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4.59 AVERAGE
4.59 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
ugly crying as I just finished reading this. I’ll be thinking about this book forever and ever. most beautiful piece of writing and gentle reflection I’ve read to date. ask me about this book in person to hear my review- for I hope my thoughts and feelings around it grow as I grow, and its meaning(s) renewed with the more life I chart for myself with community. love love love
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
“There is an inherent quietness to reading that I hoped would create space for people to absorb, reflect, consider. Or if they shared my views, to feel a little less alone in the crushing powerlessness of pointless fights.” Pg 270
Wow I could write an essay on this book. This book was amazing!! I definitely felt less alone after reading this. As someone who grew up catholic and queer, I saw the similarities in our experience. I was similar to Lamya when I was a student in elementary school and high-school, so it was relatable reading this. I felt seen and validated in many ways reading this, from the racist systems, racism, and homophobia they faced, to what their queerness in sexuality and gender is like. Lamya is a wonderful writer and their story is beautiful, complex and dynamic. I enjoyed reading the parallels of the stories in the Quran and Lamya’s life, as it was written in such an interesting way. I learned a lot through this book.
“It’s completely outside the realm of their imagination that people could be both gay and Muslim, could find freedom and power and solace in both queerness and faith.”Pg 250
I think this book should be a required reading in schools honestly! And everyone should read this book. A lot of times people see queer people of color and only think of stereotypes, but we are multidimensional, and whole people. This book will open and expand a lot of people’s minds. Thank you Lamya for writing this book!
Some quotes that I liked/stood out to me:
“Maryam is a dyke. Isn't it obvious? Doesn't it make sense?” Pg 23
“jinn are not dirty, not nasty, not something others need protection from, just like my brown skin doesn't make me dirty or nasty or something others need protection from. My brown skin and my hijab don't make me less than, don't make white people and light-skinned Arabs better than me. Now I know, I tell myself. Now I need to stop hating jinn. And then I can stop hating myself.” Pg 60
“This person, Adam, the first person created, gendered as both masculine and feminine, created holding both, by a God who is neither. This Adam, from whom came her mate, Hawa.” Pg 73
“my lord expand for me my breast with confidence. and ease me my task. and untie the knot from my tongue. That my speech may be understood.” Pg 96
“You can't make someone listen to you, you can't make someone respect you. You can only respect yourself, and the best way to do that is to enact justice, to live love. For the poor, the blind, the marginalized, those on the outskirts of society, those people who are not in power, those people who are your people, those whom you come from, those who are yours.” Pg 145
Wow I could write an essay on this book. This book was amazing!! I definitely felt less alone after reading this. As someone who grew up catholic and queer, I saw the similarities in our experience. I was similar to Lamya when I was a student in elementary school and high-school, so it was relatable reading this. I felt seen and validated in many ways reading this, from the racist systems, racism, and homophobia they faced, to what their queerness in sexuality and gender is like. Lamya is a wonderful writer and their story is beautiful, complex and dynamic. I enjoyed reading the parallels of the stories in the Quran and Lamya’s life, as it was written in such an interesting way. I learned a lot through this book.
“It’s completely outside the realm of their imagination that people could be both gay and Muslim, could find freedom and power and solace in both queerness and faith.”Pg 250
I think this book should be a required reading in schools honestly! And everyone should read this book. A lot of times people see queer people of color and only think of stereotypes, but we are multidimensional, and whole people. This book will open and expand a lot of people’s minds. Thank you Lamya for writing this book!
Some quotes that I liked/stood out to me:
“Maryam is a dyke. Isn't it obvious? Doesn't it make sense?” Pg 23
“jinn are not dirty, not nasty, not something others need protection from, just like my brown skin doesn't make me dirty or nasty or something others need protection from. My brown skin and my hijab don't make me less than, don't make white people and light-skinned Arabs better than me. Now I know, I tell myself. Now I need to stop hating jinn. And then I can stop hating myself.” Pg 60
“This person, Adam, the first person created, gendered as both masculine and feminine, created holding both, by a God who is neither. This Adam, from whom came her mate, Hawa.” Pg 73
“my lord expand for me my breast with confidence. and ease me my task. and untie the knot from my tongue. That my speech may be understood.” Pg 96
“You can't make someone listen to you, you can't make someone respect you. You can only respect yourself, and the best way to do that is to enact justice, to live love. For the poor, the blind, the marginalized, those on the outskirts of society, those people who are not in power, those people who are your people, those whom you come from, those who are yours.” Pg 145
“I gather my resentment, my fury that there’s nowhere in the world that’s magically free of racism and Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia. I take that burning energy and channel it toward new, different questions: how can I fight injustices in this place where I have community, where I’m choosing to stay? How can I build a life here that feels, rooted in my principles, even if it will never be perfect?” Pg 174
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism
emotional
informative
reflective
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced