Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi

1 review

thesaltiestlibrarian's review

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emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • 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

4.5

 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You guys. This book is adorable.

There's so much packed into these words, and we don't even get 350 pages. Family bonds, tenuous friendship, personal flaws, transcontinental barriers, fighting ignorance...ugh, it was so good.

Aafiyah is a Pakistani-American Muslim girl in seventh grade, and at the opening of the novel, we get a glimpse into her family. She has a little brother, a father who works in the airline industry, and a mother who for the most part is home with her children. Aafiyah loves to hang out with her best friend Zaina, who lives next door, and has tennis after school.

But Aafiyah's hands like to "borrow" things, and after a trip to Pakistan and Dubai to visit her grandparents, her Abba is accused of a crime of which he is completely innocent. Someone in the company that is actually IS guilty of embezzlement gets angry, turns around, and gives Aafiyah's dad a big ol' "no u." With that over his head, her Abba is forced to stay in Dubai with her grandmother until the case is cleared up.

Throw all that into having to be in seventh grade, and you've got a recipe for character development! Faruqi excels at little touches that leave big impacts; one of Aafiyah's favorite things are weird but true facts, and whenever one is inserted into the story, it has direct correlation to something Aafiyah is thinking or feeling, or something that's happening in the plot. Instead of singling out the main character as "omg i'm sooooOoO quirky" it feels purposeful and makes sense.

I know the author herself is a Pakistani-American Muslim, and yes, there are moments when an author doesn't know how to subtly incorporate culture and make it smooth. You know, when a character who is supposed to be a part of a culture reads as though they've just become a part of it? That's not the case here. Aafiyah and her family and friends feel 100% authentic, and I learned a lot about the way heirloom jewelry is viewed as INCREDIBLY special in Pakistani families. I don't wear a lot of jewelry (tactile issues; thanks, OCD), and getting to see such a unique part of a culture that's very different from New England's was so fascinating.

My biggest checkmark? The books ends happily. That's something I go to for middle grade, especially in these incredibly stressful times we're living through, and by the end of GOLDEN GIRL, everything is right with the world, even though it's still a difficult little planet to live on sometimes. Highly recommend this one for any reader! 

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