Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

11 reviews

stephanielee's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Such a great book. Check the content warnings but I loved how the author pulled on real life events (names, locations, etc were changed) to really pull you in to how this is happening now. Still. Every day for black, brown and Indigenous folx. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Racism, Hate crime, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Misogyny

Minor: Car accident and War

gabbyjc's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This book is absolutely amazing. Samira Ahmed’s writing is absolutely beautiful and she was able to perfectly encapsulate the feelings I have as a black girl living in America and the fear and terror that comes with being a minority here. She made me feel things, anger, saddened, relief. But, she also reminded me of the privilege I have of being alive today, because many people like myself weren’t granted that. It reminded me of my purpose and need in life to stand up and speak out for others. I would 10/10 recommend this to any body who wants to learn more about the effects of racism on BIPOC or who just wants a good murder mystery to read.


My main critic is that the story was a bit predictable. Early on, I could see what the twist would be and once I got confirmation, it was kind of hard to get through. But the writing is impeccable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Minor: Blood, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship

corriejn's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

YA novel about a teen in Chicago dealing with racist and Islamophobic incidents in her community. A bit true crime/mystery, a bit of teen romance, peer drama, struggles at school, etc., and lots of contextualizing situations within both real and fictionalized events in the rise of open right wing and xenophobic sentiments in the U.S. and social media. Some points made a bit "on the nose" but didn't feel too out of place for the genre.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism, Xenophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Stalking, Police brutality, Violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, and Drug use

winglesswarrior's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Child death, Antisemitism, Classism, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Racism

kshertz's review

challenging reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This author is exceptional. I read internment a while ago and this author just cuts right to the heart of all that’s wrong in America today, particularly when people who are not born in this country come here. I had no idea this was in any way based on a true story and it broke my heart. I wanted to believe high school students weren’t capable of this level of bigotry but clearly all white people are in the systematic racism. It’s so engrained. Read this book. It is so special and a voice we all need to hear. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Religious bigotry, Racism, Body horror, Deportation, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Murder, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Bullying, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Grief, and Physical abuse

shockyreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is a must read.

Powerful. Emotional. Raw. This book tore my heart out, in the best way. It was like a kick in the gut. But one I think every white person needs. A heart-wrenching and heavy story on the state of our world. Of bigotry. Of injustice. Of blind hate. But also,  of friendship, love, family, faith, and a dash of hope. Samira Ahmed, you are an incredible story teller. Thank you for sharing Jawads story. Thank you for sharing the truth of discrimination in our country. I think this story is going to stay with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia and Racism

Moderate: Violence, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Murder

Minor: Sexism

theoceanrose's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Violence, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Murder, Death, and Gaslighting

nemoslittlelibrary's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“I wrote this book because we’ve lost too many people to hate and because so often we’ve witnessed the powerful and the privileged get away with murder. I wrote this book to tell a truth” - Samira Ahmed

Wow. This book is truly heart breaking and astonishing. I learnt and felt so much from the very first page. 

Based on the horrifying real life slaying of 14 year old Bobby Franks in 1924, Hollow Fires is the painful story of 14 year old Jawad Ali being falsely accused of bringing a bomb to school by his teacher. He was then bullied and labelled “Bomb Boy” and then he goes missing. Safiya, a student journalist at a preppy private school sets out on a mission, facing her own racist and misogynistic obstacles in her path, to uncover what happened to Jawad. Guided by his ghost, she aims to ensure people do not forget about him - to remember him for his name and the injustice he suffered not his birthplace or religion. 

Some points I loved completely: 
⭐️Ahmed’s writing is very poetic even when talking about such a heavy topic, she creates mesmerising visuals. 
⭐️Islamophobia is explored through various angles, as the characters are very diverse, having varied Islamic backgrounds.
⭐️Most chapters have prompts of “fact” “truth” “alternative truth” and “lie” really making you sit and ponder over the statements. 
⭐️The chapters are set out in articles & transcripts as well as the usual chapter style which I loved as it varied and made me feel like I was also doing some investigative work alongside Safiya. 

This is such a powerful story, I love how this is young adult, it is written in such a way that any age group can read and follow the story. Most adult readers may see the ‘plot twist’ from a mile off however I think it’s a good way to read around such a social issue. 

⚠️There’s commentary on racism, islamophobia, patriarchy, bigotry, misogyny and right wing politics. It can be a heavy read so please check trigger warnings before. Some of the chapters were truly tear inducing but I believe it to be such an important book that everyone should read - learn a little more, be a little better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Violence

waterbottle57's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, Blood, Cursing, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Murder, Death, Stalking, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Minor: Car accident and War

brokenbodybitch's review against another edition

5.0

I have so many feelings after finishing this. I’m angry, sad, frustrated but this book is nothing short of amazing. It jumps around many years, using multiple forms of media (think a good girls guide to murder with the podcasts, news outlets and such), it has so much going on, I know I can’t do it justice and I don’t even know where to start about how much I love this book.

I don’t know if I’d necessarily say it was an enjoyable reading experience because of the weight of the tw/cw in this book but it was beautifully written, with interesting and engaging formatting and dear god is it fucking accurate as all hell; I’m mixed/Arab and oh boy…I can’t count how many times someone has called me a terrorist, and like that is the tip of the shit iceberg Arab/middle eastern/bipoc people face on a daily basis and this book does not shy away from all of it and calling it out/talking about it; hence why it is such an anger inducing book but if you can take the tw’s and do not take them lightly at all! Really think if you can cope with it before you read but if you can then I cannnot recommend this book more

*⬆️ these are my initial thoughts ⬆️*

*full review to come*

⚠️DO NOT take TW/CW lightly! This book doesn’t shy away from the ugly, so really think about them and if you can cope with them before you read this book… but, if you think you can take them then I cannnot recommend this book more⚠️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Islamophobia, Murder, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape and Stalking