I read two YA books in June and loved them so much I immediately wanted to share them with you. But then my grandmom became seriously ill and passed away, and I never got around to blogging about these books. This is a shame really, as they were so good. So now I’d like to talk about why these books are a must-read.
The books I am talking about are:
- The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
- I am Thunder – Muhammad Khan
Both these books deal incredibly well with serious issues giving a voice to people who are often misrepresented in the media.
The Hate U Give
This book talks about the police killing of a young black unarmed boy in the United States, and its impact on the witness.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
My Review
I don’t think I have the words to describe how powerful this book was. Intense would be a very mild word to describe the emotions running through this book. I read this book from end to end within a couple of days and thought about it for many days afterward. This is a book that will live with you for a long time, hopefully, also become a YA classic years later. All I can say is that this book touched me deeply in ways I never expected to feel. Of course, I know about racism in America, but living in India I hadn’t necessarily felt it. This book made me really, really feel it.
While this book talks about police violence, it goes beyond that. It also paints a realistic (at times painfully so) picture of people’s lives. All the characters are incredibly nuanced; even the police officer who shot Khalil is portrayed as a human being with a family.
I think everyone should read this book once just to understand what the #blacklivesmatter movement is all about, and why it is so important.
I am Thunder
This is a complex book that deals with the lives of Muslims in England.
Fifteen-year-old Muzna Saleem, who dreams of being a writer, struggles with controlling parents who only care about her studying to be a doctor. Forced to move to a new school in South London after her best friend is shamed in a scandal, Muzna realizes that the bullies will follow her wherever she goes. But deciding to stand and face them instead of fighting her instinct to disappear is harder than it looks when there’s prejudice everywhere you turn. Until the gorgeous and confident Arif shows an interest in her, encouraging Muzna to explore her freedom.
But Arif is hiding his own secrets and, along with his brother Jameel, he begins to influence Muzna with their extreme view of the world. As her new freedom starts to disappear, Muzna is forced to question everything around her and make a terrible choice – keep quiet and betray herself, or speak out and betray her heart.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
My Review
Muzna is a school kid in London who is torn between her parent’s family values, and the lifestyle of the local kids. Her parents want her to become a doctor regardless of the fact that her real strength lies in writing. They are suspicious of her friends and over-protective, while at the same time trying to be liberal parents. Sounds confusing, right? No wonder Muzna is in a bad shape.
It was cruel to bring me up in Britain, make me go to school with British kids, then expect me to act like a girl from back home. Outside of having brown skin, speaking the language, and half-heartedly cheering the cricket team on with Dad, I had no real idea of what it meant to be Pakistani.
She meets Arif and falls in love with him. He introduces her to his more conservative way of life. He convinces her to wear a hajib, parroting the beliefs of his creepy, fundamentalist brother. Soon, she is joining extremist groups without realizing she is getting unduly influenced.
I don’t need rescuing. The hijab is my crown.
Muzna is just not able to see the pull that Arif and his older brother begin to have on her. What begins as a curiosity to explore her religion, soon becomes isolation from those around her. When things escalate, Muzna must trust the people that she and Arif distrust the most – the establishment.
I really like how Khan addresses this part of the book. I was afraid, very afraid that things would go horribly wrong for Muzna and Arif. Thankfully, the police and the other adults in the book are supportive in the end (after being such dickheads in the beginning).
Again, I think this is a book everyone should read. While it’s true that Islam is plagued with extremism and terrorism, there are also genuine Muslims who want to live their lives and do everything they can for the world. All they want is the freedom to practice their faith in peace.
Last Thoughts
It’s a long time since I read something hard-hitting (especially in the YA space). So, I was really glad to get these books for review and enjoy them so much too.
Now, I am on the lookout for more such books. Do you have any recommendations for similar intense reads?
Huge thanks to Penguin Random House India and Pan McMillan India for sending me these books for review consideration.
