By Tahereh Mafi
Harper, 2018. 310 pages. Young Adult
Shirin is a 16-year-old Muslim girl in the politically turbulent time of 2002, a year after 9/11. She’s tired of being stereotyped, and is no longer surprised by how horrible people can be because of her race, religion, and the hijab she wears. In the afternoons after school she drowns her frustrations in music and break-dancing in her brother’s new crew as they prepare for the school talent show. Then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in a long time that seems to genuinely like and want to spend time with Shirin, but letting her guard down and forming a real friendship is difficult after spending so long protecting herself.
Shirin is a very well developed character, acting and reacting in realistic ways based on the experiences she’s had. It’s a reminder of how dangerous and cruel it is to form opinions of an entire group of people based on the actions of a few individuals. My heart broke for Shirin and her struggles. I loved Ocean and felt like the conversations between the two were illuminating and intelligent, rather than sentimental or mushy. The teens and their situation felt real. I could easily recommend this book for readers looking for well crafted, diverse, issue-oriented reads.
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