A review by missbookiverse
An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

4.0

Don't be fooled by the title. An Emotion of Great Delight offers a glimpse into the post 9/11 daily routine of a Muslim teenage girl who's life is falling apart. Shadi mourns the death of a family member while also dealing with her (sometimes physically, sometimes mentally) absent parents, feelings of anger and sadness, a toxic friendship, racist attacks and micro aggressions, school work, and keeping herself fed and getting enough sleep. She's at the limit of her strength and the flowery prose lays bare her raw insides. It hurts to listen but her story is not without hope. She finds courage in her faith and some unexpected people in her life, one of which leads to a very explosive kissing scene. It's a short novel and Shadi's problems aren't solved at the end of it but I highly enjoyed being granted this small insight.