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wren_in_black 's review for:
The Bad Muslim Discount
by Syed M. Masood
I enjoyed this one.
The Bad Muslim Discount is about the intersecting lives of two immigrants, one from Pakistan and one from Iraq who live in an apartment complex ran by a man who gives good Muslims a discount on their rent. But neither Anvar nor Safwa are good Muslims. Each has acted selfishly, each has compromised their morality to get what they want in life. Anvar has never been particularly religious and for Safwa, the way others express their religion to her has caused her great pain. They both try to be good enough people, for whatever that's worth.
Anvar's family was able to immigrate legally to the United States, and so many opportunities were available to him. He was able to go to college and get a good degree. Safwa was not so fortunate and her opportunities are severely limited, both by her circumstances and her choices. Still, she'll steal whatever independence she can, no matter what the risk.
The opening chapters of Anvar's story were very interesting to me. I liked the dynamic between Anvar and his brother and although this is explored throughout the story, I wish it had been a bit more resolved. There was great potential for emotion there and it didn't quite pan out. Safwa's story is more difficult to read. I like that it explores America's culpability in radicalizing terrorists who happen to be Muslim. Some parts of Safwa's story feel a bit more stereotypical and this is not typical female Muslim representation, even though Safwa is a strong character despite her circumstances.
This book also lightly touches on 2016 election issues and the way it affects Anvar and Safwa's community. It doesn't shy away from xenophobic nationalism or our culpability in allowing that thought process to rise to the nation's highest office. This brief unflinching look at politics and the real affect it has on people may offend some Republican readers, though I don't imagine that's the target audience anyway...
Overall I enjoyed the mostly irreverent tone of this book, Anwar's often inappropriate humor, and the relationship between Zuha, Anvar's former secret girlfriend, and Safwa. The family dynamics are complex, the myriad of ways in which people practice (or don't practice) what they believe are superbly illustrated. I greatly enjoyed this book and I'm glad I picked it as a Book of the Month add-on.
The Bad Muslim Discount is about the intersecting lives of two immigrants, one from Pakistan and one from Iraq who live in an apartment complex ran by a man who gives good Muslims a discount on their rent. But neither Anvar nor Safwa are good Muslims. Each has acted selfishly, each has compromised their morality to get what they want in life. Anvar has never been particularly religious and for Safwa, the way others express their religion to her has caused her great pain. They both try to be good enough people, for whatever that's worth.
Anvar's family was able to immigrate legally to the United States, and so many opportunities were available to him. He was able to go to college and get a good degree. Safwa was not so fortunate and her opportunities are severely limited, both by her circumstances and her choices. Still, she'll steal whatever independence she can, no matter what the risk.
The opening chapters of Anvar's story were very interesting to me. I liked the dynamic between Anvar and his brother and although this is explored throughout the story, I wish it had been a bit more resolved. There was great potential for emotion there and it didn't quite pan out. Safwa's story is more difficult to read. I like that it explores America's culpability in radicalizing terrorists who happen to be Muslim. Some parts of Safwa's story feel a bit more stereotypical and this is not typical female Muslim representation, even though Safwa is a strong character despite her circumstances.
This book also lightly touches on 2016 election issues and the way it affects Anvar and Safwa's community. It doesn't shy away from xenophobic nationalism or our culpability in allowing that thought process to rise to the nation's highest office. This brief unflinching look at politics and the real affect it has on people may offend some Republican readers, though I don't imagine that's the target audience anyway...
Overall I enjoyed the mostly irreverent tone of this book, Anwar's often inappropriate humor, and the relationship between Zuha, Anvar's former secret girlfriend, and Safwa. The family dynamics are complex, the myriad of ways in which people practice (or don't practice) what they believe are superbly illustrated. I greatly enjoyed this book and I'm glad I picked it as a Book of the Month add-on.