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A review by yoongitloml
Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali
4.0
A must read Marvel
This is a love story, I must warn you! And having been born around muslims, this book and the issues it talks about hits home.
Zayneb is an 18-year-old hijabi from Indiana—and she was just suspended for standing up to her Islamophobic teacher.
Now she’s on her way to Doha to spend two weeks with her cool aunt Nandy and forget about her troubles at school. On the flight, Zayneb meets Adam, who converted to Islam at age 11 after his mom—Auntie Nandy’s best friend—died from multiple sclerosis. And soon Adam and Zayneb begin to share their life stories: Adam is keeping a huge secret from his father and sister, Zayneb hasn’t shared with her aunt why she’s been suspended, and both are mourning loved ones.
Slowly, they fall in love, but their different experiences of dealing with racism and pain threaten to drive them apart. The novel’s dual narrative structure uses raw, earnest journal entries to guide readers through the painful realities of the Islamophobia and racism that permeate all levels of society.
Zayneb’s story shows how the smallest incidents have trickle-down effects that dehumanize Muslims and devalue Muslim lives in some people’s eyes. This is a refreshing depiction of religiosity and spirituality coexisting with so-called “normal” young adult relationships and experiences: What makes Zayneb and Adam different is not their faith but their ability to learn from and love one another in a world hurling obstacles their way.
Heartfelt and powerful. Pick this book.
This is a love story, I must warn you! And having been born around muslims, this book and the issues it talks about hits home.
Zayneb is an 18-year-old hijabi from Indiana—and she was just suspended for standing up to her Islamophobic teacher.
Now she’s on her way to Doha to spend two weeks with her cool aunt Nandy and forget about her troubles at school. On the flight, Zayneb meets Adam, who converted to Islam at age 11 after his mom—Auntie Nandy’s best friend—died from multiple sclerosis. And soon Adam and Zayneb begin to share their life stories: Adam is keeping a huge secret from his father and sister, Zayneb hasn’t shared with her aunt why she’s been suspended, and both are mourning loved ones.
Slowly, they fall in love, but their different experiences of dealing with racism and pain threaten to drive them apart. The novel’s dual narrative structure uses raw, earnest journal entries to guide readers through the painful realities of the Islamophobia and racism that permeate all levels of society.
Zayneb’s story shows how the smallest incidents have trickle-down effects that dehumanize Muslims and devalue Muslim lives in some people’s eyes. This is a refreshing depiction of religiosity and spirituality coexisting with so-called “normal” young adult relationships and experiences: What makes Zayneb and Adam different is not their faith but their ability to learn from and love one another in a world hurling obstacles their way.
Heartfelt and powerful. Pick this book.