Category Archives: High School

Sep12

The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni

Posted on by
Standard
The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni

Parts of this 368 page YA fantasy were gripping and impossible to put down, other parts slow and disjointed making the book hard to pick back up. The book almost seems to function in acts, with the first act being the midwife premise, the second act in the forest with the campy/creepy version of the seven dwarfs and a vampire, and the third being the rushed climax of what presumably is the plot that will carry into the second book in the duology. The choppiness and inconsistent pacing made me feel like the world building at times took over the story, at the risk of understanding exactly how the threads of themes and characters were meant to make this a feminist fantasy. I appreciated the abandonment and found family aspects, but the political positioning and fighting the patriarchy aspects read painfully forced and underdeveloped.  As for the fairy tale retelling, I found it silly and inconsistent with the amazing night hag creatures. If the back of the book blurb didn’t position this as covering all the aforementioned themes, I might have enjoyed it more, it seemed to force themes that didn’t naturally come from the characters, plot, and prose naturally. I do acknowledge that the second book may illuminate some of the telling in a more showing manner and resolve the lost plot critique I’ve asserted, but I honestly don’t know if I am compelled to see how the second half of the story plays out. The book is a mature read with death, drug addiction, hangings, rape, violence, an assortment of relationships and gender identities, oppression, threat, etc.  I do not think this qualifies as OWN voice for the Moroccan cultural rep, the author I believe is not Arab, but I think the characters might be Muslim just not by name, which would qualify it as such. The protagonist prays “predawn prayers” in the “old tongue” and translated phrases after death reflect on the one-ness of the creator, and at times the characters even opine on their thoughts of Muslamic concepts. I don’t know if that was the author’s intent or if it is meant to come from the Morrocan culture, but I don’t know that it ultimately matters. The world created within the pages is rich and unique, I just didn’t connect with the story or characters. If someone 16-17 and up wanted to read it that enjoyed fantasy, I wouldn’t dissuade them, but for novice fantasy readers like myself, it was at times difficult to get through.

SYNOPSIS: TAKEN FROM THE PUBLISHER:

For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Guillermo del Toro comes The Lustrous Dark, a sweeping YA fantasy inspired by a Moroccan folktale, in which a young midwife’s apprentice rises up to take back the power that’s been stolen from women.

Orphaned as a baby, Shay has spent her life training as the midwife’s apprentice. Her role grants her stability, yet Shay has always yearned for more. Namely, motherly affection and answers regarding her mysterious birth—neither of which the midwife deems practical to provide.

After Shay discovers her birth mother, Hind, is still alive and addicted to a magical drug called Snow, she determines to get the woman clean. But when Hind betrays Shay to get her hands on more Snow, Shay’s abandoned within a deadly forest and forced to rely on a band of monstrous ghouls for safety.

Shay’s realm has long stood on the brink of war between the men who control magic and the revolutionaries who want to eliminate it. But in the forest, Shay hears the pleading call of ancient spirits who claim that not only has magic been stolen, but she has the power to return it. With the help of a spitfire revolutionary and the boy who’s winning over her heart, Shay discovers the horrific truth of who produces Snow and will have to decide for herself whether to heed the spirits’ charge or fade into obscurity.

This emotionally raw and gorgeously rendered fairytale combines the lush worldbuilding of This Woven Kingdom with the mother trauma of Snow White and a dash of Tim Burton. Steeped in mysticism and mythology, The Lustrous Dark confronts injustices against women with a righteous scream that’ll inspire readers to rally against the patriarchy and oppressive regimes worldwide.

Perfect for readers who love Political Revolutions, Fighting the Patriarchy, Toxic Mothers, Reawakening the Gods, Ancient Magic, Bone-Chilling Monsters, Haunted Forests, Female Friendships, Fairytale Retellings, North African Folklore, and Cinnamon Roll Love Interests.

WHY I LIKE IT:
I really liked many of the parts in isolation, the midwife beginning, the ending with the night hags, even at times the bone eaters, but as a cohesive story I feel it leaves too much to be desired.  Why was the forest such a plot point to navigate early on, but largely not a threat after the midpoint?  Where did Khawla just appear from, and did her family live in the forest? And then suddenly the two girls, Marjan and Yara, who are perceived to be quite young and shy suddenly are transversing the forest alone and emerging as strong capable decision makers.  The age of many of the characters seems inconsistent, or maybe rather their maturity, at times even the protagonist feels very young compared to other times. Ultimately the women’s magic and reclaiming it for women specifically, seems so forced that it took me out of the story. I get that Shadi is an ally, but seems like he is the most honest of the bunch. Multiple women are manipulative and corrupt, the mothers come to mind, and I think it could have been shown more how they were made that way by systems, but I felt it just kept telling us that Jawad is bad, and that men took the power, rather than showing it being more systemic and patriarchal in nature. Routinely the book seemed to build up to big plot points and then just have Shay go along with it, to the detriment of giving her a clear character arc of growth and coming in to her own, which sadly kept me from ever clearly cheering for her, or knowing what I hoped she could accomplish.

Sep4

You Only Live Twice by Autumn Allen

Posted on by
Standard
You Only Live Twice by Autumn Allen

Your rizq is written by Allah swt, and this book is such an easy to see example of that, in a time when Islamophobia, DEI, book bans, and diverse stories are not being published, this 368 page YA book has more Islam than the majority of self-pubbed Islamic fiction reads I’ve EVER read, and it is traditionally published, SubhanAllah! it is a halal romance, that features niqabi (why doesn’t she have her niqabi on on the cover?), Black Muslims, supportive friends and family, it is written for everyone, but teenage Muslim girls are going to love this. If you are waiting on the but, here it is, I loved a lot about the book, but- it required me to accept the premise and I just don’t. I don’t have anything against getting married young, but I never really felt I understood the protagonist and her motives from the start: why did she all of a sudden just quit high school, why all of a sudden want to get married, and why were her reasonings told and not shown. Had high school been awful maybe I’d get it, but just because she missed the focus of deen that Ramadan held and now feels high school cuts in to, seems weak to me. Wants to get married because she sees a couple on the bus, but doesn’t really know what she wants in a spouse and why, seems unfortunate. Why couldn’t she be done with high school and then be looking to get married, would have definitely made the positioning craftwise less cumbersome, and perhaps would have allowed Zakiyyah to be seen as a more thought out and defined character.  Readers would have seen her determination, her stubbornness, her backstory and why we should be cheering her on and hoping she is making good choices, as is, I didn’t support her leaving school, she had at least one really good friend, she still will need to learn how to balance deen and duniya and Islamphobes, so what does it accomplish?  Also in many ways the book is a roadmap for young people looking to get married (intentional or not), what should be considered and discussed, but the protagonists age and the initial plot point I think will limit potential readers from engaging with the book, and thus miss out on a fun and informative read.  Ok back to the positives, I can imagine the emails, and post-it notes, and convo bubbles didn’t work for everyone, but I enjoyed them, and thought they added some levity and cuteness to the story. The book is YA, I think 15-16 and up will enjoy it, the Islam holds the halalness at it’s core, the focus is marriage, there is some conversations that younger readers might not be ready for, birth control pops in my head, and the Boston Marathon tragedy happens in the story and could be a potential flag for some readers, I hope mature readers though, will spend extra time reading those parts and understanding the author’s perspective and commentary from the mc’s perspective as I found them to be powerful and important.

SYNOPSIS: As provided by the publisher

An unforgettable, heartwarming, hilarious coming-of-age story about faith, family, all kinds of love, and a Black Muslim teen pursuing an ordinary goal in an extraordinary time.

Barely one week into senior year of high school, Boston native Zakiyyah is making her 2012-2013 Get Free Plan.

Step one: quit high school. (PSA: There are other ways to get to college!)

Step two: live like it’s Ramadan year-round.

As she gets deeper into her Plan, she starts to wonder if there’s someone out there who would be a good companion. To everyone’s surprise, Zakiyyah decides she wants to get married. But there are some complications.

Problem one: she’s never met a guy she liked. Zakiyyah’s family (reluctantly) and friends (eagerly) agree to support the search.

Problem two: what’s the secret to choosing a good life partner?

Enter Musa, by way of mutual friends. With marriage in mind, Zakiyyah and Musa get to know each other, progressing from email to instant messaging to phone calls. Things are going well… thrillingly well… until tragedy strikes Boston. In a moment of heightened emotion and stress, Zakiyyah and Musa have their first major disagreement.

Zakiyyah can call the whole thing off. But with or without Musa, what does it mean to live on her own terms?

WHY I LIKE IT:
I love the unapologetic Islam. I love the normalization of going to the masjid and watching baseball games, getting married over dating, and parents being kind and not toxic, and good solid friendships, and community support- like truly this book offers so much reality and insight that all Muslims long for living in the west particularly. I love how easy the read is, and that it honestly stays halal.

Also I love that grandma is not Muslim but so supportive, I have two non Muslim grandmas and one is super supportive of my choices, and one not so much, and I love seeing the supportive rep in books, alhumdulillah.

FLAGS:

relationships, terrorism, racism, stereotypes, hate crimes, talk about societal pressures, I think there were some discussions about birth control.

*Disclaimer, I read the book a while ago and was unable to write up the review immediately after, please forgive any errors, or oversights.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Oh this book needs to be discussed in classrooms, book clubs, masjids, friend circles, it will be read, no doubt, but the discussion and putting it into practice will be such a gift to the youth group, moms, aunties, and community leaders already doing the work with our youth to get them aware of what marriage and looking for a life partner should look like.

 

Jul3

The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh

Posted on by
Standard
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh

I approached reading this 358 page book with a plan: as much as possible I began with no expectations and rid myself of any Lemon Trees comparisons. And after I finished this book, which I read in two days, I have now waited a week before writing this review up, to sit with its lingering effects and takeaway impact. I did this because a YA coming of age book with a female Muslim protagonist in a new school facing Islamophobia, has been done before, the premise isn’t remarkable necessarily (like Lemon Trees), on its own. I also am not a fan of magical realism. All that to say, I really, really enjoyed the book, and appreciate what it accomplished, and the unapologetic Islam and strength of voice it did it with. A few friends remarked that teen them would have loved it, so I’d like to add that 45 year old me, also loved it. The magic realism isn’t a small thread, it is a plot point, and it adds imagery and power to a book that raises the stakes on every level. It provides a balance to the heaviness felt by Jihad’s grief, loneliness, and present bullying. I felt in many ways it also softened the questionable “halal or harmness” of the book. The relationship between Jihad and Jamie does place them in classrooms and cars alone together and sure that close of a friendship between a boy and a girl is not typically encouraged, but I would let teens read this. The book is not overly angsty, emotions are there but no acting on it, in my opinion the focus is Jihad and her finding her strength, which as a Muslim going through so much, is really empowering to see. I think young Muslim readers might find bits of her story that they relate too, but inshaAllah no one is being bullied that hard, is grieving that loss alone, is feeling that abandoned, and coupled with the “magic,” I don’t think that Jihad’s choices will normalize any haram, but rather leave the readers inspired to not lose hope. The book has a lot of Islam, not necessarily a lot of spirituality though, for me it fits with the character and what she is enduring, that she just doesn’t have any bandwidth to feel anything more. The beautiful prose brings you into the character and keeps the focus on the protagonist, the unapologetic positioning is consistent and a reminder to us all that when well done, our OWN voice stories are not just accessible and relatable to us, but to all.

SYNOPSIS:
I really don’t want to spoil this book, so I’m going to just copy the publisher’s blurb for the summary portion, you are welcome.

Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad’s gift changes depending on her mood. When depression sets in, the world is a colorless oasis, and in the wake of her mother’s sudden death, the world has become a permanent shade of grey.

Broken by tragedy, Jihad’s family doesn’t believe her color loss. Her father sends her to the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year. There, Jihad’s name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook carved from a tree in her hometown in Syria—a country she only knew through her mother’s stories. Jihad hasn’t picked up a brush in over a year, but finds herself channeling the colors of her hurt, pain, and grief as she paints the story of her mother’s journey in Syria.

When graffiti of that same mural starts magically popping up all over New York, her art goes viral and the world takes notice, the threat of legal consequences is imminent. To reclaim her voice, Jihad will have to paint a new future for herself and Braxton, guided by the resilience of her mother’s story.

WHY I LOVE IT:

I love that regardless of what I would have done in many of the situations Jihad is put in, I can totally see, and argue, why Jihad does what she does. I think that is a testament to the writing, and while some of the relationships or side character arcs might make the most craft focused readers long for more, I was fully seeing Jihad’s world through her eyes, and ok with it. Even when major events happen to side characters, it really feeds in to how it affects Jihad and her character arc and growth.

I love the Islam and unapologetic way it is presented. There was one error about washing the bottom of her shoe while making wudu at school, but the Islam feels very real, the actions, the framing, the practice, the struggles, and it was quite refreshing.

I think in the past we have seen identity books really “other” Islam or culture and this book definitely raises the bar, by not doing that. We have also seen books that normalize haram relationships, or spend page after page trying to position the couple to not be haram at the expense of boring the reader, and I think this book is so natural in weaving it all together, that I really hope it becomes the new standard, and new chapter, pun intended, for YA Muslamic books. The book has threads of “romance,” bullying, Islamophobia, neglect, grief, family drama, violent crime, magic, but for me at the heart, once that all falls away and I sit thinking back, a week later on what I recall, it really is Muslim female strength and empowerment.

FLAGS:

Death, loss, bullying, Islamophobia, abandonment, violence, manipulation, grief, loss, boy girl friendship, threat of sexual assault, threat of violence, unwanted touch, vandalism, graffiti, systemic failure, racism, stereotypes.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would love to do this as a book club read with high schoolers. Let’s make this happen!!!

Feb14

Huda F Wants to Know? by Huda Fahmy

Posted on by
Standard
Huda F Wants to Know? by Huda Fahmy

Huda Fahmy books always make me laugh, but this is the first one that made me cry. Centering mental health and her parents divorce, we see Huda grappling with change, loss, anger, and resolve in a raw vulnerable way. While ever hopeful, and at times comical, the book is also incredibly moving and insightful.  Whether as part of the Huda F series or her two graphic novels prior, her autobiographic books always tackle heavy topics in a joyful, hilarious, honest way that appeal to girls and boys from middle school and up.  I know at 263 pages, this book is a YA read, but in my house my kids (daughter and sons) have loved reading her perspective about hijab, arranged marriages, identity, and sibling relationships. The unapologetic Muslim authenticity is unparalleled, and that non Muslims champion her books as well, truly shows the value of good story telling, and gives me hope in an often bleak world. Huda’s books are staples: new books are anxiously awaited, previous books are regularly reread, and Huda F Wants to Know? continues in that tradition.  This book isn’t just fun, it is important- it normalizes mental health, empowers families shaken up by change, and makes us all feel seen and less alone. SubhanAllah.

The book starts with Huda’s plan for her junior year in high school, her friend Nabz and her are determined to buckle down and get scholarships.  When Huda’s parents call a family meeting, she thinks she just might be getting a car, but instead she and her sisters learn, their parents are getting a divorce. The book then rewinds to show a little lead up before Huda’s world shatters, and junior year’s blue print is tossed aside.  We see her going to the masjid for weekly halaqas where Sr Amal discusses topics like societal pressures, family expectations, gender bias in education, and other relevant topics.  At one such gathering, Dr Haifa came to talk about mental health.  We also see her crushing on a boy at school, fighting with her mom and sisters, and the girls going on a road trip to a Muslim convention.

Every storyline, every twist, every page really, has Islam woven in.  It is the way the characters see themselves, see their world, handle stresses, find peace.  Mental health is not separate from the hadith and sunnah, it is blended and approached in a holistic manner.  Divorce is understood Islamically, and the clarity in which it is articulated will, I imagine, be so reassuring for Muslims who have gone through it, and seen others go through it.  Just as my boys years ago read That Can Be Arranged, and became incredibly curious about marriage in Islam, I have no doubt that this book, will also be a powerful conversation starter for so many.  I don’t know if that is part of why Huda write, but it definitely is a result of her books.  I wish I could ask her, I’d also want to know how she decides what to share of her own life, where the line of reality and fiction for her is and how she sets and maintains those boundaries? I also desperately would like to ask her if she plans to write forever, because the world benefits from her books, needs her books, I know I do.  No pressure or anything.

 There are resources for mental health at the back of the book, some even specifically for Muslims. Please preorder this book and/or request it at your local public library as a show of support, it releases in April.

Jan4

MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes from a Past Life by Ali Mohammad Rizwan

Posted on by
Standard
MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes from a Past Life by Ali Mohammad Rizwan

img_8377-1

This 350 page YA book (14/15+) does not hit the ground running, but once it finds its stride, it is a lot of fun.  I handed the book to my son, who loves Islamic fiction, and at 30 pages he brought it back saying it was terrible. I upped the ante and bribed him with goalie gear to read to 100 pages, but he couldn’t stop, he finished the book, and returned the favor by encouraging me to move it to the top of my TBR pile.  Like him, I truly wanted to dnf it early on. There are too many names, too many line edit errors (mistakes, repetitive phrases, adverbs), and a little too many forced cheesy (halal) romance scenes. And then the writing gets a little better, the plot strengthens, the Islam is more than just the character’s religion, but something that actively engage with, humor is woven in, twists develop, emotional threads are pulled, and you find yourself absorbed and invested in the story.  The writing at the end unravels as well, it feels  forced, much like the beginning, but perhaps that is the vigilante/superhero genre’s norm to get readers to pick up the next book in the series for answers and clarity. I’m glad the book was nominated for the Muslim Book Awards, I may not have heard about it otherwise, and I love that my son, who is currently re-reading it, found a book that is relevant, appealing, and has an Islamic heart.  Think a mix of Batman and Green Arrow, with a splash of Ironman all wrapped up in a thobe, and being advised by his mother and the local imam to go pray.

SYNOPSIS:

Life is going pretty well for Kashif Razvi, he is about to marry his longtime crush, with both families’ blessings and excitement, he is busy at work but enjoys it, and he hangs out in his free time with his tech friend Samir, developing robotic and cutting edge devices, but then everything falls apart.  When his father dies because of a mysterious power outage in the ICU, Kashif can’t let it go, and starts looking for answers.  He comes up empty following the legal, traditional routes and decides to take matters into his own hands.  He throws on a suit designed by Samir and takes to the streets as MetalGhost, becoming the city’s new hope.  He follows leads to avenge his loss, uncovers corrupt police, cracks down on human trafficking, and seeks to set right other ails of the city.  No matter the crime, a few names always seem to be in the mix, and as the city starts to fall apart, copycat vigilantes start popping up, and MetalGhost finds it won’t be as easy as he thought to hang up his thobe and leave his crime fighting life behind.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Everyone wants a Muslim super hero, but usually they come across as overly juvenile, or their faith and culture performative. This book finds a nice balance of action, contemporary relevance and Islam. The structure feels formulaic, but it works as it seems to track with superhero movies.  You get the emotional tragedy, then the plot, then the resolution. The middle of the story flows and draws in seerah, sahaba inspiration, humor, and action.  The beginning and the end, though are just really stilted.  I’m not going to spoil anything, but the end was not as strong as it should have been, the reveals and twists were not articulated well and they should have been, they were so shocking.  The numerous names and characters at the beginning really need to be edited and simplified, they linger in the middle, but honestly the reader stops caring and just reads for the plot, hoping that it will get sorted.

FLAGS:

I love that the relationship beats are halal, there are a few tinges that might lean into the line, but are gray at most.  There is killing, death, torture, human trafficking, crime, lying, vigilantism.  For teens it is fine.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

My son and I have chatted about the book, but I think to take to a larger group, I really would want it to have another round of edits.  The idea of the story is wonderful, and to read by yourself I think it excels at what it is.  But to have teens, sitting around picking it apart to discuss and reflect on, will need the writing to be cleaner and stronger.

Dec25

The Thread that Connects Us by Ayaan Mohamud

Posted on by
Standard
The Thread that Connects Us by Ayaan Mohamud

 

At just over 400 pages this book expertly blends the stresses of school, bullies, and friends in the UK with the twists and secrets of broken families, shattered hearts, and a past that needs to be reckoned with.  Told in dual perspectives from girls thrown together by the actions of their parents, Safiya and Halima maintain distinct voices that are rich with Somali culture, Islam, vulnerability, and ultimately love and hope.  The book is YA, but the premise is a bit mature and is better suited to older teens in my opinion, I think a high school book club would be wise to consider this book, as once you start reading, it is difficult to put the book down. 

SYNOPSIS:

Safiya is mature beyond her years.  Since her father abandoned her and her mother five years prior, she has managed the bills, the upkeep of the home, and for the most part her grades. Hooyo checked out and is rarely more than a silent being curled up unable to care for herself, much less her daughter.  With the the help from the community, particularly her best friends and neighbors Muna and Yusuf, Safiya has a found family that helps her weather the tough times.  When her dad moves back to London with his new family from Somalia, Safiya is forced to deal with not only all the painful memories of her past, but also the very real presence of her family living in her neighborhood, showing up to Eid prayers, and taking over the safe haven that school has often served as when home life has been so cold and lonely.

Halima’s father died when she was young, and life with her Hooyo in Mogadishu was good until her mother remarried, Safiya’s dad.  Her two younger half brothers that came further added to the rift between her and her mother, and now that they are moving to England with the husband, despite her protests, has her plotting a way to return to her home.  The language, the culture, the weather, are all added stresses to finding her way, and are compounded when she gets paired up to have Safiya show her around and help translate for her in school.  

The two girls hate each other, at least they have that in common, but their inability to avoid each other forces them to interact more than either wish to do.  As questions, and secrets are voiced, the two girls realize that they might have to work together to get what they want, and figure out their past.

WHY I LIKE IT:
I really enjoyed the owning of the characters’ language and culture and faith and how easy it was to be invested in their world.  Nothing pulls you out of the story, it is rich and lush and the reader can figure out why even though there is a crush, nothing is going to happen, and why they are wearing hijabs, and waking up to pray fajr, the balance is both inviting and educating, without the reader even realize it is happening, because hello, we are to busy trying to figure out what these two girls’ parents have done. 

The story has layers, and the emotional attachment I feel to both these girls, made me glad the story was over, they deserve some peace, but also desperate to know that they are going to be ok in the future too.  I can’t say too much without the risk of spoiling, but the writing is strong, the plot solid, the details intentional and relatable, and the characters very real.

FLAGS:

Lying, bullying, fighting, assault, crush, drug use, arrest, accusation, gossip, abandonment, relationships, edibles, affairs.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
This would be such a great upper high school read, the way the story unfolds will keep readers hooked from the first page and motivate those that start, to finish.  Students will see themselves in the characters, and be sleuths themselves trying to uncover what secrets are true and how do the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

 

Sep8

Fledgling: The Keepers Records of Revelation by S.K. Ali

Posted on by
Standard
Fledgling: The Keepers Records of Revelation by S.K. Ali

fledgling

 

This 544 page science fiction dystopian fantasy is in my humble opinion S.K. Ali’s best work, and that is saying something.  A lot actually, especially considering I am a Muslim book reviewer and there is no Islam featured in the book. As my author friend Shifa Safadi articulately put it, “it is Muslim coded,” a much more succinct term to describe my rambling thoughts of how Islam seems to be just below the surface, never breaking through, but making the book seem OWN voice and authentic. The book is for ages 14 and up and stays fairly clean, allowing for complete immersion in to the story, the world, the future, and the characters’ lives, without any fear that something drastically detailed and haram, would suddenly appear and pull me out of the flow of the story.  There is a bride market where women can be bought and mention of lovers being taken, but it isn’t normalized, it is for a purpose, and the acts are not detailed.  From start to finish this book is a gift to readers.  The writing quality is superb. The book is told from nine (?) points of view,  and I never once felt the need to flip back to see who was speaking, as each voice is clear and unique. The twists, the heartache, the triumph is all palpable and griping.  The mix of genres works because the characters have multitudes and incredible storytelling made the lengthy book, not nearly long enough. I can’t wait for the second part of the duology, from the Underground to Upper Earth, the world was not one I left willingly, and I look forward to returning for the conclusion.

SYNOPSIS:

I really am not sure how to summarize the book without giving much away, I’m actually surprised myself that I’m writing a full review for a book by a Muslim author with no Islam present, so here we are.  As with all S.K. Ali books, this book starts with a possible “romantic” relationship, in this case though, it is an arranged couple meeting, and it isn’t going well.  But where comedy and faith might normally then enter the story, this book, veers from her norm, drastically.  Set in a dystopian future where scalplinks and mind control allow the “enlightened” to live a vastly different life than those on Lower Earth who’s resources have been plundered, the union is to be between Raisa, of Upper Earth, and Lein the crown prince of Lower Earth as an attempt at achieving peace.  Politics, greed, loyalties, love, all add in to the mix of a rebellion and the hope that comes from the Fledgling.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book starts with a character list which is an incredible tool for readers as the first half of the book is forced to simultaneously balances character development, world building, and plot progression with a lot of moving parts. The style of memory records, announcements, current events, flashbacks, and changing povs keep the book’s pacing moving, but it really took about until the midpoint for me to be unable to put the book down. What at times early on could be perceived as cumbersome, became truly what makes the book stand out.  To see each character through their own eyes, through their own lived experiences, and to see their thoughts and feelings grow and change, really pulls you in and brings the humanity to life in a book that could have become more plot than character. It also emotionally ties you to the characters and the twists and revelations and loss, hurt a little more than I would have expected as days later I am unable to stop my head from returning to parts of the story that still have a hold on me.

FLAGS:

Death, torture, abuse, killing, murder, hunting, manipulation, lying, a love scene between a coded married couple, oppression, colonization, bride markets, misogyny, cheating, it is YA dystopian, fantasy, sci fi, romance, adventure, so there is some grit at times, but not for sensational vulgarity, it is always for a point and not taken lightly.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This book would be incredible to read in a high school class: Islamic school, home school, public school, private school, you name it.  There is so much to discuss about colonization, oppression, rebellions, politics, and yet none of it comes at the expense of good story telling.  I would love to hear students discuss their favorite characters, opine on their motivations, and argue right vs wrong with citings from the text.  No two people would feel the same, I would almost guarantee it.

Apr15

My Big Fat Desi Wedding by Prerna Pickett, Aamna Qureshi, Syed M. Masood, Tashie Bhuiyan, Noreen Mughees, Payal Doshi, Sarah Mughal Rana, Anahita Karthik

Posted on by
Standard
My Big Fat Desi Wedding by Prerna Pickett, Aamna Qureshi, Syed M. Masood, Tashie Bhuiyan, Noreen Mughees, Payal Doshi, Sarah Mughal Rana, Anahita Karthik

EDIT: I have been made aware that some/many of the included authors in this anthology have chosen to stay silent or “both side” the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Please be aware and be intentional and informed with your support

This 288 page YA short story anthology features eight stories of Desi weddings threaded together by an auntie with a bob haircut and a mole on her lip that appears and disappears into stories with magical realism, Tamil Brahman vampires, competing food dynasties, high school debate rivals, gorgeous clothes, delicious food, and sparks of romance.  Usually collections are hit or miss with writing quality and interest, but I found this collection enjoyable from start to finish.  My only real critique is that of the YA label and as a result some stories read more juvenile and at least one a bit more mature.  As a whole, the book, particularly for the genre, is fairly clean.  It is YA, it is romance, there are a lot of Muslim characters, with five of the authors being Muslim, but I would not classify any of the relationships or stories as halal.  That being said, I think mature teens 16 and up won’t find anything too alarming in the pages. There is music and dancing, close male female friends, secret relationships, a few kisses, some dances and hand holds, and a few that mention sex, condoms, and LGBTQ+ possibilities in passing, but most focus on weddings, culture, parental relationships, strong women, caste ideology, and hinting at happy every afters.  Many of the stories are simply set during a wedding or wedding prep, others are the bride or groom themselves, I don’t have a favorite or even a least favorite, as each has its own flavor, writing style, and focus.

SYNOPSIS:

Framed from an Auntie embarking on the wedding season, the short stories begin and follow one after another until the Auntie returns to conclude the book.

The Disaster Wedding by Prerna Pickett:  In a family where the words the females speak can come to fruition, an erroneous slip, claiming that her sister’s wedding will be a disaster brings on the challenges for the enemies to lovers side characters trying to not upset the marital couples multicultural Indian/American dream wedding.

A Cynic at a Shaadi by Aamna Qureshi follows a young Muslim girl nursing her broken heart from a recent breakup with her secret boyfriend.  Set during her cousins wedding, an upbeat optimistic boy makes her smile and gives her heart hope.

Sehra by Syed Masood involves a Muslim marrying a non Muslim girl that has the family refusing to attend.  The groom-to-be’s brother is torn and wants to attend, but he never goes against his parents.  His best friend who has grown up with the family and is facing her own community othering because of her “Mickey Mouse” hijab style, is planning to go, and together the two friends help wrap the groom’s turban.

Fates Favorites by Tashie Bhuiyan features magical realism with the words of soul mates appearing on skin.  The words appear and disappear sometimes unseen and possibly even as a result of one’s subconscious, thus the couples don’t always find one another, but when they do, the relationships can be magical.

The Wedding Biryani by Noreen Mughees is possibly the most religious of the short stories with high school debate rivals finding themselves cooking at the masjid for a couple that doesn’t have a family to celebrate the marriage.  Themes of losing a parent to death and simply leaving are present, as well as some internal reflection of boundaries, Allah swt, and body image.  The conclusion is the teens meeting up to dance.

A Confluence of Fates felt like the longest short story, and while many Zoroastrians it notes did come to India, the story focuses on Iranian Zoroastrian culture.  It is almost a story within a story as a couple gets a second chance at their relationship with the backdrop of a marriage play during the wedding unfolding in the background.

A Wedding Recipe for Disaster by Sarah Mughal Rana has competing family businesses: one Punjabi and the other of Pashtun culture, coming to a head when the offspring of the rival companies decide at the girl’s wedding to someone else, that they should be together.  With vibes of a Romeo and Juliet style family feud, the happy ending has readers craving achar and contemplating racism within the community.

And finally, A Very Bloody Kalyanam By Anahita Karthik goes gothic with a Tamil Brahmin vampire wedding occurring when offspring from two enemy cults imprint on each other.  This story is more mature with talk of sex, but has an emotional forgiving between the bride and her parents that makes the vampires lovable.

FLAGS:

It focuses on romance, and none of the stories are “halal.”  Music, relationships, boy girl friendships, Talk of sex, hints at LGBTQ+ identities, mention of condoms, vampires, magic, magical realism.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Probably not a book to seek out for an Islamic school shelf, high school can probably handle it and understand it is not halal.

Mar16

Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy

Posted on by
Standard
Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy

Woah baby, that was a wildly fantastic ride of a read.  The very first page grabs you and makes you sit up and pay attention.  I have never been so happy to sit in a waiting room so that I could read in peace.  This 387 page book is mature YA, I was gifted the knowledge prior to reading that there is a line that is toed, possibly stepped on, but not carelessly crossed, so I will gift that knowledge on to you, so that you might enjoy the story without that anxiety. Told from numerous perspectives, a group of Muslim teens find themselves arrested for an act of terror.  Strangers from different schools, different backgrounds, and different dreams for their future, are fiction, but their stories, their secrets, the broken system that they find themselves in, all feels very real.  The plausibility and commentary from an OWN Muslim author is incredible, I do wish their was more spiritual centering, Islamic framing, or even a more Muslim conscience present. Some of the characters do discuss hijab and one does find solace in prayer, but none of them really pour their heart out to Allah swt in the isolation of their cells, and in the predicament they are placed in, and it seems like they would.  Ultimately though the writing is remarkable, it has been a long time since I was truly tempted to skip ahead and read the last few pages because my heart was racing.  There is just one storyline thread that is so overly emphasized that comes close to a haram line, that I wish was a little down played so that I, as an Islamic school librarian, could encourage younger teens to pick up the book and dive in.

SYNOPSIS:
It is the fourth of July, and the MSA kids from the local different high schools are gathering at the beach for bonfires, fireworks, and socializing.  Everyone present will witness a crime, six teens though will be accused of committing it.  Qays, the Palestinian golden soccer boy who can charm everyone and anyone.  Nasreen, the outcast from a private Catholic school there to meet someone.  Samia the hijab wearing social media star. Muzhda the Afghan refugee with undocumented parents.  Zamzam the girl with a singular dream to be a doctor, and Abdullahi, the quiet EMT in training.  Six strangers whose histories and alibies link them to the outside world, but leave them skeptical of one another as they face charges in a world not concerned with the truth.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the characters are Muslim and feel so real and developed. The characters are not tropes or their families stereotypical.  They know what Islamophobia faces them from others, they know what internalized issues they are dealing with, and they are not having a religious identity crises amidst everything else they are experiencing.  The writing allows each voice to be unique and clear, which is quite impressive as there are a lot of perspectives that move the plot along.  It is really hard to write a review that doesn’t spoil the book, so yes I’m being vague, and you are welcome.

FLAGS:

There are a lot of profanities not just when the stakes are high, but normalized as well throughout.  There are close relationships between boys and girls.  They take about dating.  There is weed, and the legalities of using, being in possession, and being high.  There is lying, death, incarceration, Islamophobia, some physical abuse mentioned.  There is a story line of a girl that doesn’t know if she is attracted to girls, she doesn’t act on it, but it is something that has tangled up her alibi and she choses not to explore it, but it keeps coming back up.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would be an awesome mature YA book club, just like some of the characters are being held in juvie and some being tried as adults, I think for Muslim readers a little older will benefit and be able to process, discuss, and see themselves in the book.  The book mentions that it could happen to anyone, and for a Muslim audience, to recognize and discuss that concept would be beneficial and engaging.

Feb1

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

Posted on by
Standard
Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

This young adult book is an intense raw unflinching read, containing  incarceration, assault, politics, Islamophobia, immigrant pressure, and loss throughout the 384 pages that mix poetry and traditional writing.  At times the book is incredibly hard to put down as the commentary on two party politics and Muslims in America is articulated in a way that transcends the fictional constrains and affirms reality.  But unfortunately, it took me a long time to complete the book, because when I did put it down, I didn’t feel that relentless urge to pick it up and see what happens next.  I had been alerted to the fact that there were elements of magical realism, but even with that knowledge, I still felt it misplaced, and truthfully, unnecessary.  The pacing was inconsistent, and many points unnecessarily forced.  It often felt the author was simply trying too hard to tell the story and make sure the reader got all the messages intended.  As a result many characters are flat, many plot holes exist, and the reader is left wishing things were done just a little bit different to make the book what it could have been, not what it is.  I know it is a debut, so I’m not going to be overly detailed in my harshness, I am fairly positive I will read anything this author writes down the road, I took pictures and shared passages that I loved on my socials.  The book is good, it just really could have been great.

SYNOPSIS:

Nida is a poet, her uncle is a poet, and her uncle is in prison.  When Nida is frisked, her hijab removed by a political candidate’s team as she makes salat in a public park, Nida is forced to find her words, her voice, and her place in an unkind Islamophobic world.  High school friendships, immigrant Muslim community pressures and idiosyncrasies persist for Nida as she navigates media manipulation, injustice, slander, and political talking points.  Life was already complicated with her father’s departure, her maternal uncle’s wrongful incarceration, and the goats that her mother brings home to sacrifice, but with the support of the Poet’s Block, her Muslim community, family, and the thread tied to her family through generations, she will find she isn’t alone, and she has support, she just has to take a stand.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love how much mirrors contemporary reality, the MIST competition, the politics, the media, the dirtiness of it all. I also like that it has a fair amount of humor, the Islamic accuracy, friends getting called out for boys and girls texting each other.  Overall though, it just felt so forced. I think some subtly and nuance and undercurrents would have given the reader the ability to connect the dots for themselves, so the book would have lingered and taken up space long after the last page was read.  It is hard to write a book about how great a writer is, how powerful poems are, so at times it really felt spoon fed that this is powerful, here read it, see it was powerful.  Additionally, I think when the author did try for subtlety, it just came across as lacking.  I still don’t fully understand any of the side characters, their relationships, or their purpose.  From the betrayal of a school friend, to the new friend from MIST, to the little brother, to the friend and his uncle who is imprisoned, there ultimately lacked a lot of emotional heart for minor characters, who remained stagnant, while passionately emphasizing issues at their expense.

The OWN voice Islamic rep is so spot on even if the evil eye passages seemed amplified and repetitive. Islam is centered, it is unapologetic, it is the characters identity, comfort, and soul.   Only one point really stood out as erroneous, but I read a digital ARC so it could have been fixed or it could have been a spacing issue since it was in a poem, but it has sajood in janazah, and I’m really hoping the final book will not have it wrong, as there is no sajood in janazah.

FLAGS:

Assault, frisking, incarceration, death, profanity (not a lot, damn, hell, shit), Islamophobia, racism, systemic abuse, lying, talk of terrorism, stereotypes, gaslighting.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I’m on the fence about using this book for a book club read.  I love the Pakistani culture, the Islam, the contemporary relevance, and the political commentary.  I think it would have actually more success in a guided or required reading situation with teens than it would as a pleasure read.  Undoubtedly I will order a copy to put on my library shelf, but I might test it out a bit on a few readers to see how their thoughts before I present it as a book club selection or not.