Tag Archives: sex

Jul1

The Last Man in Paradise by Syed M. Masood

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The Last Man in Paradise by Syed M. Masood

paradise

I’ll be honest, if I would have read the blurb (see below) about this book from another author, I probably would not have read the book.  From the description alone, I could assume that it will undoubtedly be uncomfortable, it is an adult read, it is going to be irreverent, and I will disagree with probably whatever messaging the impossible situation the characters are placed in, come out with. But, having read his two YA books, and really liking More than Just a Pretty Face, despite the raised eyebrows I get from Muslim book fans when I say that, I felt pretty confident that Islam would not be othered or villainized, and that the writing quality would make the cringey situations worth getting through to hear the commentary that would be forth coming.  I’ve felt with the author’s other work that the Muslim characters, own their flaws as individuals, not as representatives of their faith, so, I was willing to give this book a read.

The first quarter of the book was a little stilted, but by the midpoint, I could not put the book down, as the writing did not disappoint.  Would I recommend this book? No, not to the majority of followers of my platform, much like the satire of Zarqa Nawa’s Jameela Green Ruins Everything, I know that this style of ridiculous situations to reveal humanity, consideration, and introspection, while being entertained by very Islamic concepts, is not for everyone. Did the make-out scenes in the masjid parking lot, child abuse, sleeping around, drinking alcohol, talk of pubic hair and board games, grandpa on masjid grounds watching porn, hate crimes, involuntary manslaughter, and impersonating an imam giving khutbahs and performing ghusl, cross lines? Probably, but it is fiction, it is raising the stakes to show extremes, and let the reader opine on their perspective when faced with it. And no, I won’t write my typical review about Islamic rep, because reviewers like me got called out for that too, about policing representation and confining Muslim experience to looking like one thing.  The author went really meta and called himself out for the ending of his other adult book (that I haven’t read, but probably should), The Bad Muslim Discount, so clearly no one was out of the line of fire.

Suffice it to say, this book literary wise is an easy read, the craft is on point, it flows and is compelling (except for the end, SPOILER, who was going to look after Baba, that thread just dropped), for Muslims though it will be very uncomfortable. For non Muslims, or Muslims that don’t read to see themselves represented with the fervor that I do, I think Islam is not painted in a negative light or insulted by the text.  The characters are messed up, their flaws their own, but because they are Muslim, religion is part of their understanding and view of their existence.  I do wish there was at least one Muslim character that had it together, that might hint that as a whole we are not all one extreme or another.  I don’t like labels of “liberal” or “extreme” and the book provides commentary and nuance to those flawed dichotomies as well. The book is not heavily moral, (SPOILER) the protagonist does not come back to Islam (might not have been an identity to even come back to), but identifies as Muslim, there is no YA or MG revelation or singular take away. The book centers Islam, but somehow is not Islamic rep, it simply has Muslims dealing with the messiness of life, expectation, family, relationships, and honesty.

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Blurb copied from Goodreads:
A decade ago, Azaan, a rebellious teenager with dreams of becoming an actor, was exiled from Redding, California to a religious academy in Egypt by his imam father. His crime? Getting caught kissing Madison, the girlfriend he isn’t supposed to have.

But while letting his family believe he is studying to become a preacher, Azaan ditched school and embarked on an acting career. Given that he has minimal contact and nonexistent plans to return home, he figured no one would ever know. Now, however, Azaan’s grandfather has a dying he wants to see his grandson one last time. In order to maintain the story he’s told his family for years, Azaan decides to become a fake imam. Playing at being a religious leader, he finds a community in Redding on the brink of a scandal involving his family. It’ll be the most challenging role of his life.

Navigating his new identity and old relationships, Azaan reunites with Madison, connects with old friends, and uncovers a shocking truth about his family history that threatens to expose his father as a fraud. It turns out, Azaan isn’t the only one pretending to be something he isn’t.

Before he can finish weighing the consequences of exposing his father or protecting him, an untimely death shakes Azaan’s priorities. He is forced to grapple with his religion, future, and family in a way that is sure to break hearts, but might heal a few along the way.

Jun2

When a Brown Girl Flees By Aamna Qureshi

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When a Brown Girl Flees By Aamna Qureshi

when a brown girl flees

I was both nervous and excited to read this contemporary book having loved the author’s fantasy, but unsure how a Brown Muslim Pakistani American girl running away from home would be presented.  Alhumdulillah, the author approached the story from a place of love.  There is no internalized Islamophobia, self othering, or in broad strokes even an identity crisis. The protagonist has made decisions, drastic ones, and is trying to piece her life back together on her own terms, but the love of culture, family and faith, is always upheld.  It reads like Islamic fiction, with very didactic passages and moral positioning, I’m still quite surprised that it is traditionally published.  The version I read had grammar errors, so I’m hoping that they will be corrected when the book releases in a few weeks.  The story is engaging, but the writing a bit monotone.  Much of the story is telling, not showing, and because of the surface level spoon feeding of so much of the plot, when the catalyst or rationale is not provided, the book seems underdeveloped, or lacking, unfortunately.  I would not recommend this book for the target audience of YA readers (12/13 and up) it contains sex, slut shaming, self harm, depression, suicidal thoughts, physical and emotional abuse, profanity, and mentions drug use.  I do think though, early college age readers will enjoy and benefit from reading the book.  At a time in the reader’s life when they are defining themselves on their own terms, owning up to their own mistakes and laying out a future path, this book will provide relatability amplified by religious and cultural touchstones.  The heart of the story is the connection of a girl with Allah swt after she has sinned, the guilt and regret she feels, and how she finds herself, and returns to try and fix things with her family.  The characters are flawed and the overall messaging beautiful, hopeful and uplifting.  Unfortunately, it just reads like an early draft and I wish it had a bit more refinement.  Keeping that in mind though, it does have a place, and I’m glad to see our “new adults”  can find reflections of  themselves in a piece of literature that amplifies their Islamic identity instead of criticizing or questioning it.

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with Zahra deciding to run away from home.  She parks her car, leaves her phone and catches a flight to New York from California.  The reader doesn’t exactly know why she is running, only that a few days after high school graduation she is escaping a toxic home life, an impending wedding, and misery.  As the story peels back layers we start to see some of the nuance of what she is running from as characters from her past find her and physical space allows her some perspective to see her own role in her “old” life.  When she arrives in New York, it isn’t the city life that she seeks, but rather the nature and pace of Long Island that offers her a fresh start.  She heads to the masjid, makes a friend, and starts to put her life together without parental obligation, outside interference, and self loathing.  She cannot run forever though and she cannot escape herself.  She must confront her past, own her mistakes, be honest with her new friends, and find peace with her family, not because she has to as a Brown daughter of immigrants, but because she trusts Allah, loves her family, and wants to “fix” things.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I’m a sucker for books that show redemption through the love and mercy of Allah (swt).  Yeah her new friends were idyllic in their family life, relationships and worship, but we all want friends that make us better Muslims, so I let it slide. Islam is centered, she wears hijab, she reconnects with salat, it is her identity even when she is just going through the motions. The author at times conflated culture and faith, but it never issues blanket statements or falls into universal stereotypes for Desi culture or Muslims.  She does a good job of keeping the negatives to the people and the critiques to the failure to push back on dangerous expectations. My issues weren’t the character flaws either, I’m onboard with the messiness of being human and the ability to seek and receive forgiveness from our creator.  I just wanted to feel things more.  So much was just told when it should have been shown.  I wanted to see the stress and anguish of her family life, not simply told it was depressing.  I wanted to see her cutting life long friends out and being isolated, not told she had lost her friends.  The book focuses on her running, and why she ran, but a big plot point for why she ran, having sex, needed more fleshing out.  Why was she driven to such an act? I know that she was depressed, I’m not belittling that, but what pushed her to such a strong stance, when she was already allowed on the school trip, she hadn’t yet been given the ultimatum and over and over the book says “I miss my family,”” I miss my home,” “I miss my mom.”  I didn’t feel the connection or understand what she was feeling, thinking, and it seemed like a huge hole in the book.  For all the themes of mental illness, faith, generational trauma, misogyny, abuse, expectation, depression, lying, culture, life choices, higher education, family dynamics, self harm. the book never quite felt rich with emotion or deeper than the surface level story.  At the beginning the author says she first wrote the book when she was a senior in high school, and while that may have made the main character’s perspective and voice ring true, as a successful author now, I wish she would have added the nuance, the insight, the subtlety that would have drawn the reader in and allowed them to get inside Zahra’s head and heart to see her and perhaps even themselves.

FLAGS:

The author and book identify triggers in the book “please be mindful of TWs: depression, anxiety, emotional abuse, physical abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, slut-shaming, PTS.”

There is also music, boys and girls alone in cars together, lying, cursing, generational trauma, misogyny, abuse, expectation, depression, anxiety, guilt, life choices, higher education, family dynamics, cutting, a brother who is often high or smells like weed/pot, it mentions partying, a sexual event, deceit, physically assaulted by a parent.  Nothing haram is glorified, but it is there and it is detailed, and not everything is resolved.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would not be able to shelve or teach this book in an Islamic school library, but in a college MSA book club or a youth group of a similar age this book would be incredible to read and discuss.

May12

Fatima Tate Takes the Cake by Khadijah VanBrakle 

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Fatima Tate Takes the Cake by Khadijah VanBrakle 

fatimatate

I really want to be raging furious and upset by the lying, premarital hetero sex, normalized/celebrated lesbian Muslim, internalized Islamophobia, gaslighting, abuse, and labeling of Muslims as “conservative” and Islamic principles as “ancient and ridiculous” (keep in mind the characters and author are all Muslim). But honestly, the writing is so terrible that to feel that much emotion is just not that warranted for what the story is. I’m so disappointed in the entire writing quality of the book, that I couldn’t appreciate the characters or story as written.  I know elements of the story probably ring true, my privilege and arrogance don’t blind me to recognizing that, and whether I agree or relate or identify with the Islamic representation is subjective, but it is not a good sign when reading- that screen shots are not enough, and I have to break out paper and pens to note the contradictions, plot holes, and inconsistencies.  The cover is the best part, with its beautiful Black Muslim inviting YA readers to crack open the book and spend time with Fatima who dreams of following her culinary dreams despite family and toxic relationship obstacles.  Sadly though, the text does not live up to the expectations the cover sets forth.  It reads like a very early draft where the plot points, the climax, and the conclusion are laid out, but the dialogue, backstories, and relationships are yet to come in this very mature 304 page book.

SYNOPSIS:

Fatima Tate dreams of culinary school, but her mother demands a more practical degree of nursing.  The only child of a nurse and mechanic, Fatima goes to a virtual charter school and has a best friend since 5th grade, Zaynab. who goes to a private school, yet constantly chauffeurs her around, covers for her, and whose relationship with Amber is a major thread in the story.  One day, when Zaynab fails to pick Fatima up from her shift at the soup kitchen, Raheem, her crush who she has never really spoken to, offers to drop her off, he uses the excuse of not wanting to miss Asr salat to get in her house, and by the time the prayer rug is put away the two are kissing and holding hands.  It has been a busy day for Fatima, she was also invited to join a teen cooking competition, and with that, all in the first chapter, the direction of the story is set.  Add in the twist that her parents don’t know about her joining the cooking competition, Raheem being revealed as a narcissistic, controlling, wealthy, manipulator who has his mom properly meet Fatima’s parents resulting in the two quickly become engaged, and Fatima at some point having to finalize her college plans and you have most of the plot and spoilers of the book.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I wish there was more OWN voice Black Muslim culture inclusions.  As with all the potential themes of the book, the writing just feels so superficial.  The only thing quicker than the instant romance, is the reader’s (my) instant disdain for the creep that Raheem is: from his arrogance to his ghosting, his hypocrisy to his gaslighting.  There is no angst, attraction, sympathy, intrigue, nothing in his character makeup or in the relationship he and Fatima have.

The cooking thread is equally lackluster, I think most bakers have heard of refrigerating cookie dough, and where I should have been hungry or had my senses tingling, I found myself annoyed by the almost childish portrayal of the food scenes.  If it was meant to show passion or a divide with her parents, it was all talk and no show.  At times the text says how close Fatima is with her parents, how much she respects her mother’s strength and her father’s kindness, but lie after lie to them and their distance from the heart of the book, definitely do not show a complicated relationship, it once again, yep you guessed it, reads really flat and one dimensional.

Islamically there are concerns with the premarital relations, but even before that with the male and female being alone, the lying, the lgbtq+ relationships.  I never understood why Fatima refuses to pray in congregation and attend Jummah it just says she doesn’t join the community prayer, but she also doesn’t pray with Raheem, which might have actually been sweet.  She is noted to pray fajr late and it is a point of contention, she wears hijab, and says a lot of inshaAllahs, but while the text sprinkles in these touchstones, they don’t seem to shape her identity, it feels like it is just the paradigm that she knows.  She finds the mahr concept to be “ancient” and “ridiculous.” The one character that speaks out against same sex relationships wears abayas, black abayas to be exact. She is also labeled the “haram police.”  Zaynab doesn’t pray, doesn’t cover, but presumably identifies as Muslim.  Raheem says he is fine with her lesbian identity, but fears Fatima’s relationship with her will ruin his future political career.  The book never has any substantial commentary on the Islamic view of queer relationships and labels any one that has a problem with them as being “strict” and “conservative.”  The book says “love is love” and leaves it at that.

Constantly the reader is told that Fatima and Zaynab are best friends since 5th grade, no backstory as to why Fatima left for virtual school and Zaynab for private.  We never see Fatima add anything to the friendship, Zaynab drives Fatima, feeds Fatima, consoles Fatima, it is all very one sided.  So many story lines just fall off the page without resolution or insight.  At one point Fatima is angry at Zaynab and doesn’t want to share her with Amber, but then is mad that Raheem is wanting to take her away but nothing is ever done or explained or internally pondered over, it is just forgotten.  I really despise how we are also told that Zaynab and Amber are the ideal couple, but nothing ever shows it. NOTHING. They are always fighting, Fatima is always on edge to even ask Zaynab about Amber.  Zaynab and Amber fight about their graduation party and it magically all works out.  Amber is shocked to know that Muslims won’t accept them, and they seem to break up, but then they are together at the end so how did that get resolved?

Major plot holes: When Fatima’s mom asks Fatima if she knows Raheem, she says no and four pages later her dad asks her what she thinks about Raheem and she answers him.  This inconsistency mitigates the “reveal” at the end that they knew each other at the soup kitchen.  Speaking of soup kitchen, the reader sees she goes once and then stops for finals and never resumes going, so how is it such and important part of her or Raheem’s life? Does he return? Fatima gets driving lessons and a car, and is then driving alone, time line doesn’t work, nor does what she is driving get articulated if she returned the Lexus.  Extravagant gifts aside, it never fully explains where Raheem’s grandfather made his wealth, it seems lacking because he doesn’t want Fatima to work, but his mother does, in managing her father’s inherited wealth.  At the walimah it is very awkward between Zaynab and Fatima’s mom, almost to the point I thought they might not know each other, or might have issues with her lifestyle, but by the end it is clear they know each other well, so I think the scene is just written poorly.  I went back and read it and the familiarity of the families is definitely unclear and not consistent throughout.  For Fatima’s graduation Raheem gets permission to take her to dinner alone, for someone who is constantly watching money and loves cooking, it felt like it would be a big deal to be able to go out alone with her finance, to a fancy restaurant and savor all the flavors and ambiance.  Nope, the scene is skipped, no details, no nothing.  Lots of little details are skipped quite often, for example five people are qualified for the finals, only three names are given, just throw two more names in there, nope we get dot dot dot- it reads unfinished.  At one point when Zaynab once again saves the day and picks up Fatima, they come back to Zaynab’s house with Starbucks and meet at the fridge to get Pepsi’s out, like three sentences later, Starbucks on the table forgotten.

Zaynab does have a slight character arc, but throughout needs someone to constantly side with her, and I don’t know that she is very independent at the end.   I don’t think there is a decent relationship in the book between any of the characters, which is unfortunate, and religion and the masjid (labeled “patriarchal”) are often portrayed in a negative light. The internalized Islamophobia was hard to swallow.  At one point Fatima shakes a man’s hand and says that she isn’t one of those Muslims that has issues with that.  It seems like this book checked a lot of boxes and for whatever reason didn’t get the polishing it needed.  It is unfortunate because OWN voice Black Muslim books with authentic rep and joy and complexities and nuances are so desperately needed, and this one just felt underdeveloped and raw.

FLAGS:

Language, closed door premarital sex, talk of sex, talk of condoms, child out of wedlock, cheating, lying, hetero and same sex couples, dancing, music, physical abuse, verbal abuse, gaslighting, controlling, stereotypes, internalized Islamophobia, male and female friendships, manipulation, blackmail, judging, deceit, hypocrisy.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

The cover will tempt younger readers to pick up the book, my only hope is the poor writing will cause it to be abandoned before the haram is glorified, normalized, and celebrated.

Feb24

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

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The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

sirafi

It has been a long time since I have stopped reading a book because I simply do not want it to end.  Clearly I have no self control, so a day later I picked it back up and finished the 496 pages, but oh what a treat to be swept away aboard a magnificent tale with rich history, Muslim characters, Islamic references, developed fantasy world building, complex side characters, excitement, plot, adventure, and everything else you would expect from the author of the Daevabad series.  The book is an adult read, and I really can’t suggest it to YA readers, the protagonist is a middle aged mom with a foul mouth and a bad knee, there is cursing, and killing,  hetero, gay and demon love interests among the main characters, a transgendered character, sex mentioned, drinking, and magic, it is all part of the story, but it isn’t so in your face that older mature Muslim readers will be uncomfortable.  So why am I reviewing it here, I honestly don’t know.  Clearly it is not to be shelved in the Islamic School Library, but there is so much authentic Islamic centering on every single page, that I want to give it space to remind/encourage us all that we don’t have to hide or water down our faith in mainstream books- not if the writing, story, and characters are so incredible.  I really thought a historically set pirate fantasy would be hard to read, that the vocabulary and references would leave me lost and confused, but it is written so beautifully that the pages fly by and you forget you are reading; it is as if you are watching the story unfold in front of you.  Please consider preordering this book so that publishers know support exists for authentic OWN voice Muslim character led books, I have an e-version, but have also preordered a physical hard back copy here.

SYNOPSIS:

It has been a decade since the infamous nakhuda Amina al Sirafi has taken to the Indian Ocean to plunder and sail. The stories of her have grown and traveled in her retirement, but life is now more about protecting her daughter and fixing her leaking roof.  When her previous life finds her and threatens her, however, she must return to her Marawati, call on her old friends, and put together a crew.  Told through a storyteller, with banter between Jamal and Amina, the fourth wall is broken and the reader knows that the hero will survive, yet the adventures of outsmarting Aden’s defenses, peris, demons, Franks, pirates, and marids to prevent the Moon of Saba from being manipulated is a fast paced chaotic adventure that pulls you in from the first page.  The fairly linear story from one point of view (mostly), connects the haunting past to the trials at hand, as the crew and characters are understood through their captain.  I don’t want to give anything away, but the side characters are nuanced and developed in a way that you feel just as close to them as Amina does, and as she becomes frantic to save them, the reader too is invested in their choices and actions.  Pirate adventure, saving the day, a mom as a hero and a missing demon husband refound, yeah, don’t read summaries of this book, just read the book.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I was surprised at the religious redemption arcs and details that were included on truly every page, from the meaning of the translation of Ayat ul Kursi, to acknowledging past sins and striving to not repeat them, Amina al Sirafi practices her Islam in her five daily prayers, regular supplications, regular repentance, and view of the world and her place in it.  She isn’t preachy, and much of what she faces tempts her to drink wine and fornicate again, but her struggles are really refreshing to see.  It isn’t that she is Muslim and that is the framing for the al-ghayb elements alone, it is so part of her and thus of the book, that you can’t help but feel seen.

The gay character’s lover is mentioned, neither are Muslim, but it is only a few lines in the entire book.  The transgendered character starts off uncomfortable with being forced to marry and hints that she doesn’t feel feminine, Amina pieces together what she is saying and then at the end it shows that she is now identifying and carrying herself as a man.  It isn’t a big part of the text, it has a strong effect on the story and it does touch on God’s view of such things, as the character is Muslim.  The demon love interest SLIGHT SPOILER is Amina’s husband that she thought she had killed, she has had a lot of husbands, but when he turns up alive, she realizes technically they are still married.  He asks her quite often to have sex.  It is usually is just that blunt with no romance or longing, and when they do partake in the act, it isn’t overly graphic, it is “closed door.”  There is killing and murder and deceit and lying and drinking, all things assumed would be in a pirate story.  None of it is overly glorified, but it is normalized.

I really just love the characters and the fast paced action, the book leaves off implying there will be more tales to come and I hope there are.  (I keep writing what I love about the book and deleting it, because you know….spoilers, ahh).

FLAGS:

As previously mentioned: cursing, sex, hetero and gay relationships, magic, fantasy, killing, murder, lying, drinking, drugs, jinn, peris, marids, fantasy, occult, demons, death, loss.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would never do this for a school book club, but would do it in a heartbeat for an adult book club!

 

 

Jul8

Dahling, If You Luv Me, Would You Please, Please Smile by Rukhsana Khan

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Dahling, If You Luv Me, Would You Please, Please Smile by Rukhsana Khan

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I’m not sure how I missed this 1999 published YA book by the OG-groundbreaking-industry-changing- Rukhsana Khan, but until @bintyounus mentioned it to me recently I didn’t even know it existed.  The book has so much Islam, ayats, hadith, salat- Islamic fiction self-published often doesn’t have as much as this mainstream book has, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that some of the content was a bit shocking.  Part of my surprise I think comes from the fact that the book is only 206 pages, it takes its title from a game I remember playing in elementary school at recess, the main character is in 8th grade and the cover is soft pinks.  This book is solid YA both now, and nearly 25 years ago, it carries some incredibly heavy themes: attempted suicide, topless photographs, sexual coercion, cigarette smoking, assault, racism, misogyny, toxic relationships, neglect and more (see flags below).  The book is memorable and hard to put down, the Islam is confident and explored, even when weaponized by an older sister, but there is no denying the story telling abilities of the author, and  while I won’t be letting my 11 or 13 year old read it any time soon, I know I benefitted from reading it- reminiscing about wanting Lucky Jeans and standing in awe of how EVERY. MUSLIM. DESI. author making it in mainstream today is benefitting from the path paved by Rukhsana Khan.  On behalf of readers everywhere- thank you.  Thank you for fighting to tell your stories your way, raising the bar, and offering real Muslim characters from a Muslim voice. 

SYNOPSIS:

Zainab has no friends and doesn’t own a pair of Lucky Jeans, she is the only one in 8th grade that doesn’t.  She feels like if she could trade in her polyester pants for the “cool” pants everyone has, she’d be accepted.  When that plan fails and lands her in trouble, she gets tasked with directing her house’s school play.  The teacher convinces her that it will be a way for her to make friends, and earn her classmates respect, but middle school is never that easy.  Everyone is in love with Kevin, including Zainab, but he is a jerk and if he isn’t the lead, no one else will audition.  Jenny is poor, but has a big chest, so even though she is nice to Zainab, she is more in love with Kevin who only wants her for one thing, and takes advantage whenever his girlfriend isn’t around.  Add to the drama Zainab’s very strict older sister who lists off Zainab’s faults every night with Islamic references to try and make Zainab a better person, and this coming of age story will require Zainab to sort through it all and find her own way to be.  There are a lot of subplots that circle around the play, social circles, toxic relationships, and self growth, that while the characters are worried if they will win the competition and break the curse, the readers (at least this 41 year old mama) are hoping that the characters will survive the year unscathed. 

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the family is the same family that will become its own story in Big Red Lollipop just grown up, with names changes, and that the story is summarized.  I’m still a little torn if I love the raw grittiness of the way the two sisters interact or if it goes too far and leaves a bitter taste about Islam.  I really am on the fence about how young readers, both Muslim and non Muslim, in 1999 and in 2022, would view the role of Islam in the dynamic.  I think it reads powerfully, but I had a hard time going back to look at it through my 13 year old eyes and it as an adult it is intense.  I still can’t believe that this book was published with how much Islam it contains, even the play put on in a public school was religiously centered.  White privilege is called out and stereotypes about whites are stated, a Hindu character and the Muslim main character work through their baggage, economic privilege is opined on, women’s rights and expectations discussed, comments about “othering” are present-  it really covers a lot. Quite impressive in a lot of ways. 

The relationship and love themes are not shied away from which caught me off guard.  I expected some making-out and heavy petting, but was surprised it went to topless photos, a character’s mom being a nudist, and that there is a lot of forced touching.  I think for most Islamic school 8th graders, this book would be too mature, in fact I genuinely hope it is. Not to say it is not accurate, but it is very critical to the story and I think would need some discussion.  

I love that the characters draw you in, as much as you despise everyone picking on Zainab, you know she isn’t a pushover and you really pull for her.  I didn’t want to put the book down and kept reading because I wanted to make sure she was ok, see what choices she made, and in a fairly short book, that is remarkable story telling.

FLAGS:

The book is for mature readers in my opinion.  There are relationships, assault, cigarettes’, nudists, kissing, spying, sexual assault, coercion, topless nude photographs, attempted suicide, bullying, teasing, cheating, physical assault, language, verbal abuse, stereotypes, talk of female anatomy, and use of Islam to hurt.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know that I would shelve this in the library, I would see if perhaps there is a version with a different cover, one that might signal a more mature reader.  I would worry if an early middle schooler read this, I think it would be a lot for them to take in, process, and reflect on.  It isn’t a light read, and would need some discussion, but ultimately I don’t know that a middle school book club at an Islamic school would be the right place for it. It could be for sure, but not the one I’m currently at.

Aug27

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

spades

I had heard about this 420 page YA thriller and how it was written by a Muslim student at University and the seven figure book deal that she earned. It is constantly described as a combination of Gossip Girl and Get Out, having never seen either of those, I relied on the back of the book and the inside flap to see if it was something I would like to read and suggest my young teenage daughter, (and followers to read). Based on the suspense teasing and plot involving racism, I figured a contemporary YA book set in high school would have some relationship, sexuality, language and drugs, so at the last minute I decided to read it first. Alhumdulillah, I’m glad I did. The book has sex and relationships and sensual encounters between gay, queer, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual characters on EVERY SINGLE PAGE. I considered stopping, it was a over the top, forced, and honestly a little hard to read at times, but I continued because the commentary on racism and suspense storyline was well done that I was genuinely curious to see the climax and resolution. I write this review as a heads-up and to opine on the lack of mention of the amount of romance and sex in the book and in its blurbs. As a reader and someone who recommends books to people a lot, knowing what the majority of the book is about is helpful. To completely not mention something that is such a huge part of the book is frustrating, and so I’m writing this up more as an FYI, than a thorough and in-depth review. There are no Muslim characters, and the only mention of religion is a side character reading the Bible. Coming from an Islamic School Librarian standpoint, without exception this book would be considered inappropriate.

SYNOPSIS:

The book is told in two alternating personalities, Devon and Chiamaka. Two senior black students at a prestigious private high school. The only two black students. Chiamaka is the top of the school hierarchy, head prefect, planning on Yale for pre-med and the girl everyone wants to be. Devon is a scholarship student who plays music and dreams of Julliard. He flies under the radar and has one friend. When the book opens both are named Senior Prefects at the opening assembly of the school year, and no one is more surprised than Devon. The glory of such an honor is short lived however, as anonymous texts start popping up exposing secrets about the two. The two characters have skeletons they would rather not have exposed, and even though they barely know each other, they eventually resolve they must work together to figure out who is out to destroy them.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like that the whodunit aspect really had me on my toes. I honestly, however, didn’t like either of the characters at all. The book has a lot going on, aside from the texts and secrets being exposed, that I wish would have gotten more page time. The two characters have very different, but very impactful home lives. Devon’s father is absent and it is learned he was executed on death row, his mom works three jobs, he has younger brothers and they struggle financial so that he has a chance at education. He lives in a tough neighborhood and runs drugs to help out with money. He hooks up with multiple guys in the book, and tries to keep it a secret so that he doesn’t get further harassed by the neighborhood guys, but it seems everyone knows he is gay even before the texts start coming. Chiamaka is Nigerian from her mom and Italian from her father. Her father’s family doesn’t accept her and her mom because of their skin color, so they no longer go to Italy to visit. Both parents are physicians and are never around. Chiamaka has no friends, picks boyfriends to further her power agenda, and spent her entire junior year having sex with her best friend, Jamie, with the hopes that he likes her too. She eventually realizes she likes a girl and hooks up with her. By-and-large for both main characters, only their sexual relationships are really explored, and most of them are brief. Thus it kind of limits the relatability to the characters in other facets of their lives. Not that people and characters have to be like-able, but they have a lot of layers, and it would have been nice to get to know them better as people, not just as shell minority representatives in a system built for them to fail.

Only a few side characters are developed, presumably just enough to make them suspect, but to drop information like one of them getting incarcerated and not explored, one diagnosed with diabetes and told without prompting and then dismissed, makes it feel like a lot is crammed in for no real purpose. As a debut novel by a young author, the writing is obviously amazing. I just didn’t connect to the characters, and the parts of the book I did like were overpowered by parts that I felt were overly forced. I will definitely read anything she writes in the future, although I will definitely research the books more thoroughly know what I’m getting in to.

FLAGS:

There is violence, sex (hetero, gay, and lesbian), cursing, drinking, drug use, drug selling, romance, kissing, hit-and-run, conspiracy, making out, drug dealing, physical beatings, passing out drunk, drunk driving, lying, cheating, racism, bigotry, hate speech, gaslighting, privilege, death, gun violence, destruction, murder, attempted murder, crude language, assault, blackmail, misogyny, homophobia, voyeurism, institutionalized racism, and probably more. Mature content.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is no way I would suggest, recommend, or encourage this book to Islamic School high schoolers.