A review by jiixbooks
A Very Large Expanse of Sea, by Tahereh Mafi
5.0
Reread
It’s interesting to see how emotionally touched I was while reading this novel. 2019 me never even could’ve imagined holding such a book in her hands, full of validated Muslim girl anger seething and demanding to be listened to.
I’ll cherish this book forever
——
4.5/5 - 2019
#ownvoice
CW: islamophobia, xenophobia, bullying
I am sitting here at my desk trying to find the right words to describe this book or rather trying to find a way to even remotely describe how it made me feel ... and I'm failing miserably.
As most people already know this is the most autobiographic novel Tahereh Mafi has written to this date and I can't even imagine how hard it must have been to put this story into words.
Shirin our main protagonist is one of my favourite mcs ever. I think I've felt for her in a way I haven't felt for a main character in a long time. I loved how flawed she was and seeing the story out of her perspective made it so easy to not only understand her but love her too. As a muslim teen growing up in the west myself; my heart broke seeing how the world has treated Shirin. Seeing all the walls that turned into her protective castle she barricaded herself behind ... man I just wanted to give her a big old hug afhkgnkl
Not only did this book grab me by my curls and tell me to really listen, but it also reminded me why I myself want to write books some day. And I think that is one of the most important and precious gifts I have ever gotten.
This book just felt so honest and real I am still in awe at the fact that it even exists. I may be a tat dramatic here but that's really how I'm feeling right now.
I hope Mafi writes more YA contemporaries, because this was just so great!
Highly recommend!
Flew through it in one day
This review is a whole mess but hey I did say I just don't know how to talk about this book in a coherent way
Other muslim reviews I highly recommend! :
https://youtu.be/OeVhd_wuvLM
(Books are my Social Life)
https://youtu.be/AjyxTLNgJAc
(the farah project.)
It’s interesting to see how emotionally touched I was while reading this novel. 2019 me never even could’ve imagined holding such a book in her hands, full of validated Muslim girl anger seething and demanding to be listened to.
I’ll cherish this book forever
——
4.5/5 - 2019
#ownvoice
CW: islamophobia, xenophobia, bullying
I am sitting here at my desk trying to find the right words to describe this book or rather trying to find a way to even remotely describe how it made me feel ... and I'm failing miserably.
As most people already know this is the most autobiographic novel Tahereh Mafi has written to this date and I can't even imagine how hard it must have been to put this story into words.
Shirin our main protagonist is one of my favourite mcs ever. I think I've felt for her in a way I haven't felt for a main character in a long time. I loved how flawed she was and seeing the story out of her perspective made it so easy to not only understand her but love her too. As a muslim teen growing up in the west myself; my heart broke seeing how the world has treated Shirin. Seeing all the walls that turned into her protective castle she barricaded herself behind ... man I just wanted to give her a big old hug afhkgnkl
Not only did this book grab me by my curls and tell me to really listen, but it also reminded me why I myself want to write books some day. And I think that is one of the most important and precious gifts I have ever gotten.
This book just felt so honest and real I am still in awe at the fact that it even exists. I may be a tat dramatic here but that's really how I'm feeling right now.
I hope Mafi writes more YA contemporaries, because this was just so great!
Highly recommend!
Flew through it in one day
This review is a whole mess but hey I did say I just don't know how to talk about this book in a coherent way
Other muslim reviews I highly recommend! :
https://youtu.be/OeVhd_wuvLM
(Books are my Social Life)
https://youtu.be/AjyxTLNgJAc
(the farah project.)