Second-generation Syrian American Khadija Shaami lives to buck the expectations of others, particularly her overbearing mom. She loves driving her enormous, luxurious Mercedes-Benz G-wagon, has decked out her bed room with Syrian flags and art work and is the one Muslim lady who packing containers at her fitness center. Leene Taher, a refugee from Syria, appears to embody all of the stereotypes Khadija desires to defy. Leene is a respectful, diligent daughter who’s grieving the loss of her father and brother whereas making an attempt her greatest to slot in and make buddies in a brand new nation. When Khadija’s mom invitations Leene and her mom to stay with them and all however insists that the women develop into buddies, each are optimistic that it’ll by no means occur.
Yet as time passes, Khadija and Leene understand that their variations is likely to be helpful to one another. Khadija may also help Leene discover her place in America, and Leene may also help Khadija placate her mom and earn permission to journey overseas subsequent summer season. But as the 2 start to disclose their secrets and techniques to one another, a possibility arrives that would heal their households and cement their friendship—in the event that they’re courageous sufficient to pursue it.
The Next New Syrian Girl is a heartbreaking however hopeful story about two ladies making an attempt to do proper by their households whereas discovering their very own impartial paths. Syrian American debut writer Ream Shukairy balances moments of pleasure—scenes at Khadija’s boxing fitness center, shared rides within the automobile that Leene dubs “the Tank” and a very humorous reference to well-liked skilled wrester John Cena—with weighty themes, together with grief, melancholy, suicide, racism and battle.
The e book’s brightest gentle is Shukairy’s depiction of how Khadija and Leene embrace their identities and are available to worth their distinctive passions and goals. Their distinct voices stream nicely collectively inside the novel’s dual-narrative construction, providing portrayals of two younger ladies who refuse to let simplistic definitions rule their lives. This refusal is commonly literal, as Khadija continuously gives up dictionary-style vocabulary explanations earlier than countering them along with her personal perspective, and Leene is equally fascinated by the idea of semantics, “the meaning of words based on context.”
The Next New Syrian Girl may very well be extra constantly paced—it’s front-loaded with repetitious particulars and races via its again half—however the massive forged of supporting characters offers ample rewards. Standouts embody Khadija’s emotionally complicated mom and her kindhearted crush on the fitness center. Shukairy skillfully illuminates the various ways in which Khadija’s and Leene’s lives are formed by the presence and the absence of family members, and these dynamics result in wealthy contrasts all through.
For readers who get pleasure from heart-wrenching, character-driven novels, The Next New Syrian Girl establishes Shukairy as a brand new writer to observe.
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