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4.59 AVERAGE
4.59 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
i absolutely loved this memoir. queerness and religion are two large, nebulous things that have had quite an impact in my life, just as they have in the author’s life. reading from the perspective of someone who i can relate to on a lot of things while also having incredibly different life experiences was very moving and brought me to tears more than once (and in a more lighthearted way, the line about overlap between irish catholic guilt and brown diasporic guilt did made me laugh. incredibly relatable i fear)
In this beautifully written memoir, you will find a meticulously woven tapestry of warm childhood memories, personal growth and coming of age intertwined with a relatable read of stories in the Quran. The author's voice is clear and gives a portrait of a complex, self-conscious, strong and compassionate person. Near the end of the book is a valuable analogy of the whale that sheltered the prophet Yonus and about picking one's fights as holding space to protect oneself:
"A whale that allows me to keep fighting, to fight with my writing. A whale that allows me to save my energy for curious, kind dialogue and to support those I love -- instead of fighting to fend off racists, sexists, homophobes, transphobes, Islamophobes who could look up where I live, where I work, who and what I hold dear."
She describes a journey to hold onto her family of origin by holding onto her religious values and creating her own chosen tribe and family who reflect back her integrity as a queer person. I wasn't able to put this book down once I picked it up -- and look forward to more from Lamya H.
"A whale that allows me to keep fighting, to fight with my writing. A whale that allows me to save my energy for curious, kind dialogue and to support those I love -- instead of fighting to fend off racists, sexists, homophobes, transphobes, Islamophobes who could look up where I live, where I work, who and what I hold dear."
She describes a journey to hold onto her family of origin by holding onto her religious values and creating her own chosen tribe and family who reflect back her integrity as a queer person. I wasn't able to put this book down once I picked it up -- and look forward to more from Lamya H.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Cried a lot.
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
so fucking good
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
This is the representation I've been looking for! I'm Christian and queer and have never seen religion and religious stories paired with queer life in anyway that isn't steeped in religious trauma. This book made me cry as well as smile.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced