I had preordered this book, but there was a delay, so I purchased the audio book and started there. When the book was delivered, I switched to it and admittedly got a bit stuck. I didn’t recall the details of book 1, Fledgling, and was struggling with the six or seven alternating points of view, alhumdulillah, a massive road trip had me returning to the audio book (which has different voices for each pov), and the rest as they say, was history. I was sucked in, caught up, and truly invested in the heist, the characters, the fate of the world, and how it would all come together, or not, in the 514 pages of this concluding book of the YA duology. The best part for me was the coded Islam sprinkled in, like squeal worthy inclusions of doing right by the One, multiple Ahraar principals such as how to treat prisoners, saving a person is like saving humanity, and the “fictional” political dynamics mirroring those here in our reality are truly chef’s kiss. The book juggles a lot of characters, plots, science-y details and while I won’t win an argument with seasoned sci fi dystopian readers, from my perspective, I was satisfied that character arcs, relationships, reveals, and logic were all accounted for by the last page, and my heart felt content with the outcome, those that survived, those that were lost, and the fate of the Aerd moving forward.
I don’t normally write up reviews for second books in series, add in that I would not want to spoil the fates of Raisa, Nayf, Musaid, Devon, Eyas, Khalda, Lein, Kizuwanda, Salwe, Hasuf, Jansu, Dr A, One-One-Eight, and Aeon, and this is all you are going to get out of me. For those still considering if they should read the book: if you cannot recall book one, I think by the midpoint of this it will come back, and if you are struggling with keeping everyone straight while reading, I would highly recommend the audio version. There is some romance, and death and destruction, nothing high school and up will find jarring, and while I hope everyone will read the series, I particularly hope Muslims will support the book, the author, and the political and societal commentary threaded through action story at hand.
The third and final book in the standalone series is finally out and I absolutely love that Islam, salat, and the masjid are front and center. Faizah is once again brought to life through the incredible illustrations that provide all the emotional beats and make the book memorable. The story though is only just ok, to be honest, it is clunky and disjointed. I have read the book a half a dozen times to myself and twice aloud and I do not understand the Eid story line. I doesn’t fit the themes of fitting in, being a leader, being bold, it just seemed to be there to motivate a white hijab being purchased, and it was very distracting to the cadence and continuity of the story. Every time Faizah is self reflecting on her fear, suddenly a conversation about Eid with a friend named Sophie disrupts the story. Even the refrain that “Bravery grows in your mind. But its roots are in your heart,” sounds lovely, but is never explained or developed, so what are you to water it with? What are the right reasons? I’m sure most will be fine with the concepts and presentation and not be bothered, but this book is an auto buy for Muslims and non Muslims alike, and while I appreciate the packaging, I wish the story itself was more, well “Bold.”
The book starts with Faizah going to Jummah with her mom and sister, and loving being part of the crowd, she then goes to fencing and loves being part of the crowd, “it feels right. I feel right,” she says. But then the coach calls her name and she starts to worry. She doesn’t like when people stare at her, she worries she did something wrong. The coach has already reminded her to “saber first, then move forward,” so I’m not sure why she worries after if she did something wrong, it is a class, reminders and corrections are what happen in a class.
Then on Sunday, the trio is back at the masjid for salat before Asiya’s fencing lesson. The coach asks Faizah if she wants to come in for extra practice before the tournament. Faizah isn’t planning on participating in the tournament though and would rather think about Eid. Thinking about getting together in the future with Sophie to pick out Eid clothes, is more fun than fencing. The reader doesn’t know when Eid is, or why Faizah seemed to break into a day dream when asked about fencing. Furthermore the reader doesn’t feel the worry of being in a competition because Faizah is not shown to be worried.
Later that night Asiya teaches Faizah the moves she learned and Faizah practices alone. There is then a two page spread that I do not understand, on one page she is saying, “When no one is watching, I ‘m the best fencer in the world,” three lines later it says Even when others are watching, I can do it. I can be the best.” What happened in between? I get the following line, “but it’s hard to be my best when I have to stand out to do it,” but the the line in the middle makes no sense. What is the point of the book if she can do it and knows it at the mid point? And no, I’m not reading an arc, I checked out this copy from the library.
The family is back at the masjid on Friday and reassuring Faizah as they head to fencing, that she can do it even when people are watching, that bravery will come. She hasn’t been nervous at class before, and hasn’t signed up for the tournament, so why is she suddenly uncomfortable, when at the start she loved fencing class as she felt she fit in.
Then it is Saturday, and Sophie finally comes, but not to prepare for Eid, just to discuss, how they will prepare for Eid. At least now we know it will be next week. The next Friday, I know I feel like a calendar should have been included, it is fencing class again and Faizah is called up to demonstrate. She finds her strength and she is shy, but realizes they are not just looking at her, but looking at what she can do. She is leading, she is helping, she is being brave.
Finally it is Sunday, and Sophie and Faizah are at the hijab shop, and Faizah picks a white hijab because it matches the fencing clothes, and she is going to the tournament.
Yeah, sorry I spoiled it, I just really am sad that the book wasn’t as great as it could have been. It connected the dots eventually, but not in a memorable way, and for the team responsible for this book, it really could and should have been amazing.
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.
Over the years I’ve read to a lot of kids, with a lot of kids, discussed books in classrooms, and in book clubs, so when reviewing I often share what kids think or what I imagine kids will think, and I usually acknowledge when I’m being overly critical as a reviewer, but this book I will tell you, I did not read through the intended middle grade lens, I read it as a 42 year old seasoned reader. I know this because I cried during the entire second half, and the book is not sad. It is fast paced, joyful and adventure filled. I cried at the ownership of identity, the pureness of friendship, the acceptance of the flaws and strengths of those closest to us, the love of family and that this book is written by four incredible Muslim women authors for Muslim kids to be seen and for non Muslims to see Muslim kids in action in a fantastic, non preachy, authentic, powerful engaging story. In short I loved it. I love that the voices are different, but polished and seamless in conveying a fictional story with universal themes through a variety of Muslim characters without talking down or over explaining anything. From the maps to the crossover character Hanna from S.K. Ali books, the poetry from they young lyricist to the representation and discussions of Muslims not being a monolith, and the sprinkling of a Hadith or Quranic ayat here and there (I wish there was more), the book tugged at my heart strings. For kids third grade and up, some of those themes might resonate, or it might just be a book about a lost cat in an airport and a hodgepodge group of strangers, turning friends, stranded in an airport searching for her while dodging security and exasperated parents.
SYNOPSIS:
The end of the MONA (Muslims of North America) Conference has lots of families at the fictional Zora Neale Hurston heading home. Tired parents and restless kids lead Feek’s little sister Ruqi to go missing and Feek to blame. As he searches for his little sister he meets Hanna, a girl looking for a lost cat, not her lost cat, just one she has heard about from her animal activist group that is missing at the airport. As they search for Ruqi, Sami gets dragged along even though he’d rather be mentally keeping his anxiety in check as he prepares for the Karate competition he is heading to. Luckily Nora, Congresswoman Najjar’s daughter, finds Ruqi and the five strangers are brought together. When all flights are grounded because of weather, the group goes in search of the missing cat, Snickerdoodle, finding leads, security, secret corridors, self confidence, friendship, and skills along the way.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I knew the book would be good with the authors’ names on the cover and their ability to tell a good story, but I was still blown away by how real the characters were fleshed out and their “problems” articulated. The emotional connection to each character facing their insecurities and supporting one another’s’ vulnerabilities was reflective and insightful. I love the diverse inclusion of showing Muslims that don’t speak Arabic or don’t know if they are Muslim enough, of Black Muslims and Black culture, of being an only children and struggling with siblings, understanding parental expectation and finding your voice to speak up to those you love. The surface story is paced well and entertaining and sufficient, but the details and the story beneath the surface, really is powerful.
Again with the reviewer lens- I did wish in the middle there was a tiny bit more inclusion of a Bismillah when following a lead or an AstugfirAllah when breaking a rule or a quick prayer when running from authorities, the beginning and end was Islamically rooted, but as an Islamic School Librarian, I must admit I’d like a few more mentions during the “adventure” parts.
FLAGS:
The kids are dishonest, they break rules (possibly laws), they lie, and do some damage, they sneak and kind of talk back to their parents, nothing is normalized or accepted though and they are called to account. There is a birthday that is celebrated with everyone singing, and possible triggers of talking about a deceased parent. The kids are 12/13 and younger, and brought together by circumstance, but by the end the girls and boys have developed close friendships.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Even though the book is meant for middle grades, I think younger middle school readers would enjoy the book and find plenty to discuss as they see themselves and others in the characters, imagine what they would do in such a situation, and get swept up in the ride.
This heartwarming book centers kindness, family, and friendship in an inclusive way; and while the tagline says “A Story of Hijab and Friendship” I think the hijab angle is a bit of a stretch. The authors are Muslims that wear hijab, the older sister and older females in the family wear hijab, but there is nothing in the story or text that connect hijab to Islam or to something Muslim women wear as part of religion. I don’t want to compare the first book in the series, The Proudest Blue, to this book, but hijab really was centered in that book and the Author’s Note mentioned that hijab is an Islamic act. This book does not make those same connections, which is fine, I just want consumers to be aware. This book is beautiful and the messaging endearing, and the tone and heart over 40 pages ideal for preschool to early elementary children. It works as a standalone, but with the same characters and sisterly love, I think most people will enjoy keeping them together.
The book starts with Mama passing on Asiya’s dress to Faizah, that had been Mama’s even before that. It is picture day, and the girls are helping each other get ready. At school Faizah and her friend Sophie twirl in their pretty dresses before heading in to class to discuss what kind of world they want.
Faizah wants a kind world, where there’s always a friend nearby, where everyone helps. At recess, Sophie and Faizah combine their visions, superheroes and kindness, to help other kids on the playground. When picture time arrives the class is full of smiles, but when it is time for sibling pictures, Faiza and Asiya realize they don’t match.
Faizah is sad, and Sophie notices, can the kindness be passed along like the dress to help the sisters? To make Faizah happy too? I’m not going to give away the conclusion, but it is sweet and idyllic and shows how lovely the world can be if we all just share some kindness.
I love the illustrations and the hijab wearing super hero that presumably Sophie drew is powerful. I think the book does wonders to normalize hijab, even if I do wish it articulated why one would wear hijab. It seems that the industry trend is to keep hijab superficial and I recognize I am in the minority that wants religious centering for religious tenants. So yes, I’m fully prepared for the backlash when people want to point out that it is joyful and that I’m a naysayer, but I deal with people on a daily basis that do not know that my own hijab is a reflection of me being Muslim. With as connected as the world is through technology, I think those in diverse environments take for granted the understanding of basic Islamic principals in the general population. However, not everyone has those real life connections and rely on books and media to fill the gaps, so when books about hijab, don’t actually connect hijab to faith, I feel obligated to point it out.
I purchased (preordered) my copy here, but I hope you will support small business and order yours here use code ISL for 10% off.
This book is a game changer, or better yet: an industry changer. It is about Muslims, for Muslims, by a Muslim- but it is MAINSTREAM and a huge panoramic window for anyone and everyone to see a “halal” fictional Muslim love story in action. With every page proudly mirroring various Muslim experiences this sequel-ish standalone-ish book is unapologetically real, without compromising good storytelling, interesting characters, and engaging plot points. In much the same way Reem Faruqi’s Golden Girl raised the bar for upper MG/lower YA, this book shows that upper YA Muslamic stories can be told. That the publishing world isn’t always limiting OWN voices, and that it is up to us, the consumers, to purchase these particular books, pre-order them when announced and spread the word so that the message is loud and clear that we want more books like this. I have no doubt S.K. Ali had to fight for her vision and advocate for her book at every turn, but now that it is here, we need to step up and show support with our purchasing power. I’ve pre-ordered mine, and I hope you will do the same before the book releases on October 18, 2022, if you cannot, please purchase it when you can, and if that is not an option please request your libraries to shelve the book (and all of her books) and put them on hold so that the gate further opens for mainstream Islamic fiction.
Adam and Zayneb are back after falling in love in Love from A to Z and getting their nikkah done. They aren’t living together yet, though, and they are worlds apart with Adam jobless in Doha, and Zayneb homeless in Chicago. When communication breaks down, exes show up, and a trip to Umrah is underway with the couple divided into gender segregated groups, the couple might fall apart in the same fashion that brought them together in the first place. The steps of Umrah are beautifully highlighted and experienced, and characters from Misfits and A-Z come back to tie it all together and help the couple, keeping hope alive. Throw in some marvels and oddities, artifacts and interpretive labels, a unifying cat, and a whole lot of love, and you have a sweet conclusion to a Muslamic love story.
WHY I LIKE IT:
So, I obviously love the standard of unapologetic Islam that this book offers on every page while still being accessible to the larger audience. It took a little bit for me to be sucked in to the 352 page story, but by page 100 or so, I couldn’t put it down. The steps of Umrah brought tears to my eyes and the awesome Sausun is fierce feminist friendship goals. I honestly didn’t love the cat narrative that frames the story, but luckily it is sparse so I could see past it. I love that this book exists, I think I love the Misfit based duology a tiny bit more, but loved that this book had crossover characters and gave many of them a final bow of sorts as well. I read the book in two days and will probably re-read it when I receive my physical copy. It really is remarkable how much Islam is present in a fictionalized story: not a oppressed Muslim story, or biographical memoir, or refugee story, but in a solid fiction story. There is no “othering,” this is us, and this a love story about a Muslim couple trying to make it work with outside support and stresses, and beautiful writing. Alhumdulillah, very well done.
FLAGS:
I’d encourage mature, older YA because the characters are married and sexually active and while it isn’t graphic or depicted it is often just the words mentioning them kissing, and sleeping together and sexting. Nothing titillating or anywhere near inappropriate, but I think a bit of maturity would help it better reflect the values of Islamic marriages and relationships. There is some minor language and hate speech.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would absolutely use the book for high school book club if it is mostly juniors and seniors. I think it gives a good look at what a relationship can look like; the characters’ religious lens and lives will resonate with Islamic school students.
Occasionally I get asked about short story and/or essay from a collection that a college or high school student is hoping to share with a class that doesn’t take long to read, but shows Islamic representation. And I never have a suggestion. The middle grade collection Once Upon an Eid is amazing, but for younger readers. When I learned about this collection that features two known Muslim authors, Karuna Riazi (The Gauntlet series) and S.K. Ali (Saints and Misfits, Love from A to Z), and involves food, I thought to take a look and see if I might finally have a suggestion. Sadly, no. None of the 13 stories wowed me, or really impressed. A few I started then skipped, and none were really memorable. The premise is unique: all the stories take place in the same neighborhood, feature food, and crossover characters, but some are love stories, others redemption, some have super heroes, others murder and gang violence, some really keep the food central, and others just mention it as being present. There is familial love, romantic straight, lesbian, and trans love, there is friendship and food from many cultures served up to varying effects. I admittedly read few short story collections, but even with that taken in to consideration, I think skipping this 353 page YA/Teen book is probably the best option.
SYNOPSIS:
I’ll only summarize the two Muslim authored stories. A few of the others are culturally Indian, but they eat pork, so I’m assuming they are not Muslim, and the Persian one by Sara Farizan features alcohol and a lesbian romance, so since in a past book of hers I noted that I didn’t know if she or her characters identify as Muslim, I will skip reviewing hers as well.
Hearts a’ la Carte by Karuna Riazi: Munira works at her families food cart, King of Kuisine and serves up Egyptian food to the people on Hungry Heart Row. When a guy falls from the sky, she finds her self also falling hard for Hasan, as he regularly starts coming to eat and visit, but when it is revealed that he is a super hero (the Comet) and the reason her families cart is destroyed, Munira is not willing to pursue things further.
A Bountiful Film by S.K. Ali: Hania and her family have recently moved to Hungry Heart Row, where her father grew up and grandma Valimma lives. Irritated that she had to leave her school, her job at Daily Harvest and friends behind, Hania is hoping to lose herself in putting together her film for the upcoming competition and beating her long time rival Gabrielle Rose. With no clear idea of what her film should be about she starts with interviewing Valimma and her friends, which turns up a bit of an unsolved mystery involving a missing boy that keeps showing up on the security footage from local businesses. Hania decides to pursue it, but finds herself being watched, and filmed in the process.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I like that the stories are interconnected, I don’t know that it works, but I like the idea of it. As for the two Muslim authored stories, I like that Islam and culture are included slightly, but that the story is much more than that, and the characters have more pressing issues to figure out. I wish in both of these two stories, food was more fleshed out. They seemed to be lacking the magical food premise that many other stories in the collection had.
FLAGS:
See above paragraph for some collection flags. Riazi’s story has crushes and a budding romance, but nothing overtly “haram.” Ali’s story is clean.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I wouldn’t probably even shelve the book in our Islamic school library, it doesn’t offer much in my opinion.
I reread my review of Saints and Misfits before diving in to this sequel that can also work as a stand alone, and imagine my absolute delight when all the things I wanted more of: Muhammed and Sarah, the mom, Jeremy, etc., were explored in this wonderful high school and up, 320 page, romantic comedy story. The romance stays halal and the comedy light, but seamlessly interwoven into a weekend wedding are very serious notions of racism and prejudice within the Muslim community. The writing is flawless as I tried to tell the summary to my daughter I realized just how many characters there are in the book, yet while reading, I never once was confused about who someone was or how they fit in to the family, it really is quite remarkable how real and personal the characters all become. In many ways the story is uniquely an American-Muslim (arguably) one with characters that are half this culture, a quarter that, wearing cultural clothes to coordinate with friends, mutli lingual, multi ethnic, and yet all coming together as friends and family. We, nor are the characters perfect, but that our weakness is explored in fiction so that we all might benefit in reality, is truly remarkable. I honestly couldn’t put it down, and my teen and tween children may or may not have had to figure out their own meals, as I hid in the corner to devour this book in a single day. I regret nothing.
SYNOPSIS:
Janna Yusuf has just graduated high school and has been spending the last few weeks at her father’s sprawling house on a lake to help with wedding preparations for her beloved older brother. What started out with plans to be a small nikkah between Muhammad and Sara, has quickly snowballed into a “wedding” with a few hundred guests and an ever evolving color scheme. With extended family and friends pouring in over the three days, Janna is anxious to see Nuah and finally tell him that she is ready to return his feelings, reunite with her mom after being apart for weeks, and see who her best friend Tats is bringing as her plus one. But, Nuah is acting weird, her mom seems to be considering remarrying, and her father is revealing himself to be racist. There is a lot going on, and in between wedding preparations, possible crushes, family drama, prejudice overtones, and a curious ice cream man, Janna is having an unforgettable weekend.
Janna and Muhammad are close, they are the children of an Indian American non practicing father and an Egyptian American religious mother. Their parents have been divorced for a while, and their dad and his Greek wife Linda have two little boys and are hosting everyone and the wedding. The heart of the story is Janna as she thinks she is ready to pursue something halal with Nuah, but is slightly intrigued by Sara’s cousin Haytham and very perplexed by her mother’s potential future new husband’s nephew Layth. Being it is a wedding, and many people are staying at her father’s house and many more at the hotel in town with their own families. Jana is trying to figure stuff out about Nuah while hanging out with Nuah’s older pregnant sister. She is constantly thrown together with Layth as she meets his Uncle Bilal, her mom’s college friend that has proposed to her, and who’s own daughters are friends of Sarahs. Yeah, there is a lot of overlap, a lot. It’s like real life. As attractions wax and wane in such a short time, it is the relationship Janna has with her own family and the contentment she must find within herself that ultimately matter most.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love how authentic the story and its characters are. I come from a small family, but a very close friend has a huge family, and this just reminded me of going to her family events and finding how interconnected and small the world really is. I absolutely love Janna, she is Muslim by choice through-and-through and is genuine in her understanding and actions that, while the book is meant for Muslims and nonMuslims, she really sets the standard of how fictitious characters can positively affect their readers. The only slightly forced thread for me was Janna suddenly loving animals and being ready to head to Peru. I get that she was crushing, but it seemed a little too over the top for an otherwise very plausible plot.
The best part of the book, in my opinion is that it isn’t all fluff and fun, there are some very real issues that get spotlighted. Like in Saints and Misfits where Janna is sexually assaulted by a seemingly devout, religious, well liked male, this story addresses racism and prejudice within the Islamic community. Janna’s dad always felt treated as less than by Janna’s mom’s family for not being Arab. He flat out warns Janna about her feelings for Nuah because he is Black. Sarah’s Aunt is offended that the mendhi is more Desi than Arab. The issues aren’t just pointed out, they require active acknowledgement and action. The author’s note at the end, even discusses the significance and weight of such views at the end.
FLAGS:
There are mentions of the sexual assault that happened to Janna in the first book. There is mention of periods, a possible affair, racism, and a character who drove while drunk and killed his son as a result.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I don’t know that this book would be a great fit for a school book club, but I think a group of high school or college aged girls would thoroughly enjoy reading this and discussing it, and I would totally invite myself to their gathering to do so.
LOVE! Yes, usually when I’m so anxious for a book it disappoints, but not this one, it warmed my heart and soul and made me smile. In 40 pages surrounded with absolutely adorable illustrations, the reader feels the love between siblings, the strength of self confidence, the power of being true to yourself, the beauty of hijab, and the awesomeness of light-up sneakers and five cartwheel recesses.
It is the first day of school for sisters Asiya and Faizah, and Faizah’s first day of wearing hijab. The book starts out with the girls and their mom picking out a new scarf at the store.
The first day of school has the girls walking to school hand in hand, Asiya in her beautiful blue scarf, and Faizah in her new shoes admiring her sister as if she were a princess.
In line a classmate whisper asks Faizah about her sister, and Faizah has to find her voice to speak up about her hijab. She then likens the blue hijab to the sky, special and regular before recalling that their mom had told them “The first day of wearing hijab is important. . . It means being strong.”
Throughout the day at school Faizah checks on her sister, sees other kids make fun of her, liken the blue to something beautiful, and then recall something their mom has told them to give her solace and strength.
As Faizah puts into practice the lessons from her mom about being strong, knowing who you are, and not carrying around hurtful words, she, like her sister finds strength. A strength which radiates to those around them, and further connects the two girls.
Faizah has an amazingly sweet and authentic voice as she counts her light up steps and looks up to her older sister. I love that the story stays on track and has its own rhythm of a school incident, a strong declaration about blue, a lesson remembered from Mama and a resolution. With lots of mini climaxes the reader sees the strong perseverance and how being authentic will be challenged repeatedly. The subtly of the hijab being whispered about and then proclaimed loudly is really tender and emotion filled. Little reminders why OWN Voice stories are so important.
The illustrations are absolutely amazing on their two page spreads: the colors, tone, expressions, are perfect and a huge part of the narrative. I love that when a boy points at Asiya, not just Faizah, but Asiya’s friends too are unhappy with the boy. I also like that the boys being mean are not depicted clearly, but rather are shown in the shadows, furthering the point that mean words and those that spout them are not worthy of your time.
There are Authors’ Notes at the end and a picture of Ibtihaj and her two sisters Asiya and Faizah. I think the book should be on every shelf, truly. To be yourself and be proud of who you are is universal, as is kindness. The book does not discuss religion or mention Islamic reasons for her covering, and girls and boys alike will benefit from multiple readings of the book.
Now that there is legitimately a genre of YA Islamic Romance out there told in Own Voice, the expectations are high that a book is compelling, realistic, and unique somehow. While the author’s first book, Saints and Misfitswas pretty ground breaking, this 342 page was a great read, but not nearly as remarkable or memorable. Granted it is not fair to compare the two books, and each day I do age out of the target demographic, but while the story reads authentic and true, albeit a bit serendipitous, it doesn’t have the teeth or grit I was kind of hoping for, and with a mother who suffers from multiple sclerosis my emotions were pretty invested.
SYNOPSIS:
Told from both Adam and Zayneb’s perspectives by way of their individual “Oddities and Marvels” journals, our two characters are presented by a narrator who keeps their story on track and interjects when their versions of an event differ.
Zayneb is a high schooler and activist who has recently been expelled for threatening a teacher who consistently lets his Islamaphobic beliefs take over the days lessons. In an environment filled with micro aggressions against Muslims, Zeynab’s parents are at a loss at how to keep their daughter from making waves, and thus allow her to leave her Indiana home a week before spring break to visit her aunt in Doha, Qatar.
Adam is at University in London where he has recently been diagnosed with MS and as a result has stopped going to classes, and is literally “making” the most of the time he has by making things. As the term ends and he officially withdraws from school, he heads home to Doha to tell his dad and sister that he has the same disease that took his mother’s life years early.
The two characters meet at the airport briefly and then again on the plane and then at Adam’s house and the needless to say their accidental meetings allow for friendship to grow, attraction to be built upon and a relationship to develop. Both characters have their own lives and own obstacles and own maturity that needs to occur in order for a happy ending to take place, and thus the book keeps you interested, invested and cheering them on.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love the dynamic of how the book and characters are set up. Both are practicing Muslims, both characters don’t cross a line, both characters have diverse mixed cultural backgrounds, and one is a convert and the other the daughter of a convert. She is fiery and impulsive and emotional, he is pragmatic and calm and quiet. While they have some background in common, their life experiences are rather different and it is very much a story about opposites attracting.
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out, and so I knew my expectations would be too high. That being said the book warns it is a love story and in some ways, that was what I kind of felt was lacking. There was the physical attraction that was mentioned fairly often, but the deep connection of ideas or growing seemed a bit lacking.
I really liked Adam, and his internal stresses and struggles and coming to grips with his disease seemed pretty developed. Somehow though, and I’m probably in the minority, I didn’t love Zayneb. She is impulsive and definitely learned and grew from the start of the book to the end, but I didn’t love her nuances with dealing with the Emmas and her friends back home and unraveling her teacher, it felt kind of forced and I can’t articulate why. I’m glad she matured and she got answers about her grandmother, but maybe I should have felt so much in common with her and when I didn’t, I felt a little irritated. Clearly I get too invested in fictional characters, I’ll admit that.
I like that Islam is presented in a non defensive way. The parents aren’t evil, there is no rebelling, even the awful teacher spawns backlash and allies to Zayneb and her cause. There is no apologizing or overly explaining if the characters are pushing boundaries established by Islam or if they are establishing their own boundaries based on their understanding of Islam. I like this, because it shows that Muslims are not a monolith, we are not one way good or bad. Zayneb covers and prays and has friends that are boys and her family is kept in the loop of what she does, which alone breaks so many of the predominate stereotypes about Muslims. Adam himself converted at age nine and plays the guitar and has friends that are girls, and is close to his sister, and likes dogs. A side character is noted to be incredibly religious, but doesn’t cover. The story takes place in an Islamic majority country, but attitudes at the swimming pool don’t allow Zayneb to dress modestly while she swims.
Overall, the book is a delightful read that manages to keep the religious integrity in the characters and show their personalities as they come of age. It may not be memorable years after reading, but what you do remember will be positive, and while you are reading it, you will have a hard time putting it down.
FLAGS:
There is angsty romance, and talk of sex. The two main characters keep it pretty clean, but the side characters joke about hooking up, being horny, and sneaking off to hotel rooms. The non Muslim aunt has a secret alcohol and cigarette stash that she gets called out on, but nothing more is mentioned about it. I think 9th or 10th grade and up will be perfectly ok to read.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is a lot to unpack in this book and I think if one just listens, teens will naturally add their own opinions and perspectives on EVERYTHING the characters experience, feel, question, and cope with. The book just came out, but I would imagine that over time discussion questions will appear.
LOVE! Yes, usually when I’m so anxious for a book it disappoints, but not this one, it warmed my heart and soul and made me smile. In 40 pages surrounded with absolutely adorable illustrations, the reader feels the love between siblings, the strength of self confidence, the power of being true to yourself, the beauty of hijab, and the awesomeness of light-up sneakers and five cartwheel recesses.
