Reviews

I read two YA books about abuses of power towards populations who are discriminated against in the U.S. This one, which I read in one sitting and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish, was far superior...Though I could have lived without the dream sequence. I wish that could have been conveyed in a different way.

lladnekyuk1947's review against another edition

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challenging informative tense slow-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

gailrw's review

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Helps understand the Muslim community and creative writing as expression.

jasmyn9's review

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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? It's complicated

5.0

char03's review against another edition

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informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

womanwill's review

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challenging emotional reflective 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? N/A

3.5

I really liked what the author was trying to do: addressing how Islamophobia within the U.S. carceral system has affected Muslims negatively, especially poets after 9-11 who got labeled "terrorists", and how Islamophobia is present within both U.S. political parties even if democrats aren't as brazen as Republicans. She does this through the eyes of a young Pakistani American high school student, Muslim, and poet who gets (unconstitutionally) frisked as she is trying to pray and accidentally finds herself outside of a Democratic political candidate's rally. As she tries to seek justice, she gets further entrapped in stereotypes against Muslims played up by the media especially after they find out her poet uncle is in prison for "terrorism." Luckily, she has her community and local Poets' Block to cheer her up and remind her who she is and where she comes from.

However, some parts of the story felt a bit heavy-handed and, like editing could have gone a bit deeper. The magical realism felt like it came out of nowhere instead of working with the story in the first third. The flashback to her ancestors was especially abrupt and not deep enough to be meaningful or otherwise threaded into the story.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC, all thoughts my own.

creatrix's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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