Forty Words for Love
Ratings2
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings2
Average rating3.8
In this tender genre-bending young adult novel by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed, two teen protagonists grow from friends to something more in the aftermath of a tragedy in their magical town. Moonlight Bay is a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn gray, and the forest that was a refuge for newcomers becomes a scourge to the townspeople. Almost overnight, the entire town seems devoid of life and energy. The tourists have stopped coming. And the people in the town are struggling. This includes the two teens at the heart of our story: Yasmine and Rafay. Yasmine is a child of the town, and her parents are trying and failing to make ends meet. Rafay is an immigrant, a child of Willow Forest. The forest of Moonlight Bay was where people from Rafay’s community relocated when their home was destroyed. Except Moonlight Bay is no longer a welcoming refuge, and tensions between the townspeople and his people are growing. Yasmine and Rafay have been friends since Rafay first arrived, nearly ten years ago. As they've gotten older, their friendship has blossomed. Not that they would ever act on these feelings. The forest elders have long warned that falling in love with "outsiders" will lead to devastating consequences for anyone from Willow Forest. But is this actually true? Can Yasmine and Rafay find a way to be together despite it all?
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I just finished Forty words for love by Aisha Saeed and here is my review
A tragic death brings darkness and despair to a magical place that was once brimming with life, love and magic. Now the people are devoid of life and energy and no tourists come and now the townspeople are struggling.
At the heart of it all are 2 teens. Yas and Raf. Yas is a child born of the town and Raf was a migrant whose whole community moved after their home was destroyed. Moonlight bay was once welcoming but since the death... the townsfolk and the migrants are at odds with each other.
The teens have been friends since Raf arrived 10 years ago but things are evolving for the two. The forest elders have warned Raf that falling in love with outsiders will lead to consequences but can they find a way to be together without devastating everything around them?
The prose was devastatingly beautiful and I was hooked almost right away. The detailed imagery brought some lovely landscapes into my brain and I love that!
The magical realism that runs through the pages was a real joy for me. It's one of my favorite sub-genres and this book kept me engaged all the way through. The pace was slower than I normally like but I think it worked ok here.
The love affair between Yaz and Raf was kinda cute and lighthearted and thankfully, wasn't overdone.
It felt a little Romeo and Julietish and I didn't mind that at all. The ending felt a little unfinished but all in all a decent read.
4 stars
Thank you @penguinrandomhouseca for my gifted copy
