He is quieter and is struggling to tell his family that he has MS, an illness that killed his mother.
Adam, on the other hand, is similar to Zayneb on many levels but is also her opposite. I also enjoyed Zayneb’s squad of friends who are dedicated to fighting with her for justice, and her fierce determination to stand up for herself is admirable. Honestly, she is a pretty angry character which I don’t typically love, but Zayneb is angry for a good reason and has every right to want to get revenge on those who hurt her. I loved Zayneb’s character and how she refuses to be silenced. The prejudice Zayneb faces is appalling, and it will awaken the reader’s desire to fight for social justice. As well, the novel is more than a fluffy romance as it tackles subjects like Islamophobia and chronic illness. It is a fresh format, and I enjoyed being able to read both Zayneb and Adam’s side of the story.
I loved the idea of a marvels and oddities journal and how the book is structured like entries in such a book. At the airport, she meets Adam, and they have the chance to reconnect through Zayneb’s aunt. ❃Īfter standing up to her teacher’s Islamophobic ways, Zayneb is suspended and flies out to Qatar to stay with her aunt. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister.Īdam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.Īlone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break.įueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are.īut Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad.
Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together.Īn oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like potatoes-because they make French fries happen. Ali comes an unforgettable romance that is part The Sun Is Also a Star mixed with Anna and the French Kiss, following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip.Ī marvel: something you find amazing.
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