showthisbooksomelove's review
5.0
Loved the comparisons between parables in the Quaran and her life. Lamya's writing is beautiful
peoplecallmeteresa's review against another edition
5.0
This book is currently my favorite I have read this year. Lamya's writing is hauntingly beautiful. Their story about finding themselves and the love they have for their family and found family is touching, relatable, and important. I loved the integration of the stories from the Quran, and being able to make comparisons to the Christian stories I grew up with.
saleckfati's review
3.0
I was really excited for this one but I’m disappointed in the execution especially with its namesake. I also felt uncomfortable with the naming knowing how Leslie Feinberg felt about having their works adapted.
I understand it’s a memoir but it wasn’t an interesting read for me because I wasn’t a fan of the writing style and it didn’t feel like queer Muslims of color were the audience either.
I understand it’s a memoir but it wasn’t an interesting read for me because I wasn’t a fan of the writing style and it didn’t feel like queer Muslims of color were the audience either.
ethmwu's review
5.0
I have this friend who is a big part of my life and the whole time I read it I couldn’t help but think of her. This book has helped me do the work, to recognize my Islamophobia, to better understand the intersection of queerness and Islam, to introspect on my friendships and ways I can expand my own world.
Allah is non-binary.
Allah is non-binary.
vivacissimx's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
5.0
On the real, I would probably have given this a 3.5-rounded-to-a-4 for how the prose landed for me, but there are haters and losers in the reviews so here's a quick middle finger to you. Massalaama suckers. Onto the book itself: I am a queer south asian muslim so probably very little of this went over my head, although I can understand that others might have some trouble, I do think this memoir is guilty of over-explaining/over-palatizing in places but so it goes & it's not a crime. I thought her use of Quranic stories for her own personal understandings/extrapolations of her experiences/the world around her was very enjoyable, relatable even! The narrative of an anonymous closeted person is going to by nature waver in the middle, probably feel somewhat unfinished not because "coming out" is something anyone owes the world over their own safety—but because a memoir can only feel so cohesive when half of your life is lived in one space and half in the other. Believe me, I get it. This is a brave choice too.
I probably found the analogy between Hajar the enslaved Black woman and the author's relationship with a white woman the least compelling chapter. Yes, some of us share home and hearth with white partners. Mashallah for the author who has found understanding and happiness, it's hard enough in this world. Just not the most serious or digestible of sandwiches in this case.
All in all I enjoyed it! I would love for the author to write more in exploration of what butchness means when juxtaposed with their life!
I probably found the analogy between Hajar the enslaved Black woman and the author's relationship with a white woman the least compelling chapter. Yes, some of us share home and hearth with white partners. Mashallah for the author who has found understanding and happiness, it's hard enough in this world. Just not the most serious or digestible of sandwiches in this case.
All in all I enjoyed it! I would love for the author to write more in exploration of what butchness means when juxtaposed with their life!
allieruth's review
4.0
a really engrossing, simply and beautifully written memoir about a butch Muslim woman figuring out her sexuality, identity, and faith, ultimately finding her community and her peace. the book is organized to parallel stories from the Quran in a way that's thoughtful, intelligent, and powerful.
ilovetoreadsomuch1234's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
INCREDIBLE LIFE CHANGING SPECTACULAR BEAUTIFUL loved it so much Lamya H is such a good storyteller and I was so impressed by how much was so (seemingly) easily woven into each of the chapters. Loved reading about their life experiences, self reflections, queerness, religious beliefs/practices/identity, and most of all how they all intersect. Part three in particular stuck out to me. Such a good read. I did knock off a .25 for cheesiness in some of the narration if I’m being real