A review by dramalitandtech
Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi

5.0

I am going to be absolutely honest: I love novels in verse. Love them, love them, love them. The author-poets of novels in verse are so succinct with their words, yet the words evoke so much beauty, life, tragedy, and the whole gamut of emotions that can be felt. Each and every word, punctuation mark, space on the page must help tell the story. I just finished Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi, after having read her Unsettled earlier this year, and I am convinced that Faruqi is a novel in verse virtuoso. Wow!

Also, honestly, I almost put Golden Girl on my abandoned list except for the promise of the “blurb” on the back of the book. I am so glad I did not abandon. The trajectory of the plot changed with “The Incident,” and it just rolled from there. It was just amazing.

Aafiyah has grown up with everything: wealth, health, a supportive family, a best friend, and yes, a “baby” brother who she loved and who at times annoyed her (like many brothers and sisters). Aafiyah also has a secret: she “borrows” things, especially from her BFF, Zaina. Aafiyah sees things she wants, she picks them up; then her want becomes a need, and she gives into her compulsion. Meanwhile her family encounters some obstacles, and Aafiyah has the compulsion to help.

This novel will go on my bookshelf in my middle school drama classroom; in fact, I will probably shelve several copies. It is just a marvelous story. I can see my students passing the book off to each other, using the poetry inside as playwriting inspiration, and maybe even using excerpts for classroom performances.


*This is a voluntary, honest review in exchange for an E-ARC from HarperCollins and NetGalley.