Scan barcode
madameroyale's review against another edition
5.0
I did not expect this book to make me so emotional on so many different fronts, but here we are. Koya is doing ALL the work here and it is superb. I was even interested in the scientific subplots! Man, oh man, I really loved this book.
yemyemhaha's review against another edition
2.0
*لا تتوفر نسخة عربية
OK... I had such high expectations for this book, but unfortunately, it was a total let-down. As I understood from the book summary, this was supposed to be a story about identity, Islam, and culture. Instead, I found characters who drink alcohol, eat pork, don't believe in God, know nothing about their culture! The only thing they have is Islamic names and serious issues! Amina was a total "feelings suppresser" and keeps shutting her thoughts out. The family was destroyed and distanced, and that is the opposite of what most standard Asian families are. I don't want to rant more about it
OK... I had such high expectations for this book, but unfortunately, it was a total let-down. As I understood from the book summary, this was supposed to be a story about identity, Islam, and culture. Instead, I found characters who drink alcohol, eat pork, don't believe in God, know nothing about their culture! The only thing they have is Islamic names and serious issues! Amina was a total "feelings suppresser" and keeps shutting her thoughts out. The family was destroyed and distanced, and that is the opposite of what most standard Asian families are. I don't want to rant more about it
kelseysreads's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this one (though if you’re looking for a lighthearted story, this isn’t it). Set a few years after 9/11, Amina is a scientist who takes a postdoc position in Washington DC to be near her brother and his family, including her nephew, 11 year old Omar. We see the impact of Islamophobia and racism in the US, as well as the struggles of what it means to be a second- and third-gen immigrant; how does identity work if you feel pulled between two cultures?
I read some very negative reviews from Muslim reviewers online and I feel the need to say that the characters in this book are not observant Muslims- they are secular Muslims, just like the author was. But as the story shows, racists don’t care if you go to mosque or not if your name is Mohammad. I think there is a lot of value in the experiences Koya depicts in this novel, and it calls for an examination of how much work we still need to do as a society.
I read some very negative reviews from Muslim reviewers online and I feel the need to say that the characters in this book are not observant Muslims- they are secular Muslims, just like the author was. But as the story shows, racists don’t care if you go to mosque or not if your name is Mohammad. I think there is a lot of value in the experiences Koya depicts in this novel, and it calls for an examination of how much work we still need to do as a society.
meandmyshelf's review against another edition
5.0
oh,you guys. this book. perfection. utmost perfection.
being an indian myself,reading about an indian muslim family in a post 9/11 america,it just hit close to heart. there were moments i just wanted to put down the book and weep.
the writing,the story,the FEELS...ahh guys just read it okay.
sorry for this mess of a review. i still need time to get over it.
this is why we should read more ownvoices. these books get us.
being an indian myself,reading about an indian muslim family in a post 9/11 america,it just hit close to heart. there were moments i just wanted to put down the book and weep.
the writing,the story,the FEELS...ahh guys just read it okay.
sorry for this mess of a review. i still need time to get over it.
this is why we should read more ownvoices. these books get us.
shaguftap's review against another edition
4.0
I was gifted a copy of this book by Net Galley and this is a book that hooked me from the first page. Once I started it was hard to stop. The book is an examination of career, love, family, parenting, Islamophobia and identity and how these things show up intimately in our relationships and imprint on our lives. The characters in this book do not hold religious identities themselves, but their names suggest otherwise, and so the author shows powerfully how xenophobia and Islamophobia impacts a person independent from their religious identity.
The most powerful of this story was the characters - and I completely fell in love with its protagonists, Amina a new postdoc in Washington DC, and her 11 year old nephew Omar. Above all else, this book feels like a love story about that love between an aunt and her nephew and I highly highly recommend!
The most powerful of this story was the characters - and I completely fell in love with its protagonists, Amina a new postdoc in Washington DC, and her 11 year old nephew Omar. Above all else, this book feels like a love story about that love between an aunt and her nephew and I highly highly recommend!
slbeckmann's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to the author, Forest Avenue Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great read, and much more nuanced than I was expecting. Yes, the disconnect between cultural and racial stereotypes being applied to those that know no other culture than the one trying to set them apart, was a big topic. But the emotional cost of human relationships, the gender issues involved in taking a different path than the expectations of others would put upon you, the hope of belonging and being happy... all a part of this family saga, and all done so well. Both of the main characters, Amina and her nephew Omar, are complex and so well-drawn - this is not necessarily the case for secondary characters, but these two carry the book. There are no easy, pat answers given, and the ending leaves things open - but still manages to satisfy. Highly recommended!
This was a great read, and much more nuanced than I was expecting. Yes, the disconnect between cultural and racial stereotypes being applied to those that know no other culture than the one trying to set them apart, was a big topic. But the emotional cost of human relationships, the gender issues involved in taking a different path than the expectations of others would put upon you, the hope of belonging and being happy... all a part of this family saga, and all done so well. Both of the main characters, Amina and her nephew Omar, are complex and so well-drawn - this is not necessarily the case for secondary characters, but these two carry the book. There are no easy, pat answers given, and the ending leaves things open - but still manages to satisfy. Highly recommended!
daniellemedina's review against another edition
3.0
"The Royal Abduls" is the story of an Indian-American family living in Washington DC immediately post-9/11 and is told from two POVs, that of Amina, a botanical scientist who is the daughter of immigrants, and Omar, her 11-year-old nephew who yearns to know more about his heritage. Through their experiences and those of the people around them, the author tackles themes of identity, racism, anti-Muslim sentiment, gender discrimination, family dynamics, and finding balance in one's life.
I was immediately drawn in by the premise of this book but something about it didn't click for me. I never felt like I understood why the characters were behaving the way they did and it was hard for me to care about them when their motivations seemed so confusing. I did appreciate the author's writing and the different perspective she offered on the American experience - I just wish it had been with more depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forest Avenue Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I was immediately drawn in by the premise of this book but something about it didn't click for me. I never felt like I understood why the characters were behaving the way they did and it was hard for me to care about them when their motivations seemed so confusing. I did appreciate the author's writing and the different perspective she offered on the American experience - I just wish it had been with more depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forest Avenue Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
jonbar94's review against another edition
5.0
I got an ARC of this rad lil’ novel, and damn it’s such a good read. It balances serious racist crap brown folks deal with in the USA with a fun dramatic story. The two characters at the center of this novel are 100% lovable and it was so nice to spend time with them in this book.
fatima17's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc.
First of all, I did go into the book expecting the characters to be Muslim. From the names, I did think that. However, discovering that Amina was an atheist was not actually a problem. The book was slightly all over the piece but perhaps that reflected the inner turmoil and confusion that the characters were going through. I found it very interesting that the narration switched between Amina and Omar. It made for interesting reading to read between Omar who is trying to find his way as a young boy caught between many different identities and Amina who is older and somewhat successful but is still having those struggles. I found Amina to be fascinating as she represents that struggle of wanting to live life on her own terms but still being bound by the same cultural restraints even if she doesn't recognise it.
I would have liked Mo's character to be given a little more nuance. It felt that only after the big event happened to me we find out more about it and his own struggles.
Overall, I felt like the book did a good job of explaining the struggles of being caught in a post 9/11 world as a person of colour and what that means.
First of all, I did go into the book expecting the characters to be Muslim. From the names, I did think that. However, discovering that Amina was an atheist was not actually a problem. The book was slightly all over the piece but perhaps that reflected the inner turmoil and confusion that the characters were going through. I found it very interesting that the narration switched between Amina and Omar. It made for interesting reading to read between Omar who is trying to find his way as a young boy caught between many different identities and Amina who is older and somewhat successful but is still having those struggles. I found Amina to be fascinating as she represents that struggle of wanting to live life on her own terms but still being bound by the same cultural restraints even if she doesn't recognise it.
I would have liked Mo's character to be given a little more nuance. It felt that only after the big event happened to me we find out more about it and his own struggles.
Overall, I felt like the book did a good job of explaining the struggles of being caught in a post 9/11 world as a person of colour and what that means.
fazila's review against another edition
4.0
Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Forest Avenue Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Royal Abduls By Ramiza Shamoun Koya is a fantastic book that portrays the islamophobia, anti-muslim sentiment, and bigotry against people of color post 9/11 America in a realistic fashion. I had this book on my TBR for the longest time and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a very important book and deals with a lot of social and political issues prevalent to this day. My first impression on reading the synopsis was that it was going to be about a practicing Muslim woman's experience and her struggles in the post 9/11 climate. But reading on I realized that the family had a Muslim background but had forfeited their faith a long time ago. While the anti-muslim sentiment is what shapes the story and propels it forward in a lot of ways, the fact that they were not even practicing Islam was disconcerting. I want to reiterate the fact that this is not the story of Muslims or an Own Voices representation of Muslims. This is the story of the experiences and struggles faced by a second-generation Indian American family in the US. Going into the book knowing this will help you enjoy it and not be confused by the actions of the characters that contradict the faith. The story is told from the two main character's perspectives. One is an Evolutionary Biologist Amina and the other is her young nephew Omar. These perspectives help build the story and take us on a journey through their lives where they each grapple with family situations, racism, islamophobia, prejudice, and workplace tensions. While Omar strives to blend in and live a normal life a young boy with brown skin and a Muslim name, Amina deals with workplace tensions, love life problems, and family issues. I enjoyed reading this book and following Amina and Omar as they navigated the reality of being brown and having a Muslim name in the US. The wide array of topics that can be used for discussion from this book are so many and I am glad I was able to see the problems through Amina and Omar's viewpoint. If you enjoy literary fiction that talks about some of the more serious social topics and tackles subjects like anti-Muslim sentiment, cultural heritage, assimilation of people with ethnic backgrounds to avoid prejudice this will be a good read for you. I gave the book 4.5 stars and I highly recommend checking it out. Keep in mind this is not a story about Muslims, but people who came from a Muslim background who don't practice the faith and are living a secular lifestyle.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Forest Avenue Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Royal Abduls By Ramiza Shamoun Koya is a fantastic book that portrays the islamophobia, anti-muslim sentiment, and bigotry against people of color post 9/11 America in a realistic fashion. I had this book on my TBR for the longest time and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a very important book and deals with a lot of social and political issues prevalent to this day. My first impression on reading the synopsis was that it was going to be about a practicing Muslim woman's experience and her struggles in the post 9/11 climate. But reading on I realized that the family had a Muslim background but had forfeited their faith a long time ago. While the anti-muslim sentiment is what shapes the story and propels it forward in a lot of ways, the fact that they were not even practicing Islam was disconcerting. I want to reiterate the fact that this is not the story of Muslims or an Own Voices representation of Muslims. This is the story of the experiences and struggles faced by a second-generation Indian American family in the US. Going into the book knowing this will help you enjoy it and not be confused by the actions of the characters that contradict the faith. The story is told from the two main character's perspectives. One is an Evolutionary Biologist Amina and the other is her young nephew Omar. These perspectives help build the story and take us on a journey through their lives where they each grapple with family situations, racism, islamophobia, prejudice, and workplace tensions. While Omar strives to blend in and live a normal life a young boy with brown skin and a Muslim name, Amina deals with workplace tensions, love life problems, and family issues. I enjoyed reading this book and following Amina and Omar as they navigated the reality of being brown and having a Muslim name in the US. The wide array of topics that can be used for discussion from this book are so many and I am glad I was able to see the problems through Amina and Omar's viewpoint. If you enjoy literary fiction that talks about some of the more serious social topics and tackles subjects like anti-Muslim sentiment, cultural heritage, assimilation of people with ethnic backgrounds to avoid prejudice this will be a good read for you. I gave the book 4.5 stars and I highly recommend checking it out. Keep in mind this is not a story about Muslims, but people who came from a Muslim background who don't practice the faith and are living a secular lifestyle.