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A review by smalltownbookmom
Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan
4.0
A queer, Muslim coming of age story that sheds a humanizing light on the immigration crisis in America. Zara is a bisexual, 17-year-old Pakistani immigrant living in Texas and waiting for her and her family to get their permanent resident cards. She moved to America as a young child when her father got a job working as a Pediatrician but an Islamophobic hate crime drags their family's immigration status into question and Zara is forced to choose between a future in America alone or a life with her family in a country that does not tolerate people like her. This story sheds an important light on the shortcomings of the American immigration system in an accessible way for teens and is also an important look at the struggles faced by immigrant families, queer teens and all those dealing with racism on a daily basis. Highly recommend!
Favorite quotes:
"I exist in a sort of no man's land. I wasn't born here but I don't remember much of Pakistan and I can't imagine what my life would be like if I still lived there."
"We can do everything the right way, follow all the rules, work hard but ultimately it all comes down to hoping things will work out - hoping that the next ignorant racist doesn't do even more damage. Somehow I cannot allow myself to hope that things will always be like this. They have to change - I have to make sure of it."
"I come from a culture that can be ultra conservative about certain things, and a country where being bisexual could land me in jail or worse. But my parents have never made me feel that I've disappointed or embarrassed them in any way. What they have done is accepted me unconditionally and I truly believe they do this because they themselves were shunned for choosing each other and know exactly how it feels to be judged and discriminated against because of who you love."
CW: Islamophobia, hate crimes, gun violence
Favorite quotes:
"I exist in a sort of no man's land. I wasn't born here but I don't remember much of Pakistan and I can't imagine what my life would be like if I still lived there."
"We can do everything the right way, follow all the rules, work hard but ultimately it all comes down to hoping things will work out - hoping that the next ignorant racist doesn't do even more damage. Somehow I cannot allow myself to hope that things will always be like this. They have to change - I have to make sure of it."
"I come from a culture that can be ultra conservative about certain things, and a country where being bisexual could land me in jail or worse. But my parents have never made me feel that I've disappointed or embarrassed them in any way. What they have done is accepted me unconditionally and I truly believe they do this because they themselves were shunned for choosing each other and know exactly how it feels to be judged and discriminated against because of who you love."
CW: Islamophobia, hate crimes, gun violence