Ali, S.K. (2017). Saints and Misfits. New York: Salaam Reads.
Janna is a Muslim American teen. With that comes dealing with several issues. She has chosen to wear a hijab, she is expected to only date (with a chaperone) Muslim boys, and she is to be active in her Mosque's activities especially since her uncle is the Iman and her brother is courting her study circle leader. But the reality is that she likes Jeremy, who is definitely not Muslim and her days are haunted by the memory of an attempted rape by her friend cousin. She has told no one of the assault and her attacker seems to be stalking her. When his presence at a Muslim teen quiz show, causes Janna to freeze and the team to lose she starts to realize that she has to speak up and take back control of her life.
With the main character being Muslim and the attempted rape, this story is modern and timely. With the "Me Too" movement, many teen girls are finding their voices and speaking out against their attackers. But the Muslim community where sex isn't openly discussed, I have to wonder how many other girls this has happened to who stayed silent. This book could be a catalyst for change. I was looking for reviews from the Muslim community and found that several were positive. https://muslimreads.com/2018/01/07/review-saints-and-misfits-by-s-k-ali/
refers to Saints and Misfits as the book her teen self had been waiting for. While this is not a professional review, I felt that a Muslim American woman's review actually carried more weight. She has lived this life and would be the best to comment on it. Overall, a great book that I would definitely have out in a high school library!
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