A review by chyreads29
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

4.0

4.5 stars⭐️! I have had this book on my shelf for over a year. I've put off reading it because I thought it would be too traumatic and too devastating to digest. I grow tired of reading books where children of color experience unspeakable violence just for existing. It surrounds us enough every single day in the real world. But I am glad I gave this a chance. Though this isn't an easy story to read by any means, it is so incredibly powerful and a monument to every Black and Brown child that we have lost to the insidiousness of white supremacy/terrorism. The structure is varied, accessible, and extremely engaging. And with it, Samira brilliantly captures the seesaw role journalism and the Internet plays in twisting truth and radicalizing young white boys with chips on their shoulders. Samira Ahmed knows how to write about tough subjects with proper care and awareness. She knows how to hold space for marginalized communities and the trauma that plagues us, but most importantly she understands the importance of lifting up young people and helping them to understand their innate power.