I was so, so excited to read this. Leftist work feels a large gap in the South Asian-American canon. Popular discourse still hasn’t moved past “chai tea”/“naan bread” and mango tree diaspora poetry. I feel the prescient moral issues of our communities are deeper, such as caste, religious fundamentalism, and pursuit of profit and self-interest over collective good. I was excited for this book to criticize the war in Iraq and the profit-driven culture that has often developed in these communities.

Unfortunately, this book fell short of my hopes. Many of the characters and relationships were flat and unable—primary example, Beena, the main character. I finished this book knowing nothing about her personality other than her being reactive and often mean. I’m also very confused about her relationship with Roberto. I see no reason for either of them to each other and it feels some type of stereotype that this random, empty relationship with a white (sorry, “Italian”) boy was thrown in.

The book could’ve also benefited from tighter editing. There were at least a couple instances of repeated sentences in the same paragraph or page, and there was a level of detail that, at many points, seemed irrelevant and grating (although at some, it was quite beautiful).

Oftentimes, the dialogue felt grating as well, and it seemed the author was trying to over-explain things for a white American audience by including dialogue more reminiscent of Wikipedia articles than naturally flowing speech.

The plot arc had great potential. I feel this book had great ideas with poor execution.2 s Jasmine Ramos41 2

This book I received as a ARC copy for an honest review.
This book is the journey of Dr Uddin and how he escaped his village for a better life.
How he earned his doctorate degree.
He moved to canana and Iraq where he loved with his wife and children.
The life of an Islamic Bengali family.
This book is very well written the author uses simple words which made the book easy to understand and very enjoyable. I enjoyed it very much and I highly recommend it. I am new to this author and I am very impressed with this book.
This book thought me about another culture which I enjoyed. 2 s ChristineAuthor 24 books251

My interview with Gemini can be found here. She shares a number of insights about her process and writing from multiple points of view:
https://christinesneed.substack.com/p...1 Mahika175 38 Read

Not rating this because i didn't it and that makes me think I'm not the target audience1 Jen Smith1 review

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Voracious Readers, and I really enjoyed it. Books have the power to expose you to new learning and new experiences and that is what Gemini Wahhaj provides for her readers. Her characters remind you that living a happy life has many avenues and is a complex concept that not everyone needs to understand; as long as you understand it yourself. 1 Mark91 6

Children of This Madness is a compelling look at the often conflicting pulls of opportunity and family heritage/homeland; as well as the pushes of geopolitical and cultural conflict that create refugees and immigrants.

Told in alternating chapters between a Bangladeshi father who becomes an engineer and his daughter in America, the novel fosters a great deal of empathy for the struggles and hardships that many face seeking opportunity and safety. We go through the shifting feasibility of academic careers in places Bangladesh and Iraq as factions Hussein's Baath party disrupt conditions for all but their most loyal .

Similarly in America, the daughter is torn by feelings about the Gulf War, having ties to the people while many around her mainly see opportunity in rebuilding the oil industry once Saddam is out. She also struggles with losing family and trying to help her father from a great distance, as well as very different perspectives and priorities once they are together.

These are very well-developed characters, and relatable situations.

I received a complimentary copy through Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.2 s Felina Pittman78 2

The book showcases a mini saga of an Islamic Bengali family, their triumphs and struggles as they cope up with Bangladesh's period of political instability. The narrative highlights the life journey of Dr. Nasi Uddin as he escapes poverty in a small village and manifested his love for math by earning a doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering. He traveled to Canada for a higher education and stayed in Iraq with his wife Rahela and three children, Beena, Lenin and Kazi for the money and to earn a living as a professor in the University of Mosul.

The novel uses the third person point of view to tell Beena's goal to pursue further academic training in Houston, Texas in the United States and shows how she eventually settled down with an Italian husband. Uddin's backstory was relayed utilizing the first person point of view. It is interesting to note that this method blended and transected wonderfully near the climax to create a stirring and honest account of cultural immersion and adjustment for Beena and her father.

This is an absorbing and engrossing read! The writer's style of narration was straightforward and unembellished. The simplicity of her words along with the introduction to Bangladesh culture will beguile the reader to appreciate the book for its uniqueness and ethnic authenticity.2 s Chaitali SenAuthor 3 books34

I loved everything about this novel, which starts on the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a massive crime that is rarely handled in literature. It’s set in Houston, rural and urban Bangladesh, Ottawa, Mosul and is a work of unusual skill, creativity, and humanity. I haven't stopped thinking about it. Danielle229 4 Read

Read quickly but not sure how much I enjoyed it. The characters, times and places got confusing along the way. There was a lot of sadness and I wanted the characters to learn/flip/evolve but they kinda just remained the same. I did learn a lot about a culture and experience very different from my own. I definitely want to see what the author writes next! shabana ks50 5 Read

There was so much potential but this fell flat for me and felt kinda scattered at some points. Beena's whole houston life felt underbaked. All mentions of Iraq and war felt weird in a not so great way. William Gooding1 review

This book is very poorly written. The plot is slow and uninteresting. I would not recommend. Samantha Pinkowski2

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