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!!!
This 282 page OWN voice middle grade book weaves together two points of view that shed light on the recent events in Syria and life as a Syrian American without self-othering or over-explaining. The characters are Muslim and while yes, I wish there was more Islam woven in, when it did present itself in more than just a passing “inshaAllah” or “ya rab” it was heartfelt and sincere. The book has a few plot holes, a plethora of underdeveloped characters, and the religion and cultural components take a backseat to the tropey MG themes of finding your voice, friendships, crushes, fitting in, and having hope. Despite my critiques though, I still found the book focused around graffiti and spirit squad, engaging and hard to put down. The pacing makes for an easy read, and while the adult reviewer in me wishes there was more depth, insight, consequences, and Islamic references, I definitely appreciated the emotion and framing of this story. The book does contain a lot of lying, crushes, sneaking out, “vandalism,” breaking laws, and mentions bombings, disappearing, and fear. The connection though of what has been left behind and experienced in Syria is moving, and I’m glad that a book so relatable to western kids is widely available to be shared with them.
SYNOPSIS:
The chapters alternate between Kareem and his cousin Samira, aka Sam. At the beginning of the book Kareem is in Syria, spending time with his friends graffitiing in protest of Bashar al-Assad and in support of the boys from Dara’a. They are covering their tracks, sneaking out to join rallies and finding their strength in their art, common goals, and the change that is taking over the country. Unfortunately, his parents don’t see it that way and decide he needs to be sent to live with his uncle’s family in Massachusetts for his own safety.
Sam is Kareem’s cousin, she is great at reciting Quran, she has a best friend Eleanor who lives across the street, and is an amazing artist. She sees people as fonts, and dreams of being a part of the school spirit squad. Her only real problem is Cat, a girl that has bullied her for years and spread rumors about her in the past. It is never quite articulated what was done and how bad it was, but the fact that Cat is the head of spirit squad, the daughter of influential parents, and the twin sister of Sam’s crush Dylan, has Sam trying desperately to fit in.
When Kareem arrives, he is not happy to be in America. He calls Sam out for her inability to speak up and with Sam and her bff Ellie on the outs, Sam heads off to her new friends that have allowed her into spirit squad, and Kareem and Ellie start sharing their art around town.
Kareem’s character arc is more subtle, but Sam/Samira, finds herself with the help of her cousin as she channels the yearning of Syrians to set her free in America.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that it is Syrian American OWN voice MG, the news cycle has moved on, but stories are so critical to reminding the privileged outsiders what has occurred and continues to endure, so just that this book exists, is a positive for me. I like that the code switching of being Samira and speaking Arabic at home is so clearly contrasted with Sam at school. I struggle with the idea of dating not being a religious, but rather a cultural no-no, and her being so obsessed in the beginning with Dylan and then Amari is a bit of flag. By the end they feel like friends, but it is definitely a big part of the first half of the book that could have used some context, same with when she goes out in a tank top. I wish there was a Muslim conscience that enters the story, to see Sam grappling with who she is from a faith perspective would have been nice.
I love that Kareem comes to America and starts school, it doesn’t have him being meek, or struggling to transition, it really is empowering that he breaks that stereotype just by allowing him to be seen from the very first day as strong and fully fleshed out. Yes, in real life and in some books the adjustment is a plot point, but in this book it is not, and the author seems to not indulge in it deliberately.
I struggled with a few plot holes. I get that Kareem was frustrated and wanted to educate and be heard, and when Sam can’t stick up for herself and he calls her out, they are both annoyed, but to go from that to graffitiing is a big step. A few instances of maybe trying to talk about Syria being shut down by teachers, or friends, would have made it a more logical leap. I worry a little that there wasn’t enough hand holding regarding graffiti as a whole seeing as it is an MG book. I understand it is expression and art, but there is some element of vandalism to it as well, and because it didn’t connect the dots that street art was the only way to be heard, I bring it up for awareness.
I needed closure on Cat, I didn’t like that we didn’t know more specifics about her torment or her thoughts at the end. I know the story is not about her, but she was important for much of the story and to have her fade seemed a little short sighted. I liked Ellie, but her wanting to sticker everything seemed in contradiction to her environmental activism. Sam’s parents are barely a blip on the radar, and even some details about the supporting cast, really would have made the story that much better.
FLAGS:
Crushes, immodest clothing, lying, sneaking out, boy/girl friendships, boy/girl hugging, vandalism, breaking the law. Hearing about bombings, being taken away by the police, death.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I don’t think I would use this for book club, but I would have it on the library and classroom shelf.
Islamic School Librarian 