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books_with_tutusandsons 's review for:
A Very Large Expanse of Sea
by Tahereh Mafi
3.5/4
I finished this book the other day and I still need to wrap my head around it. It is interesting. It is romantic and easy to read. It is bittersweet and so sad. And it is also too much. Too much of everything mixed into a story that should be a simple story about love. ⠀
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My high school years were ages ago. Damn, if were gonna count the years, more years has passed since finishing it than I had when I was graduating from it. But I still remember what being 16 feels like. How chaotic. How confusing. How exhilarating. That is why I always admire YA characters that seem so stable, so smart, so in order. The main character of this book - Shirin has a reason why, though. Her family moves almost every year. She has to adapt to new surroundings all the time. And she has learned that its easier to do it just shutting everyone out. Being a muslim in America after 9/11 is not helping her either. Same as her wearing a hijab.⠀
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And then she mets Ocean. A boy so opposite of her in most ways...open, honest, popular. And white. Ofc, they fall in love.⠀
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I loved their chemistry. I loved their story. I loved how Mafi through the eyes of Shirin showed how nothing matters but love. But also how things can get complicated. How people can be rude. Racist. Intoxicating. She opened my eyes about how often we make conclusions up front, and how first thoughts on seeing a girl in hijab for most of us will be the ones about her religion and not about her personality. She made us see that a girl is just a girl. Ordinary, foolish, curious girl, that just wants to feel loved and appreciated.⠀
⠀
That is what I loved about this book. And what I didnt? At moments its inconsistency and in general, too many teen stuff. I get it, its a YA book. Maybe Im just too old for that
I finished this book the other day and I still need to wrap my head around it. It is interesting. It is romantic and easy to read. It is bittersweet and so sad. And it is also too much. Too much of everything mixed into a story that should be a simple story about love. ⠀
⠀
My high school years were ages ago. Damn, if were gonna count the years, more years has passed since finishing it than I had when I was graduating from it. But I still remember what being 16 feels like. How chaotic. How confusing. How exhilarating. That is why I always admire YA characters that seem so stable, so smart, so in order. The main character of this book - Shirin has a reason why, though. Her family moves almost every year. She has to adapt to new surroundings all the time. And she has learned that its easier to do it just shutting everyone out. Being a muslim in America after 9/11 is not helping her either. Same as her wearing a hijab.⠀
⠀
And then she mets Ocean. A boy so opposite of her in most ways...open, honest, popular. And white. Ofc, they fall in love.⠀
⠀
I loved their chemistry. I loved their story. I loved how Mafi through the eyes of Shirin showed how nothing matters but love. But also how things can get complicated. How people can be rude. Racist. Intoxicating. She opened my eyes about how often we make conclusions up front, and how first thoughts on seeing a girl in hijab for most of us will be the ones about her religion and not about her personality. She made us see that a girl is just a girl. Ordinary, foolish, curious girl, that just wants to feel loved and appreciated.⠀
⠀
That is what I loved about this book. And what I didnt? At moments its inconsistency and in general, too many teen stuff. I get it, its a YA book. Maybe Im just too old for that