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onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When she was nine years old, the girls in her Brownies troop told Azmia she was lucky she didn't look Muslim. She'd come home fighting tears and begging Afaf's permission to begin wearing hijab.
While this book isn't about the occupation and colonisation of Palestine, there are references to Afaf's family being forcibly removed from their home by settlers. Ultimately I think this book is about living somewhere and not feeling like you belong, and the different paths your life can end up taking, depending on how you deal with that. Afaf's mother was longing for her homeland, to the point that she could not continue to live away from it. Afaf forged a new home, with a new family, and a new community around her, despite the othering that she faced, from Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It's about the power of a hijab, which gives so much to the women wearing it, and also emboldens people with hate in their heart for a piece of cloth.
So this is what it's come down to? A piece of fabric? And yet what power it had held from the first time she'd slipped it on at Kowkab's house, a stranger in the mirror staring back at her. Her hijab had become a thing that attracted sheer hatred, fear. And yet where would she be without it?
There's a lot of commentary within the book about discrimination from outside the Muslim community, especially in the wake of 9/11, but also from within it, and how the community can sometimes hide the sins of some of its members, to the detriment of others. I really appreciated that the author decided to deal with this topic, because it's a difficult one to tackle.
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Genocide and Colonisation
bethsbookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The writing in this novel is crisp, polished, yet lyrical. Each line flows from one to the next, each idea fluid as it weaves throughout her life, her mother's life, her father's, her sister's, and the school shooters. The author fills in every gap and every question you may have while still respecting the privacy of the characters when necessary. Ending on a poignant note, I don't think I have a bad word to say about this book.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
readingwithkaitlyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Sandy hook mention, lynching mention, Nazis mention, 9/11, Vietnam, Battle of Karameh, dialysis.gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Afaf was a phenomenal character; her life story is so multi-faceted and strife with grief, but Mustafah weaves her story with grace, showing the life of a woman who's lost so much yet finds solace in community and religion. The portray of Islam and the various character's relationship with faith was a breath of fresh air, allowing nuance but ultimately showing the rewarding merits of organized religion, even amidst the aftermath of 9/11.
The only facet of this book that I wasn't the biggest fan of were the chapters from the perspective of the school shooter. It was jarring having this bigot's life story humanized, even to a small degree, in the middle of Afaf's heart-wrenching story. Otherwise, this was a fantastic story for me, and I would recommend it to others though I would HIGHLY advise checking content warnings prior to reading.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Stalking
radfordmanor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
studiouspoppy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility and Infidelity
belle2008's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
madlads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Child abuse and Religious bigotry
hannahrhian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
tasleemreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Afaf, the protagonist, struggles with her faith, her identity and the clash of her two cultures; the Palestinian culture she is raised with and the American cultures she lives in. Afaf and her family each have their own struggles to find their identity in America. Her mother, Muntaha, longing to return to her homeland, her father, Mahmood, struggling to accept this and losing his dream/sense of self, the children; Nada, Afaf and Majeed, struggling to find love and acceptance.
Although Afaf's was the main storyline, each character had a purpose, depth and growth throughout the novel that was independent of the protagonist.
I LOVED the inclusion of Arabic, with no translation, within the novel. It was an amazing addition and naturally belonged within the book. Readers who didn't understand Arabic could research this and perhaps come across information to develop their understanding of Islam. Not sure if Sahar Mustafah did this as a form of Sadaqah Jariyah, but may it be accepted as such and may Allah bless her for doing so and for this great book.
I recommend this book to everyone! Especially my fellow Muslims as this book represents journey within faith in its truest form.
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings