Tag Archives: translated

Mar1

Amal Noor: Mission: Fasting for the First Time by Merve Ozcan translated by Muhammad Izzaddin Seif

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Amal Noor: Mission: Fasting for the First Time by Merve Ozcan translated by Muhammad Izzaddin Seif

Any one who has followed my reviews for very long, knows I really dislike “first fast stories,” so when this one came recommended as being different, and funny, I was hesitant to give it a try, but I caved and purchased it.  And well, it definitely is different in that it is not a picture book, the protagonist knows what fasting and Ramadan are, and she doesn’t just stumble upon her family being up at sahoor one random day, Alhamdulillah. The funny though, well, it just feels really forced, and I can’t tell if it is part “lost in translation” or if  having read early chapter books that have literary value made this one seem, thrown together.  By the end it had a bit of heart, but getting through 93 highly illustrated pages, took a lot of effort.  Amal is obnoxious, doesn’t read her age, and doesn’t have any character growth by the end. If your child likes it, there isn’t anything “wrong” with it, it reads like an attempted imitation of Planet Omar with an annoying Clementine, Junie B. Jones type personality.  The character breaks the fourth wall speaking to the reader, and labels nearly everyone in unequivocal extremes: her mother is the most perfect, the most beautiful, etc., and accomplishing the first fast doesn’t seem to change her at all, despite all the buildup.

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with Amal proclaiming that she is going to fast the next day, she has tried before but continually fails.  She tells everyone she knows, not just her family, but neighbors, the imam, everyone, and she imagines that it will be a defining day of life before and life after.  Her confidence and arrogance, is put to the test though when she actually has to do it.  At seven-years-old she has done a lot, she runs a charity out of the mosque, she sells items and used goods, and she wanders around independently. Fasting though has alluded her, as has praying more than a couple of rakats of taraweeh, but she is eating and drinking in anticipation of tomorrow, and determined to be successful.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I do like that she messes up and gets through it, I wish though she would have been determined to have a second fast and a third fast, the idea of the first fast being a one and done still doesn’t sit right with me, when Ramadan is a whole month of fasting.  I liked that nothing was overly explained, it is a book by a Muslim for Muslims, and presumably you know what is going on, but I do wish there would have been a little information threaded in about fasting not just being about food.  Amal and her brother Obaid tease and prank each other and with no reminder about being nice being a part of Ramadan included, it seemed like a missed opportunity.  I also thought she was mean to her grandma.  I did like the full circle of her realizing other neighborhood kids her age fasted their first fast without telling anyone, or everyone. But ultimately the book is just not the level of quality that books today have risen too.  If I read this book a few years ago, I might be a lot kinder or happier with my purchase, but even traditionally published books today by Muslim authors have a lot of normalized Islam, that this didn’t feel like it brought anything new to the shelf, and what it brought was not that well done.

FLAGS:

Mean, bragging

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Since I have the book, I’ll shelve it, but the small 8 x 5 inch size might mean it gets lost fairly easy, and had I not already purchased it, I’d probably not rush out to get it.

Aug5

Academy Story by Naim Hammami

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Academy Story by Naim Hammami

I dnfed this elementary aged book a few months ago, and pulled it back out feeling obligated that the publisher sent it to me and, I ought to read it.  So, I did, and it is not well-written, but since I read it, I’m writing a review, and hopefully sparing y’all the same frustration.  The cover is pretty cool, so is the idea, and the Islam is centralized and prioritized, but the story reads like an introduction, yes a 152 page introduction.  It repeats itself so often, it contradicts itself within the repeated ideas, and then moves forward at a snails place before ending.  I think it wanted to end on a cliff hanger, but because so little is accomplished up until that point, it feels like it doesn’t end at a climax, but rather the start of the action, which is irritating.  It feels like the author started telling a story orally about a family in a kingdom that when they finish primary school either continue to secondary school or find themselves in a secret academy, and no one knows how they are chosen, or what the academy is like; someone heard that much and told the author to write a book, and they did.  There is no character development, drawing the reader in, suspense, imaginative language, or refinement, it reads rough and I don’t know if it is because it is translated, or because there was never much to work with, but if you have seen this book, and were excited to see an Islam centered adventure story, sadly I’d say pass, it misses the mark.

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with centralizing three siblings, Fatima, Suhayl, and Harun.  Fatima is the oldest and is a second mother serving her family, cooking, and apparently enjoys reading, she was not chosen for the Academy and is still bothered by it.  Suhayl is the protagonist who hates school, and Harun is the little brother who is still in primary school.  The first few chapters are the repetitive circling of anticipation and excitement for finding out who gets in to the Academy at home and talking about what little is known about the Academy, and why it is important as today is the day Suhayl will find out.  Why they had no idea about the Academy before breakfast on the day he is going to find out, is beyond me, the world building was an info dump, repeated in the following chapter when Suhayl is now at school.  His friends all discuss that they are going to find out about the Academy, only then to contradict that whole build up and wonder IF they will find out about the Academy today.  We meet the friends, find out some of them have parents that went to the Academy, but do not talk about, as they are not allowed.  The reader is not told what the benefits of having gone to the academy are either, outside of knowing all educators have been trained there.  The book then says how Suhayl doesn’t have friends and proceeds to discuss how close he and his friends are.  When the assembly starts the class learns there is no Academy announcement and no end of the year field trip, instead they will have to come up with a challenge, that is optional, to do over the school holidays.  After rounds of voting and a weird power flex, a business challenge with rules is established and the winner gets to leave school if they want. Suhayl is determined to win, he and his buddy, Yusuf, decide to make fans using the Venturi Effect to sell at their stall and try and make the most profit and win.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like the premise, the artwork, the Muslim characters, I even like the business, life-lessons and science explanation of the fan.  I don’t understand how it makes Suhayl’s fan more effective than a regular fan, but the book has bigger problems. I know for many author’s writing is figuring it out or making it up as you go, so I realize the ridiculousness of saying that this book feels like the book is being made up on the spot. It is writing quality that allows readers to get lost in a story, enjoy the words, and connect to the characters knowing that the author has control of a story and taken care of the required elements of a completed book.  The rules of the challenge and how they were to finalize the idea, seemed so scattered, that combined with the weak writing, and repetitive premise building, made the intrigue of a whispered about Academy seem like a completely separate story.

Additionally, I don’t understand the stressing of the three siblings, The book is only about one, Suhayl, and his friends, yet each have a “character profile sheet,” but they are not all together at the start, or even the end.  One profile sheet is at the end of chapter 2, one at the end of chapter 4, and then the third at the end of chapter 6.  If the point is that as the series progresses you will see the sibling more, and it is meant to garner interest, the choice assumed that readers will stick around for a series, and I don’t think the book at hand, will pull readers in to see how the series pans out.

FLAGS:
Secrets, business deception

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

If the book were donated I would shelve it, but I would not seek it out to shelve.

May3

The Djinn’s Apple by Djamila Morani translated by Sawad Hussain

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The Djinn’s Apple by Djamila Morani translated by Sawad Hussain

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This short, 160 page YA book is really quite gripping. Admittedly, during the first third of the book, which is primarily world building, I had no idea what was really going on, but I was intrigued and by the half way mark, I was so invested, I truly could not put the book down. I received an early digital copy so I am not sure if the grammar errors, typos, and lacking punctuation is because it had not been through line edits yet, or a result of translation oversights, none-the-less I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in a single sitting. I wish this book was 500 pages long, with details about the time and environment, and build up to the conclusion, and angst to the romance, but it is not there, it is short, and rushed, and I don’t really know how to review it, because to point out all that is wrong, doesn’t convey all that was right. I am a self appointed reviewer, so I’m going to break my own standards and just copy and paste the teasing blurb, I can’t say it better, you are welcome: “Historical fiction meets crime fiction in The Djinn’s Apple , an award-winning YA murder mystery set in the Abbasid period—the golden age of Baghdad. A ruthless murder. A magical herb. A mysterious manuscript. When Nardeen’s home is stormed by angry men frantically in search of something—or someone—she is the only one who manages to escape. And after the rest of her family is left behind and murdered, Nardeen sets out on an unyielding mission to bring her family’s killers to justice, regardless of the cost…”

SYNOPSIS:

See above, I know my standards are slacking, but that blurb is what helped guide me when I got lost a little lost with the words on the pages.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the map and in this case the glossary and backmatter really helped me to understand the setting because the text assumes the reader knows about Harun Al-Rashid, the Golden Age of Baghdad, and the Abassids. I appreciated the Reader’s Guide and further information about the Bimaristan, as well.

I like that it showed the family as being practicing Muslims, them being accused of being infidel Zoroastrian, and the adopted father and teacher being Jewish, it added a layer that entices the reader to reconsider stereotypes and look further into the society. The book doesn’t offer much commentary about it, but does highlight the different religious groups and show them interacting.

The book really pulls you in and considering that I was lost and there were grammar errors and typos, really speaks to the story and heart of the writing. I am glad I read it, it will stay with me, and I may not be able to pass an AR test on it, but I do plan to get a physical copy for the library and for myself, so that I can read it again.

FLAGS:

Murder, plotting, revenge, poison, romantic feelings.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I need to read the book again, but yes, it would be awesome as a book club selection for Middle School or even High School to discuss, pick apart, analyze, research, and enjoy.

Mar22

Book One: Thunderbird by Sonia Nimr translated by M. Lynx Qualey

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Book One: Thunderbird by Sonia Nimr translated by M. Lynx Qualey

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My public library had this book and so I picked it up seeing that it was Palestinian authored fantasy, and I am always on the lookout to support OWN voice Palestinian stories.  The book cover is gorgeous, the inside text unfortunately is tiny making this middle school aged book only 110 pages.  It is translated from Arabic and published by a university, so my expectations were pretty meager which assisted in me being fully swept away by the story at hand.  Sure the book has a few glitches in point of view,  often it feels a bit abrupt and djinn stories are a dime a dozen, but what elevated this book and made it stand out was the Palestinian history interwoven into the plot: snippets about the Mamluk soldiers and Ottomans, the Ayyubid rulers and walls around Jerusalem.  There isn’t enough history touched upon in my opinion, but I look forward to see, now that the world building is established, if the rest of the series will highlight the historical thread.  I have no idea if the characters or author are Muslim, there are references to praying and hearing the athan, but they could just be cultural.  There is magic, fantasy, djinn, prophecies, and reading of tea leaves, as well as fighting, assault, and talk of oppression under Israeli rule.  I’d assume it is advanced Middle Grade or lower YA, but to me it seems 11 and up would enjoy the quick fast paced read.

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SYNOPSIS:

Noor’s parents are dead, and she lives with a grandmother who loves her, and an uncle and his family who don’t.  When her grandma dies, Noor is alone and with things combusting in to flames around her and no one left to defend her claims that it wasn’t her, Noor is trying to piece together a ring left to her, her mother’s research, and her flame creation abilities.  Her search leads her to a colleague of her mother’s and an old archaeological site.  While staying with an aunt in Jericho over the holidays, a mysterious cat guides her to the same archeological site where the cat reveals that she is really a djinn.  The barrier between the seen and unseen world is failing, and Noor is prophesized to be the only one that can ensure it doesn’t happen.  With a trait of the mythical phoenix Noor must find ways to travel in time and retrieve a feather before the bird is reborn.  Along the way she will have the help of the djinn and of her doppelgänger from that time period.

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WHY I LIKE IT:

The story is clever, fast paced, and the character endearing.  I wish the details were fleshed out and of course I wish there was more history when she travels back in time.  The climaxes are quick builds and even quicker resolutions, but despite all the flaws I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the rest of the series.  The book ends on a cliff hanger that feels rather abrupt, but being it is clearly established as book one in a trilogy, I don’t think readers will be too upset at the sudden end.

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FLAGS:

Magic, time travel, prophesies, fortune telling, assault, oppression, fighting, loss, arson, arguing, djinn, fighting

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

The book probably is too short for a book club read, but I think a teacher could definitely use it as a reference in story writing, historical fiction fantasy, culture inclusion lessons.  If you wanted to use the book, you’d be able to find plenty to draw on for teachable moments in literature, history, and writing style.  There would also be a lot to discuss in terms of occupation, myth, legend, and culture.

If your library doesn’t have it you can find it on Amazon