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A review by moonlightcupofcocoa
Huda F Wants to Know? by Huda Fahmy
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is the first time I'm reading something for Huda Fahmy. As simplistic as the artstyle is, the cover managed to grab my attention. Perhaps it was all the pink? Not to mention that I haven't seen many graphic novels about or by muslim voices, so of course I had to give it a try.
Before getting into the details, I wanted to first say I appreciated Huda's introductory note and disclaimer regarding the story and the characters not representing all muslims nor all muslim experiences. It's always tricky to provide representation for such a diverse and large population. Not all muslim women wear hijab, for example. And those that do can wear it in various ways. Not all arab and muslim women wear abayas, regardless of their hijabi status. And unfortunately, whole not intentional, readers who aren't familiar with culture often end up generalizing based on experiences they read.
So, I appreciate Huda F. being upfront and clear about that.
All these disclaimers aside, muslim or not, the message in this story is universal. It handles grief, loss and mental illnesses in an honest and relatable way. Huda F's real life experiences definitely inspired the story and both she and the readers get to revisit her parents' divorce together.
I especially appreciated that the story highlighted that religion doesn't equate assuming all mental health problems go away magically and that, at times, professional mental health assistance is not only needed but encouraged.
I enjoyed the humor and found myself, an adult, relating to some of the moments presented. The simplistic artstyle does work (although I'm still confused about that dotted sister, haha, I need to go read the other books to see if I get answers).
Overall, a great read!
This is the first time I'm reading something for Huda Fahmy. As simplistic as the artstyle is, the cover managed to grab my attention. Perhaps it was all the pink? Not to mention that I haven't seen many graphic novels about or by muslim voices, so of course I had to give it a try.
Before getting into the details, I wanted to first say I appreciated Huda's introductory note and disclaimer regarding the story and the characters not representing all muslims nor all muslim experiences. It's always tricky to provide representation for such a diverse and large population. Not all muslim women wear hijab, for example. And those that do can wear it in various ways. Not all arab and muslim women wear abayas, regardless of their hijabi status. And unfortunately, whole not intentional, readers who aren't familiar with culture often end up generalizing based on experiences they read.
So, I appreciate Huda F. being upfront and clear about that.
All these disclaimers aside, muslim or not, the message in this story is universal. It handles grief, loss and mental illnesses in an honest and relatable way. Huda F's real life experiences definitely inspired the story and both she and the readers get to revisit her parents' divorce together.
I especially appreciated that the story highlighted that religion doesn't equate assuming all mental health problems go away magically and that, at times, professional mental health assistance is not only needed but encouraged.
I enjoyed the humor and found myself, an adult, relating to some of the moments presented. The simplistic artstyle does work (although I'm still confused about that dotted sister, haha, I need to go read the other books to see if I get answers).
Overall, a great read!