![]() As usual, Mafi excels at highlighting the relationships between her characters, whether it’s the warm, supportive teasing between Shirin and her brother or the bittersweet agony of the deep connection between her and Ocean. ![]() But while Ocean’s presence is a breath of fresh air, it also terrifies her: What happens when he gets past her walls? What happens when they shatter and she’s left more vulnerable than ever before? Sympathetic Shirin’s sharp, raw voice narrates the novel, and her captivating story opens a window onto a different narrative from the one typically dominating the airwaves after 9/11. It works until she meets Ocean James, who sees more than just her headscarf and is charmingly persistent about learning who she is, from her love of music to her burgeoning skills on the break dancing team her brother starts. Jaded and cynical in the face of humanity’s repeated cruelty at the sight of her hijab, Shirin only plans to get through high school as quickly as she can and let no one past her guarded exterior. ![]() Mafi ( Whichwood, 2017) tackles the life of an American Muslim teenager in the wake of 9/11 in this visceral, honest novel. ![]()
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