That Thing We Call a Heart

Starred review from March 15, 2017
It's the end of high school, and Shabnam Qureshi has lost her best friend and has no summer job, but the summer quickly becomes unforgettable when she finds herself falling in love.Pakistani-American Shabnam does many things wrong, including kissing an obnoxious white boy in a party game after he disses her best friend with a bigoted joke, being ashamed of her great-uncle for his religious/ethnic appearance, and lying about her great-uncle's experience during Partition--a lie that, in a satisfying twist of poetic justice, haunts her. Still, by the time she falls head over heels for Jamie, a white college student in town for the summer, readers can't help but feel protective of Shabnam. When she finds the guts to reconnect with her fascinating best friend, Farah, things really get interesting. In this relationship with another Pakistani-American girl, readers catch a glimpse of the diversity among Muslims. Shabnam is decidedly secular, at times sounding anti-religion, as when she tries to convince Farah not to wear the hijab. Farah, however, feels -too Muslim for the non-Muslims, but not Muslim enough for the Muslims.- Even as Shabnam and Farah make this satisfying trek back to friendship, Shabnam learns to relate to her parents, exploring Urdu poetry and Sufism, two of her father's interests, which are likely to interest readers as well. Populated by complicated characters who are so well described readers will feel they might bump into them on the street, Karim's second novel delivers on its title's promise. (Fiction. 14-adult)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-The summer before college is a fraught one for Shabnam. Although she and Farah were once practically sisters, there's a distance between them now that Farah has chosen to wear hijab. Shabnam feels uncomfortable with the attention her friend's decision often attracts. Meanwhile, Shabnam falls hard for Jamie, navigates her relationship with her family, and, under her father's guidance, discovers the beauty of Urdu poetry. The story line is slight and the romantic plot predictable, but what sets this funny, dialogue-heavy read apart is its nuanced examination of identity. Beneath Shabnam's snide commentary about herself, her Pakistani and Muslim heritage, and her family lies genuine insecurity, which Karim teases out deftly. The protagonist's careless actions and blunt, sarcastic voice may put off some readers (for instance, she describes her great-uncle as being "a turban away from scary mullah"), but she is a relatable adolescent who is willing to grow and who eventually comes to gain a fuller appreciation of her culture. Many secondary characters are also well written. Karim has crafted a complex portrait of a young Muslim woman with Farah: though devoted to her religion, she is an outspoken feminist who smokes marijuana and attends punk rock concerts. Jamie, however, feels like more of a plot device than a well-developed character. Sexual situations, drug use, and profanity make this title appropriate for older audiences. VERDICT Fans of Sara Zarr and Jenny Han and readers of realistic fiction will enjoy this thoughtful, witty offering.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

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