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2.69 AVERAGE
2.69 AVERAGE
I had wanted to read this during Ramadan, but I'm a bit late. The main character is a bit self-centered and vain, but she definitely grows up throughout the book. I did learn some things about the Muslim religion, and it's always good to read about other cultures.
I saw this on the shelf at the library and realized I had never heard of this one so I picked it up. Ugh. I am not Muslim, but by this time have read quite a few books by and about Muslims. This one is not the one I'd recommend if someone wants a book about Ramadan or a book with a Muslim main character. Before even dealing with the Muslim representation, the writing seems very forced and contrived. This includes the dialogue, but the writing also is fairly simplistic and the plot is very predictable throughout.
Next, the weight issue. Almira complains about her weight and this is a huge deal for her and yay - Ramadan is helping her lose weight. What? Let's just say body positivity is not a part of this book.
Also, the characters are very flat. Her best friend is boy obsessed and academically unintelligent. That's really all we know. Her grandfather is more nuanced, but not by much. He calls any annoying woman a prostitute. He's cantankerous, more conservative religiously than her parents and smacks his car into trash cans & mailboxes. All we know about her mom is that she is more forward thinking than her parent's generation, she super attractive to men & she exercises pretty much all day.
Finally, I know there are many ways to live life as a Muslim, but there is not much here that would lead anyone to believe that there is a good reason to be Muslim. Of all the characters in the book, I'm not sure if any of them made it seem like Islam was a good thing except the one mosque experience. I'm not sure how to explain this better. I was bothered by many things in the book and had these thoughts before writing my review, but scrolling through Goodreads reviews, it seems this book maybe went over better with people unfamiliar with Islam and many reviews only confirmed what I had felt while reading.
Books that do it better: The Lines We Cross & Love from A to Z
Next, the weight issue. Almira complains about her weight and this is a huge deal for her and yay - Ramadan is helping her lose weight. What? Let's just say body positivity is not a part of this book.
Also, the characters are very flat. Her best friend is boy obsessed and academically unintelligent. That's really all we know. Her grandfather is more nuanced, but not by much. He calls any annoying woman a prostitute. He's cantankerous, more conservative religiously than her parents and smacks his car into trash cans & mailboxes. All we know about her mom is that she is more forward thinking than her parent's generation, she super attractive to men & she exercises pretty much all day.
Finally, I know there are many ways to live life as a Muslim, but there is not much here that would lead anyone to believe that there is a good reason to be Muslim. Of all the characters in the book, I'm not sure if any of them made it seem like Islam was a good thing except the one mosque experience. I'm not sure how to explain this better. I was bothered by many things in the book and had these thoughts before writing my review, but scrolling through Goodreads reviews, it seems this book maybe went over better with people unfamiliar with Islam and many reviews only confirmed what I had felt while reading.
Books that do it better: The Lines We Cross & Love from A to Z
I finished this book last night. I thought it was a really entertaining read, and yet at times I was just mildly disgruntled by main character Almira's self-centred behaviour...and also the awkward moments relating to her stalking of Peter because they reminded me a little bit of myself in high school. haha. I saw another review where someone mentioned thinking the author had tried too hard to make her character teen-like. But I did recognise my own high school behaviour in quite a few of the scenes featuring Almira. Of course, I never would have gone after a guy my friends liked, but I did occasionally stalk boys I liked (though I did this with my friends in tow, never on my own. haha). I think the two scenes that struck the most horror into me though were those in which Almira 1) steals Peter's bookbag and 2) rips his drawing out of his art pad. Oh my god! Those were truly blasphemous moments and things I never would have done, particularly as an art student myself who understands the importance of one's own artwork.
Almira did have a reason for stealing the picture - it was a picture of Lisa, her best friend who she had mildly backstabbed, by the boy that both of them are in love with. So when I finally figured out she had at least some reason to steal it, I forgave her...a tiny bit. Still, the moment when she took the picture was one that made my jaw drop and me exclaim in dismay that she could do such a thing.
I think my favourite part of this story was Almira interacting with her family. They were entertaining, and I think I was especially amused by the grandfather how he would knock something over with his car every time he visited - almost like it was a ritual. I enjoyed his dialogue even though he's definitely not my kind of bloke when it comes to expectations he has of women. But I understand that it's cultural and I found him an entertaining character anyway.
I wasn't sure about the way the story ended, as it almost seemed like a non-conclusion. In a way I guess there wasn't any other way I could have seen it ending, but it did seem to almost peter away. I was proud of Almira for managing to get through Ramadan, and yet I was a bit unsure that the message that "I got through Ramadan and now I'm skinny - I rock!" was the one I was hoping for. I think Almira did see the other side of it - committing to something and seeing it through, and coming to appreciate her family more. But I wonder if she was mostly excited that she'd managed to get skinny and get herself a boyfriend, because of Ramadan.
Almira's a funny narrator and I think even by the end she's quite clueless in a way, but I guess that's part of what makes her entertaining.
Anyway, those are just some thoughts. All in all I'll say I was really entertained by Medeia Sharif's writing, even if sometimes I felt quite a bit of distaste for particular decisions Almira made.
Almira did have a reason for stealing the picture - it was a picture of Lisa, her best friend who she had mildly backstabbed, by the boy that both of them are in love with. So when I finally figured out she had at least some reason to steal it, I forgave her...a tiny bit. Still, the moment when she took the picture was one that made my jaw drop and me exclaim in dismay that she could do such a thing.
I think my favourite part of this story was Almira interacting with her family. They were entertaining, and I think I was especially amused by the grandfather how he would knock something over with his car every time he visited - almost like it was a ritual. I enjoyed his dialogue even though he's definitely not my kind of bloke when it comes to expectations he has of women. But I understand that it's cultural and I found him an entertaining character anyway.
I wasn't sure about the way the story ended, as it almost seemed like a non-conclusion. In a way I guess there wasn't any other way I could have seen it ending, but it did seem to almost peter away. I was proud of Almira for managing to get through Ramadan, and yet I was a bit unsure that the message that "I got through Ramadan and now I'm skinny - I rock!" was the one I was hoping for. I think Almira did see the other side of it - committing to something and seeing it through, and coming to appreciate her family more. But I wonder if she was mostly excited that she'd managed to get skinny and get herself a boyfriend, because of Ramadan.
Almira's a funny narrator and I think even by the end she's quite clueless in a way, but I guess that's part of what makes her entertaining.
Anyway, those are just some thoughts. All in all I'll say I was really entertained by Medeia Sharif's writing, even if sometimes I felt quite a bit of distaste for particular decisions Almira made.
I had a few issues reading this book - mostly the tone of "shallow child who thinks she's deep" that never really goes away and some oddly stilted dialogue.
However, I still enjoyed the book, thought it was well done, and it was a fascinating insight into an American teenager's experience as a Muslim. Although I would love to hear from others about it's accuracy.
However, I still enjoyed the book, thought it was well done, and it was a fascinating insight into an American teenager's experience as a Muslim. Although I would love to hear from others about it's accuracy.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. is a story about a 15 year old girl named Almira and her struggles during Ramadan. Almira is a Muslim, so during Ramadan she has to fast until sun down, can't have a boyfriend, and her grandpa is pretty traditional.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. is Sharif's first book ever and it certainly shows. The story is written in first person POV, but that is no excuse for the amount of rambling that is prevalent throughout the book. On a positive note, I could really get a sense that Almira was a Muslim struggling between her religion and her own desires around the last third of the book.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. is not the most impressive read and Medeia Sharif has room to grow. There is definitely potential for narratives about American Muslims, but she fell just a bit too short of her goal.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. is Sharif's first book ever and it certainly shows. The story is written in first person POV, but that is no excuse for the amount of rambling that is prevalent throughout the book. On a positive note, I could really get a sense that Almira was a Muslim struggling between her religion and her own desires around the last third of the book.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. is not the most impressive read and Medeia Sharif has room to grow. There is definitely potential for narratives about American Muslims, but she fell just a bit too short of her goal.
I saw this on the shelf at the library and realized I had never heard of this one so I picked it up. Ugh. I am not Muslim, but by this time have read quite a few books by and about Muslims. This one is not the one I'd recommend if someone wants a book about Ramadan or a book with a Muslim main character. Before even dealing with the Muslim representation, the writing seems very forced and contrived. This includes the dialogue, but the writing also is fairly simplistic and the plot is very predictable throughout.
Next, the weight issue. Almira complains about her weight and this is a huge deal for her and yay - Ramadan is helping her lose weight. What? Let's just say body positivity is not a part of this book.
Also, the characters are very flat. Her best friend is boy obsessed and academically unintelligent. That's really all we know. Her grandfather is more nuanced, but not by much. He calls any annoying woman a prostitute. He's cantankerous, more conservative religiously than her parents and smacks his car into trash cans & mailboxes. All we know about her mom is that she is more forward thinking than her parent's generation, she super attractive to men & she exercises pretty much all day.
Finally, I know there are many ways to live life as a Muslim, but there is not much here that would lead anyone to believe that there is a good reason to be Muslim. Of all the characters in the book, I'm not sure if any of them made it seem like Islam was a good thing except the one mosque experience. I'm not sure how to explain this better. I was bothered by many things in the book and had these thoughts before writing my review, but scrolling through Goodreads reviews, it seems this book maybe went over better with people unfamiliar with Islam and many reviews only confirmed what I had felt while reading.
Books that do it better: The Lines We Cross & Love from A to Z
Next, the weight issue. Almira complains about her weight and this is a huge deal for her and yay - Ramadan is helping her lose weight. What? Let's just say body positivity is not a part of this book.
Also, the characters are very flat. Her best friend is boy obsessed and academically unintelligent. That's really all we know. Her grandfather is more nuanced, but not by much. He calls any annoying woman a prostitute. He's cantankerous, more conservative religiously than her parents and smacks his car into trash cans & mailboxes. All we know about her mom is that she is more forward thinking than her parent's generation, she super attractive to men & she exercises pretty much all day.
Finally, I know there are many ways to live life as a Muslim, but there is not much here that would lead anyone to believe that there is a good reason to be Muslim. Of all the characters in the book, I'm not sure if any of them made it seem like Islam was a good thing except the one mosque experience. I'm not sure how to explain this better. I was bothered by many things in the book and had these thoughts before writing my review, but scrolling through Goodreads reviews, it seems this book maybe went over better with people unfamiliar with Islam and many reviews only confirmed what I had felt while reading.
Books that do it better: The Lines We Cross & Love from A to Z
This is a very light read and more appropriate for younger girls but it's the first book I've read with a Muslim protagonist. I usually don't read that kinda thing because I get pretty sick of my own religion sometimes. But I love Ramadan and its really the only religious thing I do. Still though, the way we go about it and the way its described in this book is very different. For this girl, its all about the food. There's no mention of the other things we should abstain from in order for our fast to be valid. I really don't know if this is a cultural difference of if for some Muslims it really is just about food. But I enjoyed the honesty of some aspects of this book. I enjoy losing a few pounds in Ramadan too, I have that folder of hot guys I would never let anyone in my family see...and of course, the slightly deeper issues, the 'jokes' about finding a husband for me, the fear that if I fall in love with a non-Muslim or even a Muslim my family doesn't approve of that it would destroy my relationship with my parents.
Anyway, all in all this is a good book for teen girls. 3 stars.
Anyway, all in all this is a good book for teen girls. 3 stars.
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever by Medeia Sharif follows Almira a Muslim girl who is trying to have her first successful Ramadan fast. The members of Almira's family differ in how devout they are from her grandfather disapproving of anything American to Almira herself who appreciates her heritage but also wants to be able to have a boyfriend and wear makeup. The story follows Almira through her month of Ramadan while she tries to balance her families traditions with the American lifestyle that her friends have.
This is a cute and funny book about an immigrant trying to make sense out of the complex world that she lives in. Trying to figure out how to be Muslim enough for her parents but American enough for herself. The book doesn't do a great job at showing readers what it's like to be an Islamic teenager. Islam and her families culture is seen more as a burden and the reader isn't given many positive aspects of the religion to balance out the negatives. However, I loved Almira and was engrossed in her story and finished the book quickly. The author did a fantastic job at creating characters that the reader cares about and there are lots of funny moments in the book (like the comments that her English teachers writes on her daily journal entries).
Appropriateness: There is not any adult content in this book. This is a light hearted fun contemporary novel that will be enjoyed by readers 11+
This is a cute and funny book about an immigrant trying to make sense out of the complex world that she lives in. Trying to figure out how to be Muslim enough for her parents but American enough for herself. The book doesn't do a great job at showing readers what it's like to be an Islamic teenager. Islam and her families culture is seen more as a burden and the reader isn't given many positive aspects of the religion to balance out the negatives. However, I loved Almira and was engrossed in her story and finished the book quickly. The author did a fantastic job at creating characters that the reader cares about and there are lots of funny moments in the book (like the comments that her English teachers writes on her daily journal entries).
Appropriateness: There is not any adult content in this book. This is a light hearted fun contemporary novel that will be enjoyed by readers 11+
full review will be published elsewhere...but this one is a mixed bag
I really enjoyed this!! Medeia does a great job showcasing an almost-16-year-old trying to cope with her religion, her family (Grandpa is a riot!), her friends and her crush. It was a ton of fun watching Almira learn and grow (sometimes the hard way) throughout the book. A great read!