Reviews with content warning for Racism - Home Is Not a Country

In honour of Celebrate Teen Literature Day (13 April) I thought I’d read a YA book from my TBR. And since it’s also National Poetry month, Home is Not a Country, a YA novel in verse, was the obvious pick. It’s the story of Nima, a Sudanese-American girl who lives with her working class single mother in the suburbs. Thanks to racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia, plus good old teenage angst Nima often feels that she doesn’t belong and wonders what her life would be like if she wasn’t in America. A dash of magical realism allows her to find out, and possibly learn a little bit more about her family history than she might have cared to know. I’m not always a fan of magical realism but I think it worked really well here, allowing Nima to experience at least part of her parents’ past and to learn, in something akin to a first hand way, that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. The style and structure of this book provided a fresh look at some of my favourite themes including immigration, identity, family, friendship, community and mother-daughter relationships. The language managed to be both lush and urgent. Very glad to have read this one.

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bookbuyingwithkatie's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.25

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tinytrashqueen's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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tahsintries's review

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4.5

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prachidayal's review

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adventurous emotional 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? No

4.0

Easy read (1.5 hours)
Some descriptions felt repetitive, line breaks were not very impactful, and the alternative realm plotline was confusing at first.
So moving, I can't place why. So authentically ethnic with a fantasy side that felt metaphorical, not fake. Beautiful imagery that perfectly fits the longing for home.

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onthesamepage's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-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

Since this is a novel in verse, I highly recommend the audiobook, which is narrated by the author.

I don't think this story is very plot-heavy, but it does tackle some difficult issues like racism and Islamophobia. The prose is beautiful; I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if I'd read this physically, though, since I'm not a huge poetry reader in general. If you enjoy Elizabeth Acevedo's books, you might enjoy this one as well.

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sabrinalefebvre's review

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-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? Yes

3.75

This felt like reading a beautiful warm love letter to all mothers who’ve sacrificed so much for their children

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