A review by bookishreadsandme
My Name Is Salma by Fadia Faqir

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is a very sad, emotional book that explores honour killings, exile and reinventing yourself to fit in with another culture. Salma is forced to escape from her family when she becomes pregnant out of wedlock and her brother is determined to kill her to retain the family’s honour. 

It is a hard hitting, powerful read and it made my heart ache reading about all the dire situations Salma kept getting into. Whether its being in prison, a detention centre, to living with the trauma of having her child taken away from her. Then to everyday situations like trying to get to grips with British culture. 

The narrative is very erratic and multi-layered constantly switching to different stages in Salma’s life. I did find at first hard to keep track of where exactly Salma was at each point in time. However, I did become accustomed to it and I felt it showed you how her life was not a smooth ride but a jumbled chaos. 

The writing is very colourful with the sights, sounds, tastes and smells that Salma encounters described vividly. 

The ending hit me hard, I was left totally gob smacked and I must admit, I had tears in my eyes. This is not an easy read, and the way Salma constantly longs for her child that was taken from her really touched me. 

My Name Is Salma is about the search for identity. An outcast from her own Arab, Muslim identity and an outsider in a Western world.