The book landed on my nightstand serendipitously; a random recommendation in the New York Times and then it was there.
I recommend it with a trigger warning.
Some should definitely read the book, and some should definitely NOT read the book.
If you want to see how someone draws their inspiration from faith in very profound way even as they negotiate their path to their own inner self, sexuality and orientation, this will be treat for you and you should read it.
On the other hand, if any variant interpretation of articles of faith makes you uncomfortable, this book is worth avoiding.
This is the story of a Muslim girl. She grows up in South Asia, in a house where Urdu is spoken and there is a beach. At age six, her family moves to a Middle East country where her father gets a job, After schooling she moves to USA for education and now calls New York her home. Not an uncommon story so far.
Once she moves out of her native country at six, she sees herself always on the move, living in an alien environment and always unsure what comes next. Her growing up is deeply rooted in tradition and religion. There is a small immigrant desi community where most of the family social interaction takes place. In these homes, in the school and out in the street, she faces othering, colorism, sexism, classism, xenophobia; growing up brown in a 'white' Arab country.
Along the way she starts discovering herself and her preferences. She is drawn into her own gender. It takes her a while to realize she is gay.
One cannot stay in those countries as an adult child of an immigrant worker. She has to find a way out. She finds a scholarship to college in the USA and moves here. Here again she goes through the same experiences at another level: of othering, colorism, seximb and classism, all that in a post 9/11 America as a Hijabi.
Her faith does not sway and she keeps on finding inner strength through her faith. She builds her own community.
The book is a fascinating read. All the chapters are named after 'characters' from the Quran: Maryam, Jinn, Allah, Musa, Muhammad, Asiyah, Nuh, Yusuf, Hajar and Yunus.
She talks about them and their narrations in the Book and how she relates their experiences to hers and finds strength through them.
Her style of storytelling is very personal. She delves into her inner thoughts and bravely puts them on paper. She is not shy about analyzing these figures critically, and then finds resolution which leads her into a stronger relationship with her faith.
Saying anything more will be a spoiler.
Nasir Gondal
