This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed
It is clear that this 384 page contemporary YA book is about the hot topic of burn banning in America, and I would imagine most are aware that the overwhelming number of books that have been recently banned or pulled because of objection, are by BIPOC and queer authors about BIPOC and queer themes. So I read it not so much to see the Muslim author’s perspective, but more to see how the Muslim identifying characters in the book approached the topic. The book is very black and white, book banning is wrong, Republican right wing MAGA members are fascist, and liberal freedom of speech supporters are LGBTQ+ identifying and allies and upholder of first amendment rights. Islam and the character’s Indian heritage is ingrained in the characters being, and a label they are comfortable with, unfortunately, it has no impact on how they act, think, or the lens in which they view their world. Every 50 pages or so some vague mention of Ramadan, or a tasbeeh, or mosque forcefully appears, only to disappear just as abruptly. The Muslim protagonist, Noor, likes two different boys, is often alone with them, nearly kisses them, and with the support of her family attends prom. Her younger sister, Amal, is unsure if she wants a boyfriend or a girlfriend, it is not a major part of the story and is just mentioned in passing. A major side character is lesbian, and starts a bit of a relationship with another girl, they hold hands, and there are a few kisses on cheeks, nothing overly detailed. Their is profanity in the book, arson, threats, racism, and stereotypes.
SYNOPSIS:
Noor and her family move to a small town from Chicago when her dad abruptly abandons the family. It is the end of Noor’s senior year, and with the grief, stress, and emotional upheaval of her family, Noor just wants to get to graduation. Quick friendships with Faiz and Juniper, and realizing that she is the daughter of her activist parents though, thrusts her into making enemies her first week in the conservative town by questioning the school’s book banning policies. Add in her strained relationship with her mom, her conflicting feelings for Andrew and Faiz, and her sisterly concern for Amal, and Noor has a lot on her plate as she shakes up a small town.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The first chapter is incredible writing, no doubt. I hated the dad, more than that I was so disappointed in him, and so concerned for Noor, Amal and their mom. To feel such strong emotions for characters just introduced is a testament the author’s abilities. Sadly, insight into why their dad left never came, and perhaps no answers is something the characters had to grapple with, but as the reader, I felt it wasn’t really explored, or articulated, it just was unresolved, and I really wanted some closure. In terms of literary quality, the book went down hill pretty quick. the middle was slow and repetitive with the heavy handed views on book banning. Some shades of gray, or some discourse would have prodded the readers to maybe think about the implications of banning books, but the narrative never allowed for that. It is right vs wrong, us vs them from the start. There really is no growth of the protagonist, she doesn’t have much of a character arc, and the supporting cast is not fleshed out. I wanted to see more of Noor and her Mom, not just be told repetitively how absent she is, I wanted to see Faiz as a full person, not just the only brown Muslim at the school that cooks. Where are his parents, do they support his activism, that he is going to prom? Truly, there is no Islam in practice it is just a label that gets dropped when it furthers the notion of raging against a bias system. I’m not saying they need to be praying and reading Quran on every page, but I don’t know that the story would be much different if the family was not Muslim Indian American, really the catalyst is that they are a new family, and a visible minority.
FLAGS:
Straight and LGBTQ+ relationships, arson, threats, stereotypes, racism, bullying, cursing.
