Playing Games

In beautifully light and charming prose, [Qureshi] gives the reader some deeply engaging romantic drama in the form of Hana's marriage and Mira's romantic encounters, which provide a deeply emotional and enjoyable backdrop for the philosophical musings.

Irish Times

Observant, bluesy . . . an emotive meditation on the ethics of art and the resilience of family bonds

Observer

Huma Qureshi writes with wisdom and heart about two sisters in a fraught relationship

Pandora Sykes

Qureshi skilfully explores the dynamics of family bonds in this beautifully written novel

The i

Qureshi brilliantly captures the complexities of sisterhood in this intimate novel

Good Housekeeping

A carefully drawn portrait of two sisters at a personal and familial crossroads

Marie Claire

A beautifully written debut

Red Magazine

A warm and moving portrait of two women's desires, equally overwhelming, to create art and to become a parent. Playing Games thoughtfully and elegantly considers what it means to be a sister, a mother and a writer, as well as the fine line between truth and fiction and what happens when one brushes up against the other.

Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint

A riveting and evocative tale of two sisters navigating love, loss and desires

Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past is a Foreign Country

A heartwarming tale of two sisters, and a bittersweet reckoning with what it means to make art; what we ask of and what we take from those we're closest to. Huma Qureshi is a writer with a beautiful lightness of touch

Lucy Caldwell, author of These Days

Playing Games is a tender, beautifully nuanced portrayal of sisterhood, of family, love and loss. Huma Qureshi has a rare ability to perfectly capture the details that make up a life, full of raw and real emotion. I adored it.

Sara Nisha Adams, author of The Reading List

A book full of raw emotion, tension and, ultimately, sibling love

My Weekly

Compassionate, thoughtful and thought-provoking

Haleh Agar, author of Out of Touch

Playing Games is a poignant story about the complexities and beauty of the bond between sisters. Huma Qureshi lucidly examines the curdled emotions of family and illuminates the inner process of the writer. Reading Qureshi's crystal prose is a rare pleasure. I found Playing Games unputdownable.

Molly Aitken, author of The Island Child

A poignant tale of two sisters that illuminates the complexities of family ties

Harper's Bazaar

Reading Huma Qureshi's Playing Games is a comfort. Familiar and tender, the characters are both relatable and infuriating, as only sisters are. It discusses art, love, family, and the large non-negotiable life decisions we all eventually face. For everyone who is a sister, has a sister, or wish they had a sister.

Jenny Mustard, author of Okay Days

I loved Playing Games. Huma Qureshi writes about relationships, whether it is sisterhood or marriage, with such tenderness that it will break your heart. She steers us through Hana and Mira's chaos with compassion and kindness. There were many instances when I wanted to give the sisters a huge hug, but at the same time, I wanted to shake them because they frustrated me so much. And you only do that with characters you deeply care about.

Sairish Hussain, author of The Family Tree

A moving, sensitive portrait of siblings caught between art, ambition and loyalty

The Bookseller

One of the best writers exploring family connections today

TOAST Magazine

Well-crafted . . . Playing Games is all about sisterhood, in all its gnarly glory

Financial Times