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alinaa_arm's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
anxiousnachos's review against another edition
5.0
Review was originally posted to Anxious Nachos.
This book is one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read, and I am SO happy I found YA contemporary, which is a genre I haven’t really read in the past, because I cannot praise this book enough.
Love from A to Z is a love story between Adam and Zayneb. Both keep a journal, based on The Marvels of Creation and the Oddities of Existence. Adam focuses on marvels - the things in life that make it worth living. Zayneb focuses on the oddities - the struggles and pains of life. The two meet on a plane, and their lives change forever as their paths keep crossing.
Zayneb is a fighter. Except that’s not quite a strong enough word. She is driven and passionate and determined to right the worlds' wrongs. As a hijab wearing Muslim, Zayneb faces a lot of discrimination and hate (all based on true events the author has experienced). Standing up to her Islamophobic teacher, Zayneb is suspended from school, one week before Spring break. So, she travels to Doha, to spend time with her Aunt Nandy. On the plane over, she meets Adam. And then she keeps meeting him, and Adam seems different to anyone she’s ever met.
Adam has just dropped out of university. He’s also just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the disease which killed his mum. At 11, he converted to Islam, searching for peace after his mother’s death. He’s calm and serene, yet struggling deeply with the secret of his disease, something he can’t quite tell his father just yet. He travels to Doha, where his family live, on his Spring break, knowing he won’t be returning to university. On the plane over, he meets Zayneb, a stunning woman in a bright blue hijab who happens to be holding the same journal he owns - a Marvel and Oddities.
This is a story about love and strength and justice and Islam and peace. It’s such a beautiful representation of the religion, and I feel almost humbled to have read this book. There is such a strong Muslim voice throughout, which was so fantastic to read and learn about. The growing friendship, and then love, between Adam and Zayneb felt so strong and real and natural and it was so lovely to see how religion guided their relationship. Both these characters had such strong point of views and so distinct voices, and it was interesting to see the two recognise each others flaws, and still move forward. I also thought Adam's journey to accept his disease and seek treatment was very genuine and thoughtfully written. I rooted for both of them from the very start, their emotions and voice were so clearly written on the page, I felt every emotion with them.
The secondary characters were also very well written - I have a particular soft spot for Connor, Adam’s best friend. It was so lovely to see such a strong male friendship in a book, both of them able to be emotional and open with each other.
Whilst this novel is a love story, it also addresses subjects like Islamophobia and discrimination. I really think this book needs to be required reading for every teen, in the hope it might make people act a little different....and a lot better. The racism that is portrayed is at times subtle and at times throw it your face, and the book showed Zayneb navigating both these experiences and trying to fight against it. She was such a powerful character and her strength was very inspiring to read. There was also such a diversity with the way Islam was portrayed, and I loved seeing the different ways characters' had come to Islam, from Adam's conversion after his mother's death, to Zayneb through her heritage.
Reading the author’s note at the end, S.K. Ali writes ‘I often wondered if all this would seem too incredulous to some readers’ and that really made me think - because S.K Ali is probably right. And it’s awful and people suck that they would think this book, one of the most beautiful and realistic love stories I have read, would seem too incredulous and fake. This book is so wonderful. It deals with pain and love is such an open and insightful way. So please, give this book a chance and fall in love with Adam and Zayneb like I did!
Also I am strongly keen to start my own Marvels and Oddities after reading this book!
This book is one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read, and I am SO happy I found YA contemporary, which is a genre I haven’t really read in the past, because I cannot praise this book enough.
Love from A to Z is a love story between Adam and Zayneb. Both keep a journal, based on The Marvels of Creation and the Oddities of Existence. Adam focuses on marvels - the things in life that make it worth living. Zayneb focuses on the oddities - the struggles and pains of life. The two meet on a plane, and their lives change forever as their paths keep crossing.
Zayneb is a fighter. Except that’s not quite a strong enough word. She is driven and passionate and determined to right the worlds' wrongs. As a hijab wearing Muslim, Zayneb faces a lot of discrimination and hate (all based on true events the author has experienced). Standing up to her Islamophobic teacher, Zayneb is suspended from school, one week before Spring break. So, she travels to Doha, to spend time with her Aunt Nandy. On the plane over, she meets Adam. And then she keeps meeting him, and Adam seems different to anyone she’s ever met.
Adam has just dropped out of university. He’s also just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the disease which killed his mum. At 11, he converted to Islam, searching for peace after his mother’s death. He’s calm and serene, yet struggling deeply with the secret of his disease, something he can’t quite tell his father just yet. He travels to Doha, where his family live, on his Spring break, knowing he won’t be returning to university. On the plane over, he meets Zayneb, a stunning woman in a bright blue hijab who happens to be holding the same journal he owns - a Marvel and Oddities.
This is a story about love and strength and justice and Islam and peace. It’s such a beautiful representation of the religion, and I feel almost humbled to have read this book. There is such a strong Muslim voice throughout, which was so fantastic to read and learn about. The growing friendship, and then love, between Adam and Zayneb felt so strong and real and natural and it was so lovely to see how religion guided their relationship. Both these characters had such strong point of views and so distinct voices, and it was interesting to see the two recognise each others flaws, and still move forward. I also thought Adam's journey to accept his disease and seek treatment was very genuine and thoughtfully written. I rooted for both of them from the very start, their emotions and voice were so clearly written on the page, I felt every emotion with them.
The secondary characters were also very well written - I have a particular soft spot for Connor, Adam’s best friend. It was so lovely to see such a strong male friendship in a book, both of them able to be emotional and open with each other.
Whilst this novel is a love story, it also addresses subjects like Islamophobia and discrimination. I really think this book needs to be required reading for every teen, in the hope it might make people act a little different....and a lot better. The racism that is portrayed is at times subtle and at times throw it your face, and the book showed Zayneb navigating both these experiences and trying to fight against it. She was such a powerful character and her strength was very inspiring to read. There was also such a diversity with the way Islam was portrayed, and I loved seeing the different ways characters' had come to Islam, from Adam's conversion after his mother's death, to Zayneb through her heritage.
Reading the author’s note at the end, S.K. Ali writes ‘I often wondered if all this would seem too incredulous to some readers’ and that really made me think - because S.K Ali is probably right. And it’s awful and people suck that they would think this book, one of the most beautiful and realistic love stories I have read, would seem too incredulous and fake. This book is so wonderful. It deals with pain and love is such an open and insightful way. So please, give this book a chance and fall in love with Adam and Zayneb like I did!
Also I am strongly keen to start my own Marvels and Oddities after reading this book!
mannal123's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
azelfie's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
meat_muffin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I loved this book so much - absolutely a sleeper hit I didn’t see coming, and whewwwww buddy did it reel me in once it got going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cultural appropriation
deschatjes's review against another edition
3.0
A most enjoyable read as I prepare to move to the middle east - there's a lot happening - death of a mother, murder of grandmother, multiple sclerosis, falling in love, dealing with islamophobic teachers, friendships, international schools, muslim conversion 3CK, and romance in a muslim context - all very well done
rayzofrem's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. Brilliant. Heartfelt and so adorable. This book had everything I wanted and more. Halal love all the way!!
panda_incognito's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this book for the Muslim-American Experience category in my Materials for Adolescents class because my best friend read it a while ago and recommended it. I enjoyed the love story, the realistic representation of religious Muslims, the chronic illness representation, and some of the plot points, but I didn't connect with the book as much as I had hoped. Part of this is because I strongly disagreed with a main character's way of interacting with people.
I had a hard time reading about Zayneb's behavior towards people she disagreed with, because her automatic response was to engage in harsh verbal confrontation. I know what it feels like to be an angry person who feels strongly about certain social issues, but I would never shout at, berate, or publicly shame people the way that Zayneb does. During the final quarter of the book, she experiences character development and becomes a gentler person, but it was difficult for me to deal with her harsh, punitive reactions to people. The book also never addresses how greatly her behavior would repel others. People don't change their minds or their lives based on harsh, condemning words and public shaming, but based on invitational, persuasive opportunities to see something from someone else's perspective.
The other main character, Adam, is a much gentler and more relaxed person by nature, and I preferred reading the parts from his perspective. I appreciated the chronic illness representation related to his mother's death from MS and his distress over a recent MS diagnosis. I also liked reading about his family dynamics, and thought that he was a very interesting, well-rounded character. I don't think that the book adequately explained MS for people who aren't familiar with it, especially in terms of more recent treatment options, but his emotional and relational experiences related to chronic illness were very realistic and relatable.
I ended up skimming some through this book, because it includes a lot of unnecessary side characters and side plots that are peripheral to the story or never come up again. I think this book would be much stronger if the author had pared down the cast of characters, events, and vast number of heavy themes to focus more deeply on less. Nonetheless, I would recommend this to readers who are looking for books about Muslim characters or are interested in clean, sweet love stories.
I had a hard time reading about Zayneb's behavior towards people she disagreed with, because her automatic response was to engage in harsh verbal confrontation. I know what it feels like to be an angry person who feels strongly about certain social issues, but I would never shout at, berate, or publicly shame people the way that Zayneb does. During the final quarter of the book, she experiences character development and becomes a gentler person, but it was difficult for me to deal with her harsh, punitive reactions to people. The book also never addresses how greatly her behavior would repel others. People don't change their minds or their lives based on harsh, condemning words and public shaming, but based on invitational, persuasive opportunities to see something from someone else's perspective.
The other main character, Adam, is a much gentler and more relaxed person by nature, and I preferred reading the parts from his perspective. I appreciated the chronic illness representation related to his mother's death from MS and his distress over a recent MS diagnosis. I also liked reading about his family dynamics, and thought that he was a very interesting, well-rounded character. I don't think that the book adequately explained MS for people who aren't familiar with it, especially in terms of more recent treatment options, but his emotional and relational experiences related to chronic illness were very realistic and relatable.
I ended up skimming some through this book, because it includes a lot of unnecessary side characters and side plots that are peripheral to the story or never come up again. I think this book would be much stronger if the author had pared down the cast of characters, events, and vast number of heavy themes to focus more deeply on less. Nonetheless, I would recommend this to readers who are looking for books about Muslim characters or are interested in clean, sweet love stories.
arayofreading's review against another edition
5.0
Reread March 2020:
I am once again asking Hollywood to make this into a movie. Please we deserve it
May 2019:
This was so good and I want everyone to read it
I am once again asking Hollywood to make this into a movie. Please we deserve it
May 2019:
This was so good and I want everyone to read it