More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Okay. So I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this review without shouting my words in excitement. If I could stand on a rooftop this very minute and sing to all below (bear in mind my singing voice is not up to par but lets continue for the sake of emphasis) with the greatest 70s pop song it would still not show how good this book is. But one thing that it will show is that I am now angry at not being able to experience the same joy that I did for the very first time that I was able to read it. Just imagine now, I am in my hermit hole crying my eyes out because I am not sure how I am meant to carry on with life, let alone read another book.

I think that we might just have a hopeless romantic on our hands. Danyal is undeniably a down-to-earth guy who unfortunately needs a little push in the right direction. However, he can also be seen to be a guy who is too good to be true. Almost like how a star might shoot over the night sky, but can easily be missed if your not in time to see it. Danyal can also be seen as being a very relatable character. He's real, he's breathing, he has real life problems, he doesn't have some stupid fantastical power that makes him the main character because he is more than that. I kind of wish that he is my friend too. But now that I have closed the final chapter, he feels more like a good old friend that I used to know but still appreciate. Like a fine wine I guess.

The main storyline is set in The Renaissance Man contest that happens every year at Danyal's school. This is where it is widely understood that the people who are chosen to compete in this contest is through the nominations of the teachers from various departments throughout the school are the brightest and the most gifted. Danyal comes to learn what it means to follow your own dreams and the dreams that are placed upon you. He also comes to realise that maybe it's good to question what is seen to be right, when obviously, there are times where we must show that even the biggest heroes are not all good as they are said to be. Even in the most hardest of times when things don't seem like they are going right, it doesn't mean that you can't be happy or optimistic. Because when all fails, we all have the joy of food to give us the feeling that everything will be ok.

Some of the characters are fun and quirky. I loved Bisma and Danyal's mother who always made me laugh nearly every time that she entered the room. Suri, oh don't get me started on Suri she is sweet yet hilarious in the same way and I wish there was more of her to be honest. What can I say, this was a perfect book with some perfect characters. I just loved them all in their own ways. This book seems like one you can't get enough of, even if you have read it for the fifth time. It's just brilliant.

So I've decided to stop waffling and give this book five stars because it cannot be described in the best way possible without reading the book yourself. Take the leap. You won't be disappointed.

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