This book was based on a true story and was absolutely beautifully written. It was so lovely, so sad, and I just couldn't put it down.
I was totally invested and I cried several times.
This book will stay eith me for a long time.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have had such a fantastic reading month and it has continued with this amazing debut. I absolutely loved this book and had a sleepless night in the middle of reading it as I just couldn't put it down!
The book is partially based on true events which makes it even more fascinating.
The story is set in Lahore, Pakistan and is such an emotional read. It is narrated by Lalloo who's family are trapped in a life of poverty and forced labour, making clay bricks in a smoke-filled Bhatti.
Following the horrific murder of his older brother Lalloo has escaped the Bhatti and is desperately saving rupees, whilst working as a driver for a rich family. He hopes he can one day pay his family's debt and earn their freedom.

Aisha Hassan's writing is incredible and I felt totally immersed in Lalloo's life in Lahore. He is such a resilient chracter and I was desperate for him to find some happiness in the face of so much hardship and misery. I loved his friendship with Salman and his relationship with Fatima. All of the characters are so well written, even the despisable ones like Omer!

A thought-provoking story of love, loss and hope. I would highly recommend it! I can't wait to read more by this author.

this book is not going to give you a choice of whether you over think about it. you just will. and it will linger. it will bring up emotions only brilliant books can. i was totally immersed in the pages and didnt want to crawl out until id finished. and even then i wanted to linger, soak it in and think over it for a while. have your heart at the ready people.
we are given the story of Lalloo and his family who are all stuck. stuck in the very night that broke apart their hearts and lives. the night his brother was murdered.
we then watch as Lalloo has to forge a path. or try life before it consumes him whole. hes not always going to have it easy. at all. and along the way he show courage and determination to help his parents. they need their debts repaying and he vows to do just this. but this comes with risk. and what happens when he goes and falls in love?
you are reading this young man tale with a hand on your heart. the words almost feel like they are being sung to you they feel so much like they are flowing through you. this story is stunning. its got to have some magic in there somewhere because it just felt next level.

When The Fireflies Dance is a debut novel, but that does not mean in the slightest that it's not accomplished. Aisha Hassan's writing is absolutely beautiful and she took me to the streets of Pakistan within the first few pages, making me feel as though I was there even though I've never been to Pakistan before.

Aisha Hassan tells us the story of Lalloo and his family in When The Fireflies Dance. She has developed all the characters brilliantly and I couldn't help but feel the utmost sympathy for them and hope they would be able to leave the bhatti. I loved the relationships he had with his friends and the way they looked out for each other. In contrast, I was completely repulsed by Omer - he really made me skin crawl. I really wanted to know what would happen to these characters and I was invested in their stories the whole way through.

We learn fairly early on in the novel that Lalloo and his family are grieving after the death of his brother. It is not immediately clear how this happened, and I love how the author builds this story up gradually throughout the novel. There is so much emotion in the story and it radiates from every page and made me feel connected to it. I was astonished to learn that When The Fireflies Dance is based on a true story and it will stay in my heart long after I finish reading

Inspired by a true story and set in Pakistan, this is a tale that will stay with the reader for a long time.

It is haunting, tragic and shocking.

Lalloo and his family have been through some trials and tribulations that have changed their lives but they show a determination to come through it all and for seven year old Lalloo, his coming of age will come quicker than he thought.

What a beautiful read this is. Lalloo is an amazing boy and the man he becomes comes through tragedy and above all surrender.

Well worth talking about