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betweentheshelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I think the additional of the facts, lies, and alternative facts at the beginning of each chapter added that journalism element to the story and emphasized the main themes. This is definitely a heavy book, so know that going in. It's not something you read to escape, but something you read to help make these voices heard.
The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because I do think the big reveal was easy to spot about halfway through the story. I'm not sure if that was intended or not, and there are definitely some readers who might not see it coming. All in all, if you're looking for a dark thriller about getting justice for those without voices, I'd definitely recommend this one!
Graphic: Islamophobia, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Kidnapping, and Child death
Minor: Blood, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
lettuce_read's review
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Child death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Grief, Islamophobia, and Racial slurs
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One giant, endless conflict with a lot of nameless dead civilians. Killed by drones, which somehow made Americans feel less responsible, because drones aren’t people. But only a person can issue a kill command.
This is my first book by the author, and one thing is very clear to me: she has something to say. She doesn't shy away from harsh truths, whether it's related to the politics within the US that cause suffering in other countries, Islamophobia, racism, and double standards, or the discrimination between Muslims based on what sect they belong to. That's something I can definitely appreciate.
One thing I learned by being invisible: People see what they want to see and decide it’s the truth. But it’s not. Let me show you. Here are some things people thought were bombs:
A backpack.
A sack lunch.
A loaf of bread in a brown bag.
A camera.
An e‑cigarette.
A science project about circuits.
A clock.
The story is told through two perspectives: Safiya, an aspiring journalist determined to get to the truth behind the string of threats and attacks on Muslims within her community, and Jawad, a young Iraqi boy who was murdered. Jawad's chapters, while shorter, almost always landed like a punch. Reading his perspective was honestly heartbreaking, and not only because we discover early on that he is dead, long before anyone thinks of his disappearance as more than a possible kidnapping. The discrimination he faced made my blood boil, and I wish incidents like this were fiction. Unfortunately, this is reality for a lot of Muslims living in the supposed lands of the free.
The If a boy hits you, he probably likes you excuse. The If he calls you a bitch, maybe it’s because you rejected him line. Because it’s always, always the girl’s fault, right?
Safiya's perspective was focused more on trying to find the perpetrator behind the attacks, hampered by a school principal who staunchly denies that anything is wrong. The pacing of the mystery is pretty satisfying, and although I called the twist pretty early on, that didn't detract from the story.
There's a mixed media element here, where we get to see news articles and blog posts from different perspectives related to the Islamophobic attacks and Jawad's disappearance. I thought they were interesting until the very end; the last chapter is mostly written in this style, and it became too much for me to enjoy. Each chapter also starts with a mix of facts, truths, alternative facts, and lies. Unfortunately, this didn't work for me. Some of them were very vague, and others were too on the nose.
As is often the case when it comes to books with Muslim characters, I was left wanting more from the representation. There aren't a lot of references to the Muslim characters practicing their faith, and I've lost count of how many fictional Muslim girls end up dating a white, non-Muslim guy.
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, and Murder
reneethebookbird's review
3.75
Graphic: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Child death, Murder, and Hate crime
Moderate: Misogyny
patricia0227's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Islamophobia, Hate crime, and Murder
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Violence, Child death, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Car accident, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Vomit, Murder, and Blood