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A review by thatonebookdragon
Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this before publication.
The story was heartfelt and sad all at once. With the Islamic Center being scheduled for being demolished, you feel for the Muslim people in the story. The fact that it was one of the only Islamic Centers around several towns really brought in how underrepresented the Muslim community felt. It’s something that definitely still happens and does call for a lot of thought. So watching Tiwa and Said try so hard to protect the community center was inspiring and made you want to join the fight.
As of this year, Four Eids and a Funeral has been my favorite thus far. By the end, you really understand what it means by Four Eids and a Funeral. There was never a moment I wanted to put the book down. I felt the anger of the main characters, the grief, the happiness, and the victory. Not often do I feel like I am part of a journey, but this story lets you in–lets you see a culture that you may or may not be a part of and you fall in love with it. I definitely plan to buy this book upon the release as I just have to have it as a re-read. And I also listened to the audiobook. The dual narration really cemented the love I have for the main characters. I had to keep reminding myself this is a fiction book because I was so wrapped up in Tiwa’s narrator–she set the mood truly! I felt the heaviness Tiwa held and the crushing grief and hurt when her community aunties seemed against her because of the color of her skin, but at the same time the love she has for her community was never ending.
The story was heartfelt and sad all at once. With the Islamic Center being scheduled for being demolished, you feel for the Muslim people in the story. The fact that it was one of the only Islamic Centers around several towns really brought in how underrepresented the Muslim community felt. It’s something that definitely still happens and does call for a lot of thought. So watching Tiwa and Said try so hard to protect the community center was inspiring and made you want to join the fight.
As of this year, Four Eids and a Funeral has been my favorite thus far. By the end, you really understand what it means by Four Eids and a Funeral. There was never a moment I wanted to put the book down. I felt the anger of the main characters, the grief, the happiness, and the victory. Not often do I feel like I am part of a journey, but this story lets you in–lets you see a culture that you may or may not be a part of and you fall in love with it. I definitely plan to buy this book upon the release as I just have to have it as a re-read. And I also listened to the audiobook. The dual narration really cemented the love I have for the main characters. I had to keep reminding myself this is a fiction book because I was so wrapped up in Tiwa’s narrator–she set the mood truly! I felt the heaviness Tiwa held and the crushing grief and hurt when her community aunties seemed against her because of the color of her skin, but at the same time the love she has for her community was never ending.