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A review by seaofthesun14
Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos
3.0
Being that the book was inspired by true events, many Muslim Americans living in the U.S. after September 11 can relate to the characters in the story because they are authentically portrayed and their experiences realistically reflect the experiences several Muslim Americans lived through. After her father is detained in the U.S. for having an expired visa, Nadira Hossain and her older sister, Aisha, are separated from their parents and have no choice to but to go on with their lives as they try to seek a solution to reunite their family once again. Being that they are Muslim Americans on expired visas, they conceal their immigration status and their father’s detainment, primarily because many now considered Muslim Americans as being terrorists and dangerous people. Since the story is set shortly after September 11, the events that transpire in the story are consistent with what actually occurred in the U.S. at that time. Several cultural markers are brought out to make this point such as, the attitudes of several Americans toward Muslim Americans as well as the Homeland Security Patriot Act that required all men over 18 years old to register, especially if their country of origin was Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.
In regards to the Muslim American culture, the story is rich in cultural details with lots of words and phrases in their native language as well as references to holidays, attire, food, and objects like Ramadan, Allah, Pohela Boishakh (the Bengali New Year), saris, kurtas, polao, biryani, pooris, alu gobi, and moori. Through these details along with the experiences underscored in the story, readers are able to catch a glimpse of the lives of Muslim Americans. Furthermore, besides these cultural details, readers are able to reflect on their own perceptions of Muslim Americans and Middle Easterners to determine whether the media’s portrayals of people from these cultural groups have affected their perceptions. For these reasons, I highly recommend this captivating story that was inspired by true events.
In regards to the Muslim American culture, the story is rich in cultural details with lots of words and phrases in their native language as well as references to holidays, attire, food, and objects like Ramadan, Allah, Pohela Boishakh (the Bengali New Year), saris, kurtas, polao, biryani, pooris, alu gobi, and moori. Through these details along with the experiences underscored in the story, readers are able to catch a glimpse of the lives of Muslim Americans. Furthermore, besides these cultural details, readers are able to reflect on their own perceptions of Muslim Americans and Middle Easterners to determine whether the media’s portrayals of people from these cultural groups have affected their perceptions. For these reasons, I highly recommend this captivating story that was inspired by true events.