Synopsis: American-born seventeen-year-old Maya Aziz is torn between worlds. There’s the proper one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter: attending a college close to their suburban Chicago home, and being paired off with an older Muslim boy her mom deems “suitable.” And then there is the world of her dreams: going to film school and living in New York City—and maybe (just maybe) pursuing a boy she’s known from afar since grade school, a boy who’s finally falling into her orbit at school.
There’s also the real world, beyond Maya’s control. In the aftermath of a horrific crime perpetrated hundreds of miles away, her life is turned upside down. The community she’s known since birth becomes unrecognizable; neighbors and classmates alike are consumed with fear, bigotry, and hatred. Ultimately, Maya must find the strength within to determine where she truly belongs.
Review: I appreciated Maya's experience because I never knew a Muslim person growing up. I think there are a lot of great scenes with Maya coming to terms with what she wants for herself and what she's willing to give up. She was just a great character to read. Seeing her interact with Phil and Kareem was great. Maya felt so genuine regardless of who she was around. Her relationship with her parents also felt relatable. It was much more personal than the usual, "parents will miss their child going off to college." There were real stakes involved that don't often get touched on with these stories.
I grew up in post-9/11 America, so I like seeing the experience of others who lived during that time. Just for the sake of perspective, I was 10 years old during the September 11 attack and I grew up in one of the southern states in America. That's what I grew up with. The segments in between chapters where we get to see the terrorist's experience was well done. It didn't feel forced. It felt very matter of fact. The only thing I wish this story had was a scene where Maya's classmates find out who the terrorist is, and they still display ignorance. Their hate is focused on the person who shares Maya's last name and, by association, Maya herself. I think there could have been a great conversation about what makes a terrorist and how terrorists don't necessarily look the same.
Brilliant debut with a ton of promise. Can't wait to see what else Samira releases.
4.5 howls
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