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Ali is a teen who is exploring his identity as a
If you know me, then you know that I seriously do not like the YA Contemporary genre. But like, this is a YA Contemporary about 2 Muslim teens, HOW CAN I NOT READ IT?? Not just Muslim, but a hijabi girl romance! Like, fuck yes I'm in for it. And the blurb sounded super cute, so Sunny had to read it. But, I'm slightly disappointed and annoyed at this book. It had a great premise and could have turned out to be a great story, but it kind of failed.Ali is a teen who is exploring his identity as a Muslim and is striving to become a better one. His mother died, his little brother is always angry and now they have to move to a new place and grow used to it. Life is hard for Ali and his family and he doesn't want to admit it, but they are growing apart from each other, well his little brother anyways.
Amirah is also a teen who has issues with her step father, mother, and her past. Her mother was a revert and is always marrying and divorcing men. Amirah seeing the way these men treat her mother, swears to never marry and focus only on her education and become independent. She doesn't want to rely on a man, but be able to provide for herself and take care of herself.
This sounds absolutely awesome, but it seriously wasn't. For someone who swears not to marry, Amirah seriously couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Light Eyes (Ali) and Ali couldn't stop thinking about the girl in the red trainers. Their romance also had no development whatsoever. It was really rushed and the book felt too short. The characters also had no development. They were so plain and dull, like, God forbid these characters be a little more complex.
The author also uses the word "bro" and "kissed his/her teeth" a little way TOO MUCH. Like, what the fuck does kissing your teeth even mean??? The overuse of the word 'bro' was super freaking annoying. Ali and the side characters had no other relationship, than saying "bro to each other" like, can you not?? The writing also felt really flat and immature at times.
However, this entire book wasn't bad. There were some adorable parts which I really enjoyed and I absolutely LOVED that ending! For me, this was super short and I was able to read it quickly, which was awesome.
Religion is really important in this book and it's also really important to the characters (yayyy!!). It also shows positivity on Islam and educates on the religion and practices. Doesn't give much information, but some. Anyways, if you're interested in picking up a YA Contemporary about Muslim characters and interested in learning more about the religion, pick this one up!
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shhhhhh I AM NOT SCREAMING
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full review posted
guys, I cannot tell you how
rare it is to see a young adult book feature muslim teenagers who are proud of their faith and who's daily struggles aren't entirely defined by their religious restrictions or islamophobia.these kids have regular, normal lives and struggle with regular, normal things and just act like normal freaking human beings and IM SO HAPPY I FOUND SOME DAMN GOOD REPRESENTATION (even if it was cheesy and overdone at times,
buckle up friends, this is a long onefull review posted
guys, I cannot tell you how
rare it is to see a young adult book feature muslim teenagers who are proud of their faith and who's daily struggles aren't entirely defined by their religious restrictions or islamophobia.these kids have regular, normal lives and struggle with regular, normal things and just act like normal freaking human beings and IM SO HAPPY I FOUND SOME DAMN GOOD REPRESENTATION (even if it was cheesy and overdone at times, but we'll get to that in a second)
as for the pros
the characters
📌 the representation was absolutely fabulous. It follows two characters, amirah, a headstrong, determined girl who is dealing with serious family issues, especially her mother's depression and how that impacts her and her younger siblings.
📌 then we have ali, a soft sweet boy who is starting to learn more about his religion after the tragic death of his mother and is trying to cope with his grief, help his younger brothers, all while in the process of moving to a new city.
📌 what I genuinely loved about the characters was how we got to see them in such a real way. Especially in amirah's case, we got to see this well-developed personality of this teenage girl who is so proud of her religion and is educated but has seen her mother suffer so much at the hands of terrible men that she has sworn off marriage and love for herself
📌 she is focused on her studies and art and wants to become independent but she we also see another side of her with her siblings, where she is kindhearted and sweet. She has a great friend group that was so precious and they talk and giggle and annoy each other (and yes mayyybe it was slightly overdone and cheesy at times but hey im trying to be positive here)
"Get married whole Amirah, that's what I tell my girls. Don't get married weak and needy"
the romance
📌 I really like how detailed the author got when she explained marriage in the muslim community. she explained the whole we-don't-date-thing really well without sounding apologetic or forceful, it was just matter of fact and we love that
📌 it's REALLY hard to find (and to write) a "halal" romance book but I thought the author was able to make the interactions cute and innocent and realistic (I DO however, wish we got MORE scenes with them rather than having these short, small interactions repeated and remembered over and over. like gimme something substantial that makes me root for them against all odds)
the softness
📌 all the characters in the book are babies. I absolutely loved the moments with the siblings and seeing them bond. I felt those relationships were probably the most developed. There were really tender moments with amirah and her little brother. He is deaf and they sign to each other and she tries to find activities for him to express himself and fjlkdajlkf IT'S SO WHOLESOME MY HEART
📌 ali and his brothers have a different dynamic and I like how the was shown too. there are these small tender moments here and there (when they mention their mom and talk about the struggles with faith) that really warm my snow cold heart :")
📌 BUT LIKE HONESTLY I have to complain about zayd. His character was so………unnecessary. I know he fulfils the protective older brother role but hes so tiring omg like one minute he's talking to amirah and they're joking and she's sassing him and the next minute he's with his friends and he's mr. grumps like boi bye with those mood swings
and now bring on the cons
📌 from a literary standpoint, I thought the writing was lacking. The book really felt dated with its slang (which aNNOYED me so much) and felt like an adult trying to write teens.
📌 and aside from that, pretty much ALL of my criticism can be boiled down to "I Wish This Aspect Was Given More Page Time
📌 for a book that was fairly short, I feel we didn't spend enough time with the characters to see them grow and mature in their rightful ways
📌 for example: amirah starts off the book being 110% against the idea of marriage bc she has seen her mother get involved with so many terrible dudes and then the second she sees ali her brain short circuits and she's ready to RISK IT ALL
📌 I understand, shes a teenager, but at the same tiME SHE COULD OFFER SOME MORE RESISTANCE
📌 I saw a lot of important scenes told really quickly and had pretty rough transitions. I wish there was more elaboration on really monumental moments, maybe some flashbacks and foreshadowing to build the scenes rather than just TELLING us what happened
📌 OKAY AND A QUICK MENTION, WHAT THE HECK WAS ABU MALIK'S ARC. IT WAS SO WEIRD AND IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND I JUST, CAN YOU NOT
📌 and lastly, ali's character felt a little inauthentic to me. I mean, he's 19 and he talks like hes a 65 year old sheikh. I liked how he owned his faith and comes from a background where he had to make a conscious effort to live the way he does, but omg pls give him some teenage qualities
📌I wanted to see more banter from him rather than using his character as a vehicle to lecture the audience and fill in the blanks for readers who aren't familiar with islamic beliefs
OVERALL though, I thought it had fantastic representation and had really interesting themes and scenes AND IT WAS VERY CUTE but I just wish it was longer and included more detail. If it did, it would have been a Whole Win for me
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I don't know how I missed this book (of course, education was ruining my life the time this book came out) but yes, I am glad I read this book today!
The characters are so realistic inspite of the typical ya storyline. But yes, this one will stay with me. The parents, the friends, the siblings. The Muslim community and their rich culture, the beliefs and the changing times. The discussion gets hot and quite liberating in the plot.
I love this one more so because of the outspoken ch
Love this book!I don't know how I missed this book (of course, education was ruining my life the time this book came out) but yes, I am glad I read this book today!
The characters are so realistic inspite of the typical ya storyline. But yes, this one will stay with me. The parents, the friends, the siblings. The Muslim community and their rich culture, the beliefs and the changing times. The discussion gets hot and quite liberating in the plot.
I love this one more so because of the outspoken characters, specifically the main female character. She has a past she's not proud of but she's so responsible, she's independent and living her dreams inspite of the limitations she had to face because of the so called 'rules' a girl had to follow.
I love Ali and Ami together. They are so damn cute. The story isn't fluffy and cheesy. The characters are more mature considering their ages but I can understand they have become wo they were because of the situations both of them had to face from a young age.
Love the book. Quite a read I say. And I hate the unreasonable and unrealistic adult characters 🤦
*Some favorite lines:
"Getting married was the biggest milestone, the one piece of news a girl's parents would make sure they shared with the whole community. Once you're married, you're safe: you're off the streets, you're not a fitnah, a trial, you've got someone to take care of you."
(What everyone else thinks!)
"If there's one thing I've learned about life, it's this: when you are not supposed to do something, you will find it near impossible to resist and when you have to do something, you'll find any number of excuses to avoid doing it."
"I guess those things – that world – is too removed from most people's day to day reality. Life is tough for most people. Art is for the select few, those who have the time and energy to appreciate it. You can't appreciate beauty if you are running on empty, struggling to survive.
All the more reason to choose a different type of life."
I wasn't disappointed. Got butterflies all throughout just like Amirah.
By the last 10 chapters everything was moving so quickly I would skip lines or just skim through because I was so eager to see how the events would unfold, whereas the first few chapters, everything wa I'm don't usually pick up romance novels, but being a Muslim romance, I was curious. I was curious too see how all the romantic cliches -awkward first dates, holding hands, sunset picnics - would play out in a story like this.
I wasn't disappointed. Got butterflies all throughout just like Amirah.
By the last 10 chapters everything was moving so quickly I would skip lines or just skim through because I was so eager to see how the events would unfold, whereas the first few chapters, everything was moving very slowly which helped me become part of the story as a reader, to really be living with everyone in London.
Surely a book I will pick up again.
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OVERVIEW
Ali and his family have just moved to South London after his mother's death. His younger brothers aren't taking it well, and his father is oblivious to their feelings. He makes friends in the neighbourhood and that's where he sees Amirah, his friend Zayd's sister. Amirah is an art lover, who has sworn she would never marry, after seeing all that her mother had gone through. As practicing muslim
OVERVIEW
Ali and his family have just moved to South London after his mother's death. His younger brothers aren't taking it well, and his father is oblivious to their feelings. He makes friends in the neighbourhood and that's where he sees Amirah, his friend Zayd's sister. Amirah is an art lover, who has sworn she would never marry, after seeing all that her mother had gone through. As practicing muslims, Ali and Amirah do not have dating in their mind. But after their first encounter, all they can do is think of each other. Is there a halal way around it? Would they be able to pursue their feelings while staying true to their faith at the same time?
MY THOUGHTS
Let me say, this book was NOT what I was expecting. It has done a really good job of potraying ISLAM as the peaceful religion it is. Without sounding preachy, it gives us a fairly good idea of the religion.
And the characters. They felt so real, it was almost scary. It felt as if they were actually speaking to us.
And Amirah! OMG. I have read many books where I related to the character, but none as much as I did here. She loves art. Check. She reads. Check. She is a muslim. Check. It was as if someone stole the ramblings off my messy mind and carved them into meaningful lines. I'm not even pissed. Amirah is TRUE. Amirah is ME. (Or my long lost twin). 'Nuff said.
VERDICT
Now that I really think about it, the romance does seem a bit clichéd. The ending was also dramatic. Some people might find the dialect problematic, but to me it was just... cute.
This isn't your usual romance, it has a life of it's own. The way Na'ima Roberts has written this wonderful book with real-as-hell characters is just WOW. I'm not kidding. Read it for yourself.
If there's one thing I have learned about in life, it's this:...more
When you're not supposed to do something, you will find it near impossible to resist and when you have to do something, you'll find any number of excuses to avoid doing it.
This book is probably the oldest book by a Muslim author on my TBR, from the time when I was still very hesitant to pick books with Muslim MCs up… for reasons. So it got burried under a gigantic pile of books and I only remembered about it while trying to figure out my TBR for Ramadan Readathon. And to be honest, it kind of checked a box for one of the reasons I used to stay away from these books quite some time ago, which I'll be
Full review originally posted on my blog: Word WondersThis book is probably the oldest book by a Muslim author on my TBR, from the time when I was still very hesitant to pick books with Muslim MCs up… for reasons. So it got burried under a gigantic pile of books and I only remembered about it while trying to figure out my TBR for Ramadan Readathon. And to be honest, it kind of checked a box for one of the reasons I used to stay away from these books quite some time ago, which I'll be explaining in detail somewhere in this review. That being said, it was still a true to life, enjoyable story.
The writing is simple enough to follow and easy to read which helped a lot with the pacing on the book, one thing that bugged me about it is how much the words "teeth kissing" (??) and "bro" were used, there was too much of them. She Wore Red Trainers is written in dual POV alternating between Ali and Amirah which was good, because even though the two of them don't interact much, we still got to see what each of them thought of the other, of the few times they met, etc…
There's one thing I want to address before moving on with the review, it's about the fact that a lot of people (non-muslim and western in most of the cases) thought the romance unrealistic because the two of them barely talked so "how can they develop feelings for each other?". The fact that this is different from western cultures and situations doesn't make it unrealistic, in fact, this is the reality for a lot of Muslims who get married only after a few meeting because that's just how things are done and most of these marriages work just fine. So please be careful not to label real people's lives "unrealistic" just because they are different from what you're used to experiencing.
Moving on. Even though at first glance the story appears to be a romance through and through, it's so much more than that. It's also about family and dealing with different traumas and different kinds of grief. I loved the siblinghood from both the MCs sides, they were different and yet similar in a way that they both cared so very deeply for their siblings. I also loved the sense of community, how everyone got together to do something for the youth and to make their summer better.
As for the romance, I really liked how the author managed to keep it interesting even with Amirah and Ali interacting very little with the stolen glances, the misunderstandings and the awkward but adorable little conversations. The ending was so very cute, I loved how the two of them ended up making things work no matter what was thrown their way.
I loved Amirah's personality and how ambitious, strong and witty she was, but under all of that she had a lot of deeply rooted secrets and insecurities and I loved seeing her deal with that and ultaimately break free from it. Ali is such a responsible, funny guy, I loved how he tried to be his family's rock after his mom's death even though he struggled a lot on his own. He went through great development, finding himself, what he wants to do and taking a different direction with his life.
All of this being said, there was something deeply wrong with the narration, and this is my opinion and mine only. The way the characters live in this book is very strict and conservative and there's nothing wrong with that, I actually quite liked getting a perspective that's different from mine but what really bothered me is that the book seemed to not know there are Muslims who live their Islam in other ways, so it ultimately alienated me because I felt like it was judging my way of practicing my faith to uplift the way the characters practice it. There was use of sentences like "every self-respecting girl would do X", implied judging of people who don't wear the hijab, do or don't do certain things and that made my reading experience uneasy, because as good as the story itself it failed in keeping an open mind to the other types of Muslims who are on a different level of religiosity.
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This quote especially speaks to me now ✨💛
So the books is a Love st "But human beings are amazing like that. We're resilient. And Allah tests us with the things we love so that we can return to Him and long for His love, not the love of His creation. That was when I realized that this life isn't meant to be perfect. It's a place for test and examination. The true happiness, the true bliss, will be in the afterlife, Akhirah. That's when I hope to taste pure happiness, with no loss, no tears, ever."
This quote especially speaks to me now ✨💛
So the books is a Love story by a Muslim author and I love it! A great book to catch glimpse of lifestyle taught by Islam.
The mood is different than of the standard love books out there for sure. It has a special aura to it - the story felt pure. I'm not exactly a teenager but the author managed to transferred me back to my younger years. Remember the days when you were too young to get married but you have crushes anyway? That's it (I sometimes think I'm still too young to get married xD).
This book will make you feel giddy all over again!
Muslims or not, this book is perfect for young adults and adults alike. ...more
She Wore Red Trainers by Na'ima B. Robert is not like any other book I've read before and I really like it for that very reason. It's always a good thing, I think, reading books very different to our own personal beliefs. It's good to read a story with a very different perspective and to see things differently. And that's what my enjoyment of She Wore Red Trainers was about for the most part.
She Wore Red Trainers has t
It was an interesting read and a very different story than I'd normally read.She Wore Red Trainers by Na'ima B. Robert is not like any other book I've read before and I really like it for that very reason. It's always a good thing, I think, reading books very different to our own personal beliefs. It's good to read a story with a very different perspective and to see things differently. And that's what my enjoyment of She Wore Red Trainers was about for the most part.
She Wore Red Trainers has the subtitle 'A Muslim Love Story' and it is a dual-perspective novel telling the story of two teenagers, Amirah and Ali, and how they came to meet each other and fall in love and how their relationship conforms to the ideals and customs of the Muslim religion.
It was a very different experience witnessing Ali and Amirah's feelings for the other develop over the course of this novel. A lot of that connection was subtle: there wasn't very much direct interaction with each other and I felt like the two characters found out about each other more from other people, through friends and family etc, than they did through actual conversations and spending time with each other. And while as a reader seeing the events unfold from both perspectives and seeing how both Ali and Amirah feels about the other, I think it's more apparent that these two characters potentially have a lot in common and that there might be the possibility of more, I still wanted to see them talk a bit more and to see some of their shared ideas and hopes and dreams verbalised.
I really enjoyed getting to know both Ali and Amirah throughout this book. I felt like the romantic elements of this story are kind of on a back burner and at the forefront of this novel is the character development of both of our main characters as they struggle in their friendships and families and their futures. And I really enjoyed seeing how their religion shapes a lot of their thoughts and decisions and how it both helps and guides them through.
We have Ali, who has moved to London with his dad and two brothers after the death of Ali's mother and the decline in his father's business. Everyone is handling their grief in different ways and I really liked seeing Ali's brother, Umar, struggle with Ali and their dad's return to Islam and we can see that, for Umar at least, it isn't quite that easy and that there's still plenty of anger and helplessness in the face of loss.
And then there is Amirah, who is pretty resistant to the idea of boys and marriage especially in light of her mother's disastrous love life as her mother is, at the beginning of the novel, grappling with her fourth divorce. And at the same time Amirah is also questioning what she wants to do with her life and what she sees for her future. She loves art but other more practical subjects are more encouraged and pushed.
It was great to see people using their religious beliefs to do good things, like setting up a youth group and raising money for charity. It was great to explore the Muslim faith more. I found it really interesting to see the pressures that both Ali and Amirah were under - from themselves, their families, their friends, their community and within their religion. It was a very interesting experience.
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And I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, it's nice to see a novel that reflects the experiences of a Muslim teenager living in the West. Unlike certain other Muslim protagonists , Ali
Back in high school when Na'ima B. Robert came to speak at my school, this was the book she was writing at the time. So you could say I've been waiting to read this "halal romance" for years, though I completely forgot and just happened to see this at the library after months of not reading.And I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, it's nice to see a novel that reflects the experiences of a Muslim teenager living in the West. Unlike certain other Muslim protagonists , Ali and Amirah aren't discovering Islam as something new and exotic, they're living it in the air they breathe. It's just...life. With identity struggles from time to time, but just...life. On the other hand, it's fucking uncanny. I'm used to fiction, YA fiction especially, being starkly different from my own reality as a person who was embedded in an Islamic community for like 87% of my life. The downside of being able to identify with something (kinda) is that I can't help comparing it to my own experience and being unable to suspend my disbelief.
For example, the "one look" where they first see each other? In the split second before Ali lowers his gaze (cause he's halal like that) he manages to see, and I quote, "the tiny hands, the pale fingernails, the cleft in her chin, its defiant tilt, the hose ring, the piercing eyes, the long eyelashes" (p. 19)? And she in return memorizes his hands well enough to draw them from memory, which is a level of unrealistic I can't even express and art doesn't work like that? From across the basketball court? Thing is, I know this scene-- Muslim guys playing ball outside the mosque, hogging the court, wallowing in their masculinity, and then...someone's sister appears! DUN DUN DUN. A pause. You make eye contact across the distance, a forbidden glance DRIPPING with sexual tension. Opposite-gender relations are so rare for some people that this is genuinely significant moment that you're going to discuss with your friends later. He looked at me. It's ridiculous. You might develop a crush, stalk him on social media and so on, but is that moment across the room where ~sparks fly~ likely to lead to a healthy relationship? No.
Not only is "love at first sight" trope an annoying YA cliché, it's a real life phenomenon that ends up with more severe consequences for Muslim teenagers who get married young than just having a bad relationship. It's ironic that one of Amirah's friends says in the beginning of the book "I prefer the Islamic approach: don't try to woo me, speak to me plainly, honestly, tell me what you're bringing to the table. I'll judge you on your merits, with a clear head, and make a rational decision, one that is based on fact, not butterflies." Which is...the exact opposite of what happened in this book. After their initial meeting, I thought maybe they would interact some more, actually get to know each other outside of superficial things but...they didn't. They had a handful of short, half-flirty moments and admire each other from a distance and somehow Ali decides he wants to be with her for the rest of his life. They have some love triangle jealousy shit, because this is a YA novel to the core, culminating in a "bae don't leave" airport scene. You know the type. *gags*
I'm not a huge fan of portraying this bullshit as the ideal relationship. The thing is, this happens. People rushing into marriage because it's the halal way to marry the person they wanted to date...And being stuck in it for life, OR they get divorced and face extra stigma because of a dumb ass decision they made at 18 years old.
Anyways, one could have a halal relationship without it being substanceless. Like, this is where the suspension of disbelief comes in again because Good Muslims (since the author is really intent on not having one speck of ambiguity in this book) DO talk to the opposite gender. One has to interact through school, through the mosque, through organizing activities and so on. It doesn't have to be flirting but umm, you get to know someone's character a hell of a lot better from cooperating with them on a project or as *ahem* teachers at summer school (that's literally a way some very religious people I know met). And what about that whole thing about Wali's? Isn't it allowed for Ali and Amirah to be in the same room as long as Zayd is there? It wouldn't have been difficult.
The book is directly contradicting itself in it's message. You shouldn't make emotional decisions based on wishy-washy ideas of "romance"....but if you do have feeeeeeeellliings you should get married the halal way. A narrative that tried to bridge the gap between Islamic "morals" and the modern search for intimacy and happiness.
Not to be cynical or anything, but it feels to me like this is story about teenagers rather than for them. Like a guide for what Muslim teenagers should do when faced with Issues(tm). Except it falls short, because Ali and Amirah never do anything haram in this entire book. Their "bad" phases are mentioned offscreen, in the past. They're Good Muslims now. Their friends are good Muslims. Moral dilemmas? Ambiguity? Nope. Ali shuts down his ex-girlfriend, Amy, right away, and there's no tension here because we know he's not going to go for anything haram. There's no way for character to develop if they don't, y'know, have flaws in the first place...
If you're raised in a religioius atmosphere, you've probably seen the different types of preachers and leaders. There's the stuffy old ones, and there's the "cool" ones. The youth leaders, probably born and raised in the West. They appeal to you with jokes and pop culture references, acting like a siblinglike figure who listens to all your problems including taboo topics like sex, drugs, etc. But they're feeding you the same guidelines you learned from your parents and traditional preachers: never doubt, be chaste, don't wear tight clothing or fall outside the good girl mold, etc. That's what this book is like.
It's preachy, but I do believe this one is more interesting and better written than Boy vs. Girl. (either that or my standards have fallen). So make of that what you will.
Other random things that I'm concerned about:
* WHAT. IS. THEIR. ETHNICITIES. Ali and Amirah are referred to several times as "mixed" but unless I missed something, it's never stated what goddamn ethnicity. Boy vs. Girl focused too much on ethnic background, this one didn't mention it at all. Each one of them has a convert parent, but are they white? Black? What? It's not a big deal but why does it have to be a SECRET????
* "kissed his teeth" the actual fuck
* a little heavy on the Islamic terminology. Non-Muslim readers probably have a hard enough time getting used to "mashallah" and "inshallah." Why bring up miswaks? And I've never heard the word tarbiyah used in casual language. Or concepts of "da'eef" and "adab"? "Kids have no manners!!1" Those are things parents or condescending jerks say. Not average Muslim teenagers, that would be hypocritical. And if someone said "i won't let my sister marry a da'eef brother" to their face, I wouldn't be surprised if he got laughed at and also punched like who even says that??? And wth is "ghayrah"?
* Samia calls herself a "revert" (pg.63) but the reader isn't told what that means--that all children are born following the one true path and becoming Muslim is returning to that state? I think it would've given more insight to Islam idk...Also is desi ppl wearing dupattas to school a regular thing in the UK, like...what.
*What is Amirah's family going to do without her? How can they survive?
*last but not least, IS IT REALLY ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO HAVE A LITTLE BORDER W/ THE MALE OR FEMALE SYMBOL FOR EACH OF THE POVS? LIKE, WHAT DOES THIS ACCOMPLISH OTHER THAN EMPHASIZE HOW HETEROSEXUAL THIS BOOK IS. IS THE READER TOO STUPID TO KNOW WHICH CHAPTER IS FROM WHOSE POV I MEAN?????????????????? *screams into an empty sky*
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I like YA romance generally; I'd heard this compared to The Fault in Our Stars (spoiler alert: it is NOTHING like TFiOS except that the main couple is young and heterosexual); and I thought it would be interesting to read one culturally different from my usual.
Unfortunately, I didn't click with it at all. For one thing, the dialogue was all in dialect, and I couldn't tell if it was because it was different from my own, but I felt like the auth
I ... was not the audience for this book. Not at all.I like YA romance generally; I'd heard this compared to The Fault in Our Stars (spoiler alert: it is NOTHING like TFiOS except that the main couple is young and heterosexual); and I thought it would be interesting to read one culturally different from my usual.
Unfortunately, I didn't click with it at all. For one thing, the dialogue was all in dialect, and I couldn't tell if it was because it was different from my own, but I felt like the author laid it on much thicker than necessary. There was a "bro" every third word, seemed like. (I haven't had this problem with other books in dialect, but other dialects may be more familiar to me.) This felt like it was trying too hard to match how teens "really talk," and I found it almost as annoying as listening to an actual group of teenagers. It would also have been helpful for me as a Western reader if Robert had managed to define some of the Arabic words within the text, rather than with a glossary at the end. I had the Kindle version and no idea the glossary was there. Just a parenthetical phrase here or there would have helped.
But really, the biggest problem for me connecting to it was it is completely antithetical to my idea of a romance novel, YA or otherwise. Ali and Amirah have a total of perhaps five or six conversations in the course of the book, most lasting less than a page. Really this felt like two YA novels, interspersed but independent, one about a young man who has to learn to relate better to his father and brothers, and one about a young woman who has to decide what to do with her life. Every thirty pages or so, they have a very quick, modest interaction where they make small talk about nothing and find one another attractive, and then they go back to their lives. (view spoiler)[Then at the end they just get married. (hide spoiler)]
I knew it was a Muslim romance, and I obviously wasn't expecting any sex. But I guess I am really American because I kind of did expect some, you know, conversation. Amirah laments that another suitor talks all about himself and doesn't let her express the kind of person she is or her hopes and dreams. But I never saw her express those directly to Ali, either. He knew about some of them from other sources, but they never discussed what was important to them.
The book was supposed to be about how right they were for each other, and I didn't get the sense that they were wrong for each other exactly, but you never see how they'll be together, because they never talk. As someone who is rarely attracted to strangers (I make an exception for Chris Hemsworth) in my own personal life, and who reads romance novels to read stories of people getting to know each other, I was totally flummoxed and put off by a story of two people who just had faith that they were with the right person because they both had the same shoes.
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With my young adult years not so fa
When I first heard that a "Muslim love story" was on the horizon, I could barely contain my enthusiasm. Knowing that Na'ima B. Robert would be taking on this task only filled me with confidence. This is the author who brought you the inspirational From My Sisters' Lips, the heart-wrenching Far From Home and the thought-provoking Black Sheep. Unafraid of controversy and depth, Na'ima B. Robert brings you her latest novel for young adults, She Wore Red Trainers.With my young adult years not so far behind me, I can confidently and unashamedly recall the sheer number of young adult romance novels I devoured on a weekly basis. With my childhood surrounded by the Disney princesses of my time, I was no stranger to drifting off into a fantasy land with my prince on his noble steed sweeping me off my feet. Unfortunately, once I hit my teens, I believed this fantasy land to be just that - a fantasy. Like most of my peers, we saw the windswept romance of movies and novels to be an enjoyment for non-Muslims. With what we saw as suffocating and almost impractical rules and regulations surrounding any attempt at finding love, we didn't believe a heart-fluttering romance to be achievable.
Yet, when my own journey towards a halal marriage began, it was filled with all the flutterings and excitement I wanted. The limitations we faced only sweetened the freedom found after the nikah was performed. Love flourished after the wedding, in the secure happiness of marriage.
All of this has lead me to feel very strongly about the need for a book such as She Wore Red Trainers. At a time when our youth feel increasingly restricted within the bounds of their faith, it is important to show them the halal way to actually get what they want. She Wore Red Trainers does just that; in a beautiful narrative, the reader experiences the anticipations and excitements from both Amirah and Ali. In keeping with their deen, they know they can't mix together or chat together with the freedom they would prefer.
Described as "a modern-day Romeo and Juliet" in The Guardian, She Wore Red Trainers draws on similarities with a Shakespearean context in the sense that the characters must manoeuver the rules they live by in such a way as to achieve their desire: to be together. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, however, Amirah and Ali face obstacles very similar, if not equal, to the obstacles faced by many members of our Muslim society, such as family politics and limited contact with each other. Unfortunately, it has come to the point where many feel they have to choose between their deen and finding love. She Wore Red Trainers challenges this mentality.
A feature of this book that makes it a beautifully engaging read is the fact that Ali's and Amirah's lives do not completely (and unrealistically) revolve around each other. They both have their own lives and their own personal battles facing them each day - Ali's recent loss of his mother and Amirah's heavy responsibilities at home by caring for her mother and siblings. In a way, this paints a wonderfully accurate picture of married life. Once married, it is not happily ever after. There will be obstacles, there will be battles, there will be difficult situations that make life that much more challenging. The solace is in your spouse. The beauty is finding your way towards your companion amongst the trials and disappointments of life. Life is not a fairytale, but happiness, love and contentment do exist in reality.
What astounds me most about this magnificent book is the points of view Na'ima has chosen to work from. If we take a look at the famous love stories that have hit the mainstream shelves, we find the narrative either restrictive to one point of view (the boy's or the girl's) or void of personal touch through a third person narrative. Though subtle, Na'ima's choice of granting access to both Ali and Amirah's inner thoughts about the situation provides an insight that only adds to the excitement for the reader, also making this book accessible for readers in general, and not just for young adult girls.
For the older readers out there, I implore you to pick up this book. Let it help you understand the thoughts, concerns and humour that runs through the minds of the younger generation. I pray this book paves the way in bridging the gap between parents and children, enabling them both with the understanding necessary to successfully find a spouse.
Khadijah Stott-Andrew reviewed this book for the October 2014 issue #61 of SISTERS Magazine. Khadijah is a freelance writer and editor and is currently managing the newly launched website, www.lexical-scribe.com. Khadijah is the Reflections Editor for SISTERS Magazine and you can find her on Twitter, @Khadalina, or check out her personal blog, www.scribebehindthecurtain.blogspot.com.
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Every chapter is from a different person point of view. It took me a bit to realize who was talking at first. And that feeling never got away with each new chapter I started. I always started confused.
I also didn't see consistency with the Arabic words. Some were in italics, some were not, some were For me, it was a poetic romance. And not everybody can get into that style of writing. The only thing that kept me from giving it a five stars was the way the book was designed and the Arabic words.
Every chapter is from a different person point of view. It took me a bit to realize who was talking at first. And that feeling never got away with each new chapter I started. I always started confused.
I also didn't see consistency with the Arabic words. Some were in italics, some were not, some were capitalized, and some were in lower caps. Maybe it's a British thing I'm not understanding. Overall, it's good read and a book to give to our children so that they can see that halal romance is possible. ...more
Like the cover implies, this book's target audience of readers are those who are still in high school. That being said, the story was super predictable, sappy and at times downright dramatic. But also wholesome and cute. Sometimes quite preachy, though I didn't mind it. It taught me what it means when someone "kisses their teeth" (I had to google it a
Well hello there, book about two Muslim teens having a crush on each other and trying to cope with it in a halal way! Do you know how rare you are?Like the cover implies, this book's target audience of readers are those who are still in high school. That being said, the story was super predictable, sappy and at times downright dramatic. But also wholesome and cute. Sometimes quite preachy, though I didn't mind it. It taught me what it means when someone "kisses their teeth" (I had to google it and had a 'ooOooooOooh so THAT's what that is' moment).
I managed to poke some holes of considerable size in the plot, there were some characters that annoyed me at times (Ali, Zayd) or all the time (Abu Malik, Hassan), but overall I had fun while reading this book and sometimes that's enough.
A quote that stood out to me:
"...good Muslim women come in all forms. There isn't one officially sanctioned version. Just look at the Mothers of the Believers: they were all different, with characters and personalities all of their own. The only thing they conformed to was the love of Allah and His Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and their commitment to Islam. So why are we made to feel that we need to conform to more than that?" 👏
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I wanted to love it.
I was so excited when I heard that a Muslim YA romance was coming out and I looked forward to reading it once I got it. But having read it all I can come up with is, 'it was okay'. Which makes me sad.
There were a lot of elements in the story that tell me this could have been a book that I loved. Occasional hints of a greater story were hidden inside of this one.
As the book stands, for me there is a lack of urgency to the entire book. Scenes that
I wanted to like this book.I wanted to love it.
I was so excited when I heard that a Muslim YA romance was coming out and I looked forward to reading it once I got it. But having read it all I can come up with is, 'it was okay'. Which makes me sad.
There were a lot of elements in the story that tell me this could have been a book that I loved. Occasional hints of a greater story were hidden inside of this one.
As the book stands, for me there is a lack of urgency to the entire book. Scenes that should make you tense, worried for the fate of the romance or the characters left me shrugging and are almost brushed aside in their solutions at the end. Ali handing Amirah the flowers for Yasmin, the marriage scare with Hassan. Even, sadly, Abu Malik, who could have played the role of villain he was clearly there for far more effectively if he was present for more than 10 pages of the book.
Understanding that this is a Muslim (halal) romance, I didn't expect the usual romance novel beats of sleeping around and misunderstandings with regard to sexual tension. There is still plenty of room for the real life drama to be heightened until you actually feel concerned for the characters without violating the desired purity of the romance being played out.
Even instances where there is resistance at first - Zayd's resistance to Ali as a prospect for Amirah for one - blow away without any seeming impetus for the characters to change their stances.
As for the characters, I wanted more depth out of them. And a little more growth, perhaps, especially out of Amirah. There was too much telling in certain instances, especially with regard to Amirah and Ali's respective back stories when some hints spread throughout the book would have served better.
Amirah. Amirah. How I wanted her to stand up and stop running away from her problems. It's an actual issue and theme raised inside the narrative and still, at the end, I can't help but see an element of running away as she chooses to join Ali in Mexico. Her life plan is in tatters. Her mother's marriage is ending (a good thing, no question) and her family is in the middle of yet another upheaval from this. And she runs off with Ali.
I get that it's a romance and they're perfect together, etc. (Though you'd be hard pressed to tell that if you were a character in the book, since they barely speak throughout the story.) I'd have been more interested in a time skip even, with Ali's return from Mexico in a year and Amirah and Ali picking up a courtship at that point, giving them both time to mature and settle into the people they want to be and not the people their families had planned for them to be.
The nearly utter lack of conversation between the two of them (Amirah and Ali) bothers me as well. While I realize that this is a Muslim romance and so there will be no dating in the story, I honestly expected more interaction between the romantic leads than a couple of fumbling, 'Oh, s/he's cute, lower your gaze!' encounters and then declarations of love and proposals. There's honestly more talk about the spark of physical attraction they both feel than there is either of their characters.
There is token mention of Ali admiring Amirah's artistic skill, and of him choosing her for her deen, but his reasoning of, 'she comes from a practising family' is weak. One cannot judge the depth of a persons faith entirely off of the way their sibling (Zayd) seems to practice.
Zayd's characterization feels off to me. He is portrayed as a caring brother, someone who is willing to do anything for his family. His return from KSA when Amirah runs away as a teenager, putting his studies on hold is evidence enough of that. And he's not portrayed as a fanatic, harsh and unloving or unforgiving. He trusts Amirah in some deeply important ways. But then when he catches sight of her heading for the front door without abaya and hijab already in place, his eyes bug out. This would fit better if it wasn't made clear that the family didn't make a habit of wearing hijab around the house in other parts of the book, and this one scene seems to undermine the trust that he shows Amirah elsewhere.
Honestly, if the book was longer, giving the characters more time to develop, I would have like it better.
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I really wanted to enjoy this book. I'll admit that I'm never one to read romance novels, but this one seemed interesting. And it kind of was. Kind of. Just for the vernacular.
A lot of Muslim terminology is used throughout the book and there is a short glossary in the back of the book so that you can actually understand what you're reading. This sounds cool. It's a good idea. BUT, it's not such a cool idea when I end up turnin
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.I really wanted to enjoy this book. I'll admit that I'm never one to read romance novels, but this one seemed interesting. And it kind of was. Kind of. Just for the vernacular.
A lot of Muslim terminology is used throughout the book and there is a short glossary in the back of the book so that you can actually understand what you're reading. This sounds cool. It's a good idea. BUT, it's not such a cool idea when I end up turning to the back of the book to find a definition for a word every five minutes. It completely ruined the flow of the story.
I got about half way through this book and I didn't want to finish because I was completely bored with everything. It felt like not much had happened. I didn't care about the characters at all.
The dialogue in this story didn't feel realistic at all. The words "bro," "akh" (brother), and "man" were used way too often and it bugged me so much.
The term "kissed his/her/my teeth" was used a lot. What does that even mean? I am so confused.
The story is told in first person with two different POVs. That's cool. But at one point the female character, Amirah is narrating and she literally says,"...Zayd was back from his Saturday job and I was like, 'Bro, you need to take over...'"
What. No. That's dumb. You can't use "and I was like" in narration. I understand that's how people talk, but that does not belong in a book unless it's direct dialogue. Ugh.
"And he scored a very respectable eight in our totally naughty but hilarious Muslim hottie chart: the 'Mottie Scale'"
"There was something about the way he moved - strong, graceful, rippling, like a cat - that made something flutter in my stomach."
"What a gorgeous specimen, I thought. From a purely artistic point of view, of course."
"It was a drawing of a hand, a strong, beautiful hand, the fingers tipped by perfect fingernails. A hand holding a basketball with a mole below the middle finger. And it was obvious who it belonged to. Mr. Light Eyes."
I definitely wasn't a fan of this one. Maybe it's because I'm not into cheesy romance so I can't really enjoy it. I dunno.
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And around all of that, how these two souls -- Ali and Am
The story of Ali and Amirah; the struggle they faced on becoming a better muslims; the issues in muslim community the hard yet true events that as a muslim I am quite familiar with. The story revolved around individual, family, and friendship. It conveyed the journey -- of every one of the characters -- we as a muslim could say, 'I'd been in this situation before', as we are striving to stand strong and rooted in this right path, of deen.And around all of that, how these two souls -- Ali and Amirah -- found their hearts to be beating the same rhythm of falling in love, from the first moment of their encounter. How the two finally settled to be in a halal relationship in most overwhelming and 'unconventional' way of performing their nikah -- one event that'll worth telling the future children.
I have all sort of emotions along my reading; the frustration, the feeling touched, the happiness, the sadness, the anger -- but at the end, everything just fall into places accordingly -- the same way our life will definitley be.
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The negative for me is that the main characters actually interacted very little, because they were both so concerned with being halal. The story flips
I love that this book exists. It was a window into a different world for me. YA, chaste Muslim romance set in urban London. I absolutely loved both Ali and Amirah. Ali is just an all around good guy, and a "Mottie" (Muslim hottie). Amirah was religious, but spunky, artistic, ambitious, big-hearted and just all around a wonderful complex character.The negative for me is that the main characters actually interacted very little, because they were both so concerned with being halal. The story flips back and forth point of view between hero and heroine, but I could count their conversations with each other on one hand. Not that each individuals story wasn't interesting. It was, just not what I expected the story to be.
The ending is satisfying in its resolution of the HEA, but I wish rather than being told what happens all in a rush at the end, we actually had it written out so we could have lingered and truly felt and enjoyed the culmination. It was all very sudden, and then it was over too quickly after such a lengthy build up.
I read it on Kindle, and I wish I'd known there was a glossary before I got to the end!
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It is not a one-track love story, it is multi-dimensional. Told with stellar storytelling prowess and finesse, it is truly a delight to read. My favourite part was the "Mottie scale" (Muslim hottie scale), and the lifelike rendering of the characters.
The ending is totally "filmi" (i.e. from the movies) but it was endearing all th
Such a sweet story jam-packed with the details and emotions that make up what we call life. Some parts were so vividly described that I felt like I was watching a movie.It is not a one-track love story, it is multi-dimensional. Told with stellar storytelling prowess and finesse, it is truly a delight to read. My favourite part was the "Mottie scale" (Muslim hottie scale), and the lifelike rendering of the characters.
The ending is totally "filmi" (i.e. from the movies) but it was endearing all the same.
A truly good read, do not miss reading this!
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But I couldn't ignore the whole 'I'm not like other girls' thing.
Look, the ending was cute. I liked the ending.But I couldn't ignore the whole 'I'm not like other girls' thing.
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Okaaayy, so, not gonna lie, this was probably my first "romance book" ever. Not that I haven't read a bit of romance before, but never before an entire book entitled to that very subject. And a Muslim romance? Pretty much unheard of.
Why did I read it? I was curious. I wanted to see how Na'ima B. Robert was going to portray this. I had read her biography, "From Her Sisters' Lips" the previous summer and had actually just finished reading "From Somalia with Love", her first book,
A MUSLIM ROMANCE?Okaaayy, so, not gonna lie, this was probably my first "romance book" ever. Not that I haven't read a bit of romance before, but never before an entire book entitled to that very subject. And a Muslim romance? Pretty much unheard of.
Why did I read it? I was curious. I wanted to see how Na'ima B. Robert was going to portray this. I had read her biography, "From Her Sisters' Lips" the previous summer and had actually just finished reading "From Somalia with Love", her first book, which I hated (let me know if you want a review on that book, as I may do one), so I already had pretty mixed feelings about her books.
And this one was no exception.
THE WRITING
I found the writing simple enough to read and understand, but not too basic. There were some nice descriptions, but not really anything too fancy… there isn't really anything more to it.
THEMES
MORE THAN "JUST A ROMANCE"
I have to say, this book is a lot more than a romance, and I ended up taking it a lot more seriously than I had initially expected to.
"That's what I've learned over the years. We always think someone else has it easier than us but, when you pull back the layers, you see that they are struggling too, just in their own, unique way." – She Wore Red Trainers, Na'ima B Robert
It is so empowering, and deals with so much more stronger, more significant issues than finding a husband – like coming to terms with yourself; figuring out what you really want to do with your life and how you're going to come about it; there was a bit of family-issues too; and most importantly, coming to terms with your religion, your beliefs (which was, in this book, Islam).
RELIGION
Now, how, you may ask, can you come to term with your religion and beliefs at eighteen years old? If you're strictly a religious person, this may seem strange to you. To others, this might be a familiar feeling.
Firstly, Amirah and Ali, they're not perfect. They have their flaws, and their struggles.
Both of them had their struggles with Islam, and this book really saw that through to the end, which I was really pleased about.
"Islam isn't like that – something you can use just to get what you want. It's a genuine spiritual commitment, a way of life…" – She Wore Red Trainers, Na'ima B Robert
FAMILY
Amirah and Ali both had quite a bit of family issues.
Amirah's mother had divorced and re-married quite a few times, which resulted in a negative impact on the children, Amirah, and the mother herself.
Ali's mother had recently died, and him and his father and brothers were still coming to terms with it.
This book shows them both dealing with their family issues and how it all comes about.
"Just be sincere, work hard and Allah will take care of the rest." – She Wore Red Trainers, Na'ima B Robert
COMING TO TERMS WITH YOURSELF
Now, this is a really important theme, especially when it comes to a book like this, and I think that this was explored really well.
It didn't just include coming to terms with what the characters wanted, but it also tied in with religion, since Islam is a huge part of every practising Muslim's life.
I've actually just realised how many morals there are in this story… really not a bad thing, you'd be surprised how well it was put, I didn't feel like I was being preached at at all.
"But human beings are amazing like that. We're resilient. And Allah tests us with the things we love so that we can return to Him and long for His love, not the love of His creation. That was when I realized that this life isn't meant to be perfect. It's a place for test and examination. The true happiness, the true bliss, will be in the afterlife, Akhirah. That's when I hope to taste pure happiness, with no loss, no tears, ever." –She Wore Red Trainers, Na'ima B Robert
THE ROMANCE
Surprise, surprise – there isn't much romance. Well, nothing if you compare it to an everyday romance book of today.
The book was more about Amirah and Ali finding out about each other without having any physical contact or anything like that and both of them developing into adults so they're responsible enough for marriage.
"Too many young girls in this community are dying to get married to get away from their problems at home, or to get a bit of freedom. But let me tell you something: if you rush into marriage to escape your problems, you may find that they follow you anyway." –She Wore Red Trainers, Na'ima B Robert
And to be honest, I quite liked that.
ISSUES I HAD
There was way too much use of:
"teeth-kissing" – characters are literally always "kissing their teeth"
the word "bro" – it was too often "bro this"or "bro that", definitely over-used
A QUICK, ENJOYABLE READ
But despite that, this book still made a whole load of important points, as well as being a definitely interesting and enjoyable quick-read (I started and finished it at the airport).
I ended up rating this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I would highly recommend this to all teenagers! 🙂
By the way, there is a glossary at the back of the book, in case you need it.
Things Robert did well:
The nove
By the way, there is a glossary at the back of the book, in case you need it.
Things Robert did well:
The novel showcases a realistic and diverse cast of Muslims. There are characters of every race. Many are converts. Some have parents who are converts. There are interracial couples. Many are struggling with their faith, while others are exemplary Muslims. They're portrayed as typical young people with normal young-people interests. They have diverse ideas about what they want to do in their lives.
Here's some great advice I wish I could impart to some of my friends who rushed into marriages at a young age because their home lives were bad:
"You're not going to be one of those girls who sees getting married as a way out, are you? Too many young girls in this community are dying to get married to get away from their problems at home, or to get a bit of freedom. But let me tell you something: if you rush into marriage to escape your problems, you may find that they follow you anyway... Get married whole... Don't get married weak and needy, looking to your husband to make your world the one you dream of. What a burden for him! What high expectations. How on earth will he ever be able to fulfil all your needs? He's still learning, himself. And what happens when he fails this huge task you've set him without his knowledge? You become bitter and disappointed."
Things that weren't so great:
British slang permeated the text. Although I could understand the gist of every sentence, having so much slang in the dialogue (especially the teen boys' conversations) was distracting. I realize some people do talk like that, but British English is idiosyncratic enough that perhaps Robert could have eased up on it a little. I also saw words that I thought were typos -- decided they could be British slang -- and then realized that there definitely were typos in the manuscript.
I tend to hate romances where there's some misunderstanding (e.g., Ali and Amirah each thinking the other person is not interested or is pursuing someone else) because they make assumptions and don't communicate clearly.
The main aspect of the novel that annoyed me:
This novel is preachy, and that's not even considering the Islamic parts! It seems as if each character has some "message" or cause that he or she is trying to impart to another character -- very didactic. I felt like I was being lectured to (again, this is before any of the religious lecturing). And then sometimes the characters will challenge the others to defend their cause or message within the Islamic faith.
I think this novel is worth a read but may not be for everyone.
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so obviously when i heard of this book i had to get it. ya muslim romance? i'm here, i blew down the door, hand over the book and no one gets hurt
and this was a delightful experience on account of how there is nothing more entertaining than reading an author halal-ifying romance tropes
it was hilarious when fawzia gilani did it with cinderella and it is hilarious here
things this book has: muslim style
- a bad boy gone good love interest. :DDD he used to be in a band and
ahahaha i'm laughing thoughso obviously when i heard of this book i had to get it. ya muslim romance? i'm here, i blew down the door, hand over the book and no one gets hurt
and this was a delightful experience on account of how there is nothing more entertaining than reading an author halal-ifying romance tropes
it was hilarious when fawzia gilani did it with cinderella and it is hilarious here
things this book has: muslim style
- a bad boy gone good love interest. :DDD he used to be in a band and he has a tattoo and an ex from back in his pre-deen days. there's no angsty speech where he tells our heroine to stay away from him because he could hurt her but whatever, man, he has a tattoo. i'm gonna laugh till i'm eighty
- speaking of our heroine! she's a good girl with a ~dark past~. does it get exposed by the end of the book? yes, yes it does. i'm not going to spoil it for you, you deserve to enjoy the tropeyness yourself
- family obstacles to the love story. her brother is not down with this da'eef bro into his sister! here, amirah, i got this nice saudi brother who's interested in you, he's got a beard and everything so you know his deen game strong. 8D
- but can youth marriage REALLY LAST?
(spoiler: na'ima b. robert votes YES)
- that staple of the romance genre:
(it's amazing, omg, i'm gonna tell that story to sell this book to every muslim i know. a++++ halal comedy show, tickets on sale during jumu'ah)
- this isn't a romance trope but it's hilarious so i'm sharing it anyways. basically, the second time they chat goes like this:
ali: -walks into room- assalama alaykum, sister, i've got the forms you needed—internal monologue
ali: oh god, it's the girl from the basketball courts! she's so pretty, oh no, astaghfirullah ali, you keep that gaze on the floor
amirah: ahahaha he thinks i'm hot thooooooooaloud
amirah: -in the cool voice of a sister who's never met this brother before and would never dream of laughing over how incredibly obvious his face is- yes brother?
- the hero is part of a muslim biker group called the deen riders. i'mma track down every muslim girl i know so i can copy that idea; the deen riders is too beautiful an idea to be confined only to the printed world xDD
in conclusion, muslim romance is literally the best, everyone else should go home
(ending's kinda rushed and normally i'd question a romance where the hero and heroine talk like two times but idc, it is hilarious and halal and MINE, i will call for this book to lead the ya revolution. MORE YA MUSLIM ROMANCE FOR 2015, SPREAD THE GOOD WORD)
3 stars
...more It gets a bonus star from me for being a diverse book with a different kind of diversity, but I didn't love the book like I expected to.
I like that each character talks about their faith and the book shows there's more than one kind of Muslim. But otherwise the book fell flat for me. (view spoiler)[ I didn't feel any connection between Ali and Amirah. They hardly speak to each other throughout the entire book and they get married after a whopping two
I think I'm not the demographic for this book.It gets a bonus star from me for being a diverse book with a different kind of diversity, but I didn't love the book like I expected to.
I like that each character talks about their faith and the book shows there's more than one kind of Muslim. But otherwise the book fell flat for me. (view spoiler)[ I didn't feel any connection between Ali and Amirah. They hardly speak to each other throughout the entire book and they get married after a whopping two conversations based on how they felt when they looked at each other. Also playing up Amirah's 'past' felt a little dramatic to me, especially when compared to the leery stepfather where it turns out nothing actually happens. The growth from any characters in this book sort of feels forced and things that are played up as problematic suddenly get solved super easily to move on to the next problem. We don't get to see what the characters are motivated by or made of. They talk a lot about their faith but Ali seems to be the only person to act on it in the whole story. (hide spoiler)]
Between the 'yo's and 'bro's and no clear explanation of what drives the characters I think this story wasn't for me.
...moreHer popular 'From my sisters' lips' explored the reality of living as a Muslim woman in th Na'ima B Robert is descended from Scottish Highlanders on her father's side and the Zulu people on her mother's side. She was born in Leeds, grew up in Zimbabwe and went to university in London. At high school, her loves included performing arts, public speaking and writing stories that shocked her teachers.
Her popular 'From my sisters' lips' explored the reality of living as a Muslim woman in the West. She has written several multicultural books for children, including 'The Swirling Hijaab', 'Going to Mecca' and 'Ramadan Moon'. She is also the author of the teen novels 'From Somalia, with love', 'Boy vs Girl', 'Black Sheep' and the award-winning 'Far from Home', a historical novel set in Zimbabwe. Her cult classic 'She Wore Red Trainers' pioneered the 'halal romance novel' genre. She divides her time between London and Yorkshire and dreams of living on a farm with her own horses. Until then, she is happy to keep telling untold stories, calling for increased representation in children's books and mentoring other aspiring Muslim writers with her writing groups and programmes. ...more
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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18528169
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