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The Blurb On The Back:
I’d always carried with me a burden of conviction I could not set down. I could not deny the beliefs that shaped me any more than I could deny the colour of my eyes.
It made for a lonely life.
It’s been several months since the US officially declared war on Iraq, and the world has evolved. Tensions are high, hate crimes are on the rise, and the Muslim community is harassed and targeted more than ever. Shadi, who wears hijab, keeps her head down. SHe’s too busy drowning in her own troubles to find the time to deal with bigots.
Shadi is named for joy, but she’s haunted by the loss of family and friendship. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of her heart - it’s broken. Trying to navigate her crumbling work by soldiering through, Shadi says nothing, each day retreating farther and farther inside herself until finally, one day, everything changes.
She explodes.
An Emotion Of Great Delight is a searing look into the world of a single Muslim family in the wake of 9/11. It’s about a child of immigrants forging a blurry identity, falling in love, and finding hope in an ever-changing world …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Tahereh Mafi’s YA novel is an uneven mix of melodrama, romance, coming-of-age story and recent historical events that, for me, is hampered by the fact that the main character is incredibly passive so all the events happen to her rather than her driving them. Although that’s a believable reaction as Mefi is overwhelmed and shutting down, I didn’t find it interesting to read so that and the melodramatic style left me somewhat disappointed.
AN EMOTION OF GREAT DELIGHT was released in the United Kingdom on 10th June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
It made for a lonely life.
It’s been several months since the US officially declared war on Iraq, and the world has evolved. Tensions are high, hate crimes are on the rise, and the Muslim community is harassed and targeted more than ever. Shadi, who wears hijab, keeps her head down. SHe’s too busy drowning in her own troubles to find the time to deal with bigots.
Shadi is named for joy, but she’s haunted by the loss of family and friendship. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of her heart - it’s broken. Trying to navigate her crumbling work by soldiering through, Shadi says nothing, each day retreating farther and farther inside herself until finally, one day, everything changes.
An Emotion Of Great Delight is a searing look into the world of a single Muslim family in the wake of 9/11. It’s about a child of immigrants forging a blurry identity, falling in love, and finding hope in an ever-changing world …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Tahereh Mafi’s YA novel is an uneven mix of melodrama, romance, coming-of-age story and recent historical events that, for me, is hampered by the fact that the main character is incredibly passive so all the events happen to her rather than her driving them. Although that’s a believable reaction as Mefi is overwhelmed and shutting down, I didn’t find it interesting to read so that and the melodramatic style left me somewhat disappointed.
AN EMOTION OF GREAT DELIGHT was released in the United Kingdom on 10th June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
