Reviews

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

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iffer's review

4.0

I enjoyed this. It was a quick read, and it felt, in the best way, like I was just talking to a friend. I'm glad that the author, as they said in an inteview is "not the only one" anymore in terms of stories/memoirs about a queer, religious, brown person, but this is still an important and meaningful memoir for her to have manifested into the world. I appreciate the honestly with with Lamya describes her experiences at the intersections of being queer, Muslim, and an immigrant in ways that are are deceptively succinct yet thoughtful. I didn't feel as if the book is too religious, but rather both a way for Lamya to be accurate in her experiences of making sense of life through the Quran, and to provide metaphors for readers.

mmmsnacks's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

eleeeeleelee's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

A truly fantastic memoir. I did admittedly read this due to the title being so close to stone butch blues (which I loved so much earlier this year), but this book has made its own reputation in my mind. Between gorgeous writing choices, and the decision to use a religious text as the vehicle to push the story forward, this book is seamless, informative, hopeful, and so gratifying. I especially took a lot from the last chapter that discussed when fighting for ourselves serves us and when we take care of ourselves more by taking a breather. I feel like I got to know this author, and I’m glad she’s writing in this world.

chan_bean's review

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5.0

This book is really good.
The best meditation I've ever seen on how faith and reformation can and should be allowed to coincide.
Beautiful!

mikaelawms's review

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hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

mxunsmiley's review

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4.0

Lamya H. you deserve so much more courtesy and respect! I loved reading the complexities of their relationships with the people they loved, tying them to their felt connections with figures in the Quran, and how they inspired them in various points of their life. I also have to say that I'm going to start using "situationship" to describe certain relationships with people... It's thoughtful and insightful, touching on various issues surrounding intimacy and personal safety.

I also think it's a rare case where the conflict between identities (both internally and externally) is treated realistically with so much nuance and acknowledgement that yes, it can get messy and sometimes compromise isn't possible, but there is still refuge and courage to be found in life.

I will say that at times it jumped around time periods too disparately. The organization was probably my least favorite thing about it.