An Emotion of Great Delight - Book Review


I finished this book a few minutes ago and WOW. 
This book was just so much like it was so overwhelmingly good. Like I can’t even think straight right now? Shsjjsoanz where do I start??
I just want to stay in Shadi’s world. In the story, nothing “special” happened, as in, it just seemed like a few days of Shadi’s life but the book was so. good. I just want to follow her life more. 
Obviously it was fiction, but I could see quite a few parallels between Shadi’s and Tahereh Mafi’s lives. I’m not claiming to know heaps about Tahereh or even Shadi, but I could definitely see that this book would have meant a lot to Tahereh Mafi. 
I REALLY LIKED THE WRITING STYLE. I only started paying attention to writing styles recently, but I think that it was similar in Shatter Me, but the context/genre and length of the texts was really different so I can’t really compare the two. But everything seemed poetic but not forced, like I’ve read books before where it seemed like the author was just trying too hard to be poetic. I dunno. I just like Tahereh Mafi’s writing style. A lot. 
This is random but I feel like the book addressed some really important things. Like it showed that parents can have problems too (that’s all I can say without giving spoilers). And it also showed how ex-friends/toxic friendships and stuff have a really big toll on people. It was especially significant for me because I felt like I could relate to Shadi a lot in that way — still holding onto friendships even long after they have ended, even though you know how bad they were for you. I think that in a lot of the media and stuff today that type of experience is either portrayed but as a romantic relationship, or just not portrayed at all. But I think it’s important. I really really liked that it was in this book. 
The book also contained romance and stuff, but not too much. It didn’t take over the entire plot which I liked, and it didn’t take over the entire main character either. The love interest was a genuinely good person and character. He was very likeable, as are all of Tahereh Mafi’s love interests, I’m finding. I think Tahereh Mafi’s books are some of the only ones in which I genuinely enjoy straight relationships/ships (😬). 
Oh! And also I think the book accurately portrayed how much pressure school puts on its students. It was subtle but good. I wasn’t 100% sure what year of school Shadi was supposed to be in because I don’t live in America/don’t really understand their school system, but the book did mention how stressed Shadi was about school and how harsh it was on her with everything she was going through. 
I can’t stop staring at the book that’s sitting next to me. The cover is so pretty??
I dunno what else to say. I reallly recommend this book. A lot lot lot lot. It’s short but so so good. I feel like crying (in a good way) because of it. IT’S OVER NOOOOO! Tahereh Mafi strikes again!!!!
(Check content warnings because this was a rather intense book.)


An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi, 14+*  ★ ★ ★1/2 


*This age recommendation is only my opinion. Some younger people might feel comfortable reading this book, and some older people might not. That's fine, either way. Warning for many potentially upsetting themes, weird kissing stuff, violence, sexual references, swearing, mentions and instances of self-harm, racist and Islamophobic characters who bully/harass other characters, events that could be/were interpreted as suicide attempts, character deaths and intense grief, toxic friendships, car crashes, panic attacks, fainting and Islamophobic characters and societies. 

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