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amandalyn's review
4.0
I mean Mari has a beautiful writing style and that didn’t change from fantasy to contemporary. I was fairly young when 9/11 happened, and I knew of course the ramifications for so many Muslim Americans, but this book was so poignant and heartbreaking to read. I can’t imagine going through what Shirin went through, all on top of just trying to be a teenager going through her first real love. It was a very good novel. The only criticism is that some areas felt rushed or skipped over, but they weren’t that often.
jess_mango's review
4.0
A YA novel dealing with a muslim-American teenager facing islamophobia & xenophobia the year after 9/11. Shirin is the female lead in this story and she is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She wears a hijab despite the fact that it exposes her to islamaphobia/xenophobia more than if she didn't wear it.
This book was a nice follow up read for me to 2 other books that I read earlier in 2019: Love Hate & Other Filters and First Comes Marriage. Both of these also dealt with Muslim females who were born and raised in the U.S. by immigrant parents and the "conflict" of the family's traditions vs. American culture.
This book was a nice follow up read for me to 2 other books that I read earlier in 2019: Love Hate & Other Filters and First Comes Marriage. Both of these also dealt with Muslim females who were born and raised in the U.S. by immigrant parents and the "conflict" of the family's traditions vs. American culture.
dumb_library's review
4.0
My frail heart. I loved this book so much. It was heartbreaking, but such an important read. I loved reading from the main character’s perspective. I loved all of the characters and felt super connected to everyone. Also, I would kill for Ocean.
themichellegray's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I don't have any words that could do this book justice; the writing is absolutely beautiful and the story will shatter your heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Islamophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence and Gaslighting
margereadsanotherbook's review
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
3.75
ameliabedeliaaa's review
4.25
Mafi's writing is so easy to read, and the themes discussed here are so so important. Shirin is such a strong and interesting character, and I really appreciated her growth over the course of the book
jess_is_currentlyreading's review against another edition
4.0
surprisingly loved this book had me kicking my feet haha
janagaton's review
4.0
The conversations about racism towards the Middle Eastern community in this book was heartbreaking to read about, and that's why this book is so important. The only reason it's 4 stars as opposed to 5 is because I think I'm getting too old to enjoy reading about high school romances anymore lol. Other than that, I loved that our main character had such a unique combination of interests (breakdancing & fashion), and I enjoyed the subtlety of the humor sprinkled throughout the novel. The multiple storylines touching upon deeper concepts such as not only racism but also sexism, the pressures that come with being an athlete, dealing with bad friendships, having an unstable relationship with a parent, are all incorporated into one book very well.
readwithkiekie's review
4.0
The first time I read this book I believed it was a little bit insta love but after rereading it I’d have to disagree. While the pacing of the book is quick, the story does flow through time pretty quickly making Ocean and Shirin’s relationship appear more insta love.
The writing honestly isn’t my favourite, it’s short and choppy. Tells you what happens rather than showing us, so it keeps you at arms length from forming a proper connection.
The writing honestly isn’t my favourite, it’s short and choppy. Tells you what happens rather than showing us, so it keeps you at arms length from forming a proper connection.
drridareads's review
5.0
EDIT: I JUST SAW TAHERAH MAFI'S INSTAGRAM STORY AND THERE WAS A SCREENPLAY. ONE OF MY FAVE BOOKS AND A BOOK WITH A MUSLIM HIJABI CHARACTER IS GONNA BE ADAPTED. SUFFICE IT TO SAY MY MUSLIM HEART IS SCREAMING WITH JOY. FIRST ONCE UPON AN EID THEN THIS.