Scan barcode
A review by yangelareads
Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win by Susan Azim Boyer
slow-paced
3.0
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books.
It is 1979, and Jasmine Zumideh is ready to get the heck out of her stale, Southern California suburb and into her dream school, NYU, where she will major in journalism and cover New York City’s exploding music scene. There is just one teeny problem: Due to a deadline snafu, she maybe said she was Senior Class President-Elect on her application—before the election takes place. But honestly, she is running against Gerald Thomas, a rigid and there is no way she can lose. And she better not, or she will never get into NYU.
But then, a real-life international incident turns the election upside down. Iran suddenly dominates the nightly news, and her opponent seizes the opportunity to stir up anti-Iranian hysteria at school and turn the electorate against her. Her brother, Ali, is no help. He has become an outspoken advocate for Iran just as she is trying to downplay her heritage. Now, as the white lie she told snowballs into an avalanche, Jasmine is stuck between claiming her heritage or hiding it, standing by her outspoken brother or turning her back on him, winning the election or abandoning her dreams for good.
Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win is a fresh, unforgettable story of one Iranian-American young woman’s experience navigating her identity, friendship, family, her future, and a budding romance, all set against life-changing historical events with present-day relevance. I really appreciate the focus of this book on Jasmine, a half-Iranian, half-American high school senior in the late 1970s. This book provided some insight into Iranian culture and history so I was interested to read and learn about the Iranian Hostage Crisis. I think Jasmine was a great character to write about this topic through and the school election really helped drive home the narrative. The author does a great job showing the conflict Jasmine has with reconciling her two heritages, especially when faced with constant belittling and racism from her classmates. It is understandable for Jasmine, a high schooler under immense pressure, to make some questionable choices, but I found that I could never fully warm to her. Most of her decisions frustrated me and felt selfish and immature. However, I really liked the strong female representation. I think this is a great book for any high schoolers ready for a change, or maybe feeling like they do not know themselves.
It is 1979, and Jasmine Zumideh is ready to get the heck out of her stale, Southern California suburb and into her dream school, NYU, where she will major in journalism and cover New York City’s exploding music scene. There is just one teeny problem: Due to a deadline snafu, she maybe said she was Senior Class President-Elect on her application—before the election takes place. But honestly, she is running against Gerald Thomas, a rigid and there is no way she can lose. And she better not, or she will never get into NYU.
But then, a real-life international incident turns the election upside down. Iran suddenly dominates the nightly news, and her opponent seizes the opportunity to stir up anti-Iranian hysteria at school and turn the electorate against her. Her brother, Ali, is no help. He has become an outspoken advocate for Iran just as she is trying to downplay her heritage. Now, as the white lie she told snowballs into an avalanche, Jasmine is stuck between claiming her heritage or hiding it, standing by her outspoken brother or turning her back on him, winning the election or abandoning her dreams for good.
Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win is a fresh, unforgettable story of one Iranian-American young woman’s experience navigating her identity, friendship, family, her future, and a budding romance, all set against life-changing historical events with present-day relevance. I really appreciate the focus of this book on Jasmine, a half-Iranian, half-American high school senior in the late 1970s. This book provided some insight into Iranian culture and history so I was interested to read and learn about the Iranian Hostage Crisis. I think Jasmine was a great character to write about this topic through and the school election really helped drive home the narrative. The author does a great job showing the conflict Jasmine has with reconciling her two heritages, especially when faced with constant belittling and racism from her classmates. It is understandable for Jasmine, a high schooler under immense pressure, to make some questionable choices, but I found that I could never fully warm to her. Most of her decisions frustrated me and felt selfish and immature. However, I really liked the strong female representation. I think this is a great book for any high schoolers ready for a change, or maybe feeling like they do not know themselves.