity. Mosques are briefly mentioned, but Maya doesn’t go once. We never see what it’s like for this 17-year-old to be Muslim in her small town. The religion isn’t explained or touched upon at all. I learned nothing new about the religion from reading this, unlike say the new Ms Marvel comics that feature Pakistani Muslim teen Kamala Khan.
Secondly, if you’re looking for instant gratification and in-your-face action you won’t find it here. Love, Hate & Other Filters takes its time getting to the climax.
First and foremost the plot revolves around relationships. Not just romantic ones but also bonds between friends and mothers and daughters. In this debut novel, Samira Ahmed carefully crafts these bonds and uses them as an integral part of the narrative. And even if these moments do seem a touch aimless or wandering keep in mind Love, Hate & Other Filters is a short book. It’s less than 300 pages, fast-paced and can easily be read in a day or two, or in one sitting for the more ambitious or those who can’t put it down!
Did you read Love, Hate & Other Filters? If not, what was the last diverse book you read and LOVED?! đŸ¤—
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