books – Raidah Shah Idil

My very first IG giveaway win and ARC!

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 Raidah Shah Idil

Ramadan Mubarak to one and all!

Fasting with three small kids close in age is not for the faint for heart, so this beautiful book, Misfits In Love, arriving today (thank you Sajidah, Aisyah and Irdina!) was such a treat. I’ve been loving what I’ve read so far and the notes on the margins by the author and fellow readers like me! I’m so thrilled to get to write my own responses in the margin too!

I’ve been listening to audiobooks since my very first newborn and I forgot how gratifying it feels to hold an actual book in my hands. I’ve always wanted an ARC but have no idea how to get one, so being part of S.K. Ali’s Street Team remedied that hehe.

Also, I highly recommend deleting Twitter from your phone for a calmer Ramadan (and life, overall) experience.

I still have IG though and am AMAZED at the magic of reels, gorgeous #bookstagram…wow. Wow! What magic is this?! Such beautiful pictures of stunning books on decorative fabric along with fresh, glowing faces of bookstagrammers!

Plus – book swag! (I managed to take this photo without any of my kids sticking their hands, feet or faces in woooo)

I’m also so excited that Alhamdulilah, I won S.K Ali’s giveaway for Once Upon An Eid hurray. Yet another special gift for me this Ramadan.

If you haven’t already read any of her books – go for it! Love From A To Z is my absolute favourite of hers, being the halal love story that it is.

If you’re a fasting mama of little ones who keep waking up during suhoor/sahur because they just KNOW something is up…you’re not alone. Hang in there! Apparently they all grow up and move away some day. And until then, we’re making memories.

Book review, Books, Fantasy

A Different Kind of Fantasy Novel

November 7, 2012November 7, 2012 Raidah Shah Idil

I’ve been an avid reader of fantasy, and after a while, it really does all blend in to the same thing. It’s usually some blend of European, set in the medieval era. Sure, fantasy is a genre, it does have a very set formula, and sometimes that’s exactly what I’m looking for….but after a while, it can get stale.

So what makes a fantasy novel different?

Alif the Unseen is definitely a different kind of fantasy novel. As a friend put it, it’s about hackers and jinn. Literally. Now that was a riveting read. G. Willow Wilson wove a story based in an imaginary Middle Eastern city, with the backdrop of the Arab Spring. Her characters are flawed, compelling, and the non-human ones are particularly riveting!

I haven’t read Throne of The Crescent Moon, but the reviews look amazing! I’m liking this new trend of Arabian-inspired fantasy novels…looking forward to seeing what else is coming up!

Movies, Reading, Writing

What makes a great character?

November 1, 2012November 1, 2012 Raidah Shah Idil

Think of your favourite books and movies, and ask yourself – what made you love or hate these characters? What made them so…compelling? The Write Practice wrote a post on this, titled Han Solo, Scarlett O’Hara, and Your Characters: What Makes Them Compelling? Definitely worth a read! To me, I can think of a few memorable characters, right off the bat:

Bella Swan. Now, when I think of Bella, I immediately think of the following synonyms: annoying, insipid and ungrateful. Read this great article on Fifty Shades of Sexism: Why Are Our Modern Heroines So Weak? and you’ll see what I mean.

On the other hand, when I think of Anne of Green Gables, I think of a very flawed girl-turned-woman with agency, passion and determination. I’m telling you, the classics are called the classics for good reason.

Having read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and watched the movies, I vastly prefer Eowyn over Arwen. Eowyn is a strong, focused, brave heroine who literally jumped into the jaws of death. Remember that scene? “I am no man!” Oh, goosebumps! Her courage is way cool. Arwen actually didn’t feature much in the LOTR books, unlike the movie, and..well…she was very ephemeral, beautiful, and useful for Aragon’s dream-scenes 😛 She doesn’t have as much independent substance as Eowyn.

To me, the best kinds of characters are the ones who grow throughout the story. I want to see someone who is flawed bumble through the pages of his/her story, and then triumph over his/her inadequacies and be in a better place by the end of the book. There needs to be some kind of motivation behind their actions, something I can understand and perhaps even relate to. Samwise Gamgee had so much love and loyalty for Frodo, and that made him my favourite hobbit 🙂

On the other hand, the biggest turn-off in any character is the P word – perfection. The last thing I want is to pick up a book, invest my time and emotional energy engaging in the story and character(s), only to find him/her in the exact same headspace, 600 pages later! I don’t want to read about a static character who is beautiful in the start of the novel and is still beautiful by the end of it. Give me some real, messy, problematic points that shake up the protagonist and compels him/her into motion. Give me something I can relate to.

With that in mind, it’s my hope that Jamilah, the protagonist in Finding Jamilah, did just that. She grew into a different young woman by the end of the story, and in all honesty, so did I!