Name: Sarah Sammis's review of All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Item: All-American Muslim Girl
Rating: 3
Author: Sarah Sammis

Nadine Jolie Courtney

Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she’s a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she’s dating popular, sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells’s father is Jack Henderson, America’s most famous conservative shock jock, and Allie hasn’t told Wells that her family is Muslim. It’s not like Allie’s religion is a secret. It’s just that her parents don’t practice, and raised her to keep it to herself. But as Allie witnesses Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she decides to embrace her faith—study, practice it, and even face misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the “perfect” all-American girl? This is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.

All-American Muslim Girl

Sarah Sammis

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney is about Allie Abraham, an all-American girl who wants to embrace her Muslim heritage even though her parents aren't practicing. They are of a mixed marriage. Her father is a Muslim immigrant who has done his best to assimilate. Her mother was Episcopalian but converted when they married.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm...

Phoenix Tesni 

i have so much to say and honestly don't know where to begin.. but I usually decide whether to read a muslim representation book on the basis of reviews by actual muslims, and I did see a few on here saying it was problematic- I still decided to read it- and I don't regret it. I don't mean to speak over actual muslims' opinions on this book, because I am definitely not one and I don't have the right to do that. but who I AM is a person born and raised between two cultures I've never fit into, and feeling lost. this book captures that. this book tells me- "I see you, and you are valid." and from where I am standing- it shows every side of the debate- doesn't preach, and makes you think. it makes you put down the book and reflect. it has beautiful representation, well written characters & relationships, a LOT of knowledge that's a treasure to people who go into this book without knowing anything, tearful moments, and incredible writing. i could probably keep going, but all I have to say is this- if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

Arwa El

Living in 2020 as a Muslim means expecting, and accepting, anti-Muslim racism in a lot of public spaces. Hiding the Muslim identity is not as uncommon, especially when you can fully emerge with society and pass as White or an “oriental beauty”.
In this realistic fiction novel we get to know Alia “Allie” Abraham, a Circassian-Syrian American, who comes from a Muslim family that doesn’t practice their faith. Quite the opposite actually. When her father first came to the US he changed his name legally to the neutral sounding “Abraham” and did not only integrate but actually assimilated into the US-American society.

As anti-Muslim racism is growing and she witnesses racist remarks and discussions among her friends, Allie starts to embrace her faith by reading, studying and finally, practicing it. While she is trying to find a balance between her new friend circle (some sort of MSA), her family, the disappointment of her father, when he learned that she wants to practice her faith, and her boyfriend, she keeps asking herself one question over and over again: “What is a good Muslim?” and will she ever truly be one?

I really appreciated this novel because it never felt forced or inorganic. Her struggles as a young Muslim woman who tries to fit in but also practice her faith, is something very familiar. It makes you question your sense of belonging, your identity, what it means to fall in love, how to build your community and which friends you’re allowed to have. 

Even though it can be a little bit too much, but Courtney deconstructs so many stereotypes and myths about Islam and Muslims that it can also be read by someone who doesn’t know anything about this religion - and she is doing all of that through the lense of young Allie!

One of the things that stood out to me from other Muslim YA novels is the aspect of the language (believe me, I am saving this topic for another time). This is one of the rare books that I have read where the protagonist actually puts effort and time to learn Arabic and don’t only associate Arabic with her extended family. This is something you don’t read often in US-American books.

So, yes, do not only enjoy this cute cover but also the cute story!

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: All-American Muslim Girl

Author: Nadine Jolie Courtney

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Muslim main character and family!!

Publication Date: November 12, 2019

Genre: YA Contemporary

Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, racism, and self discovery)

Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux

Pages: 415

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she's a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she's dating cute, popular, and sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells's father is Jack Henderson, America's most famous conservative shock jock...and Allie hasn't told Wells that her family is Muslim. It's not like Allie's religion is a secret, exactly. It's just that her parents don't practice and raised her to keep her Islamic heritage to herself. But as Allie witnesses ever-growing Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she begins to embrace her faith—studying it, practicing it, and facing hatred and misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the "perfect" all-American girl? What does it mean to be a "Good Muslim?" And can a Muslim girl in America ever truly fit in?

ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM GIRL is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.

Review: I really loved this sweet book. It was an amazing book full of self discovery and how to deal with racism and people’s incorrect views on you and your religion/culture/skin color. I thought the characters were well developed, the romance was sweet and well paced, and the world building amazing. I loved how the author opened up with a racist event between Allie’s father on a plane… and while it was cringe worthy the book demanded that you face it as Allie and Muslims have to everyday. Definitely one of the most important books I’ve read in 2020.

The only issue I had, since I have to point out one to keep all of my reviews fair, is that the pacing did feel a bit slow in places and it dragged in a couple of tiny spots, but overall an amazingly well done novel!

Verdict: Worth the read!

Jeni Enjaian

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I found the premise fascinating although the blurb misleads the reader as to the driving conflict of the book. That conflict plays a part for sure, however, not the primary part. I have a hard time putting my finger on why I did not connect with the main character but something felt slightly off, out of focus, and I could never grab on. That makes reading less enjoyable. Additionally, while many of the stereotypes talked about in the book occur in real life, something about Courtney's presentation felt far too cliché, too storybook to find believable. It's a complicated subject which needs addressing but Courtney's work leaves a lot to be desired.

Emily C Peterson

Pippa 

I would give this a 3.5 because I really liked it and learned a lot about the Islam and thought a lot about faith all together, but having read A Very Large Expanse of Sea earlier this year, quite a similar story, it just wasn’t as good.

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