your name is a song by jamilah thompkins bigelow

In the end, this book is poignant and powerful, an inspiration and a literary triumph.On my first day in school in Canada, the teacher told the kids in class that my name was 'Napija' despite me telling him my name very carefully before class started. Islam isn't explained or defended or fought against, but it isn't ignored in this book, and I love how real that felt too. Their (ir)religiosity isn't the point so much as it is simply part of the fabric of the story. There is also a range of piety through the minor characters, including a self-hating (former?) Muslim and an imam, which is a nice touch. And often, especially in the case of Noor, they are turning back to their faith, particularly in difficult moments. They were more typical: Muslims who sin but don't hate being Muslims. Often, the publishing industry seems to encourage the writing of Muslim characters whose main goal seems to be pushing back on being Muslim. I found their relationships with their faith relatable and realistic when considering the diverse kinds of Muslims I know. While her chapters are intermittent and short, I feel she is the spirit of the book.Ī long but important thing to note for me as a Muslim reader is that the two main characters aren't the typical definition of observant. She does the best with what she has and knows, she embodies care in the stark uncaring world of this book, and though she has regrets, she has endless hope. She serves as a guiding light even though she is a person with frailties and is sometimes struggling and failing to figure things out. She is given so much nuance when auntie characters are often more stereotypical and flat. Salahudin and Noor are works of art in their characterizations and Auntie Misbah absolutely wowed me. I left the novel feeling genuinely inspired. While there is tragedy, Tahir somehow weaves a constant note of hopefulness throughout. Even with clearer villains, there is such depth to the characters that even if I didn't care for them, I felt their nuance, contradictions, and realness. When I teared up for the alcoholic bum of a father character I despised, I knew she had me. What stayed with me the most, though, is the way Tahir seems to have a way of making you feel deeply for even unexpected characters. Slow-burn romance, alcoholism, trauma, death and loss, racism, poverty, and identity and disconnection are all in here. I was thinking about the characters for days after.

I do mean that in a good way, but definitely keep tissues nearby as you read. Slow-burn romance, alcoholism, trauma, death and loss, racism, poverty, and identity and disc This book left me wrecked.

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Your name is a song by jamilah thompkins bigelow