In recent years, Mafi has established herself as an author of YA dystopian and MG fantasy, with a beautiful, quotable writing style. I was very interested to see how she would approach what I imagine is an extremely personal YA contemporary. Stripped of the lyrical prose, A Very Large Expanse of Sea is an unflinchingly honest but inexplicably appealing novel.

I want to start by saying that I absolutely loved Shirin. She embraced being Persian, being Muslim, and she was quick to cut down anyone who belittled her. But she was one girl seemingly against the world, and fierce as she might’ve been, she made mistakes. She was emotional and rash at times, but true to herself. Though I’m neither Persian nor Muslim and can’t possibly relate to her struggles, I appreciate how realistic she was in general.

When it comes to Ocean, though, I’m not sure where I stand. I appreciated his sincerity; he wore his heart on his sleeve and I think YA would benefit from more boys like that. Not every boy is a brooding disaster. Anyway, while he was cute and awkward and very likable, beyond that he felt a bit flat. That isn’t to say every character needs to be in the midst of an existential crisis (however relatable that may be); however, him not wanting to play basketball felt trivial.

My favorite element, hands down, was the breakdancing. I truly cannot think of a single other YA novel that features breakdancing in any manner. Shirin and her brother Navid already have a good relationship at the start of the story, but coming together with Navid’s friends to form a crew only made them closer. It allowed Shirin to make friends with people she wasn’t either related to or in love with, and all of that aside, it was simply fascinating. Learning about the history and technique of breakdancing intrigued me, and I enjoyed reading the day-to-day practice scenes.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when the novel came to a close, and immediately after finishing, I didn’t like it. After a bit of contemplation and a discussion with my amazing best friend Erika, I realized that, though I wasn’t satisfied, Mafi’s decision was likely the strongest way to conclude the story. I admire authors that choose perhaps the lesser-liked endings in order to end their story in a way that feels right, and I think that’s the case here. (But watch me be a complete hypocrite when I read/reread one of my favorite books and don’t like the ending, haha. I’ll forget I ever said this.)

This last part is likely a stretch, and likely a thought induced by my full-blown obsession with the live-action Aladdin. But I can’t resist saying that I feel some parts of the song “Speechless” really embody Shirin. Though she’s not a princess, she and Jasmine are both fierce girls of color with the odds against them, and they refuse to back down.

In conclusion, I now firmly believe that Mafi can successfully write just about anything. A Very Large Expanse of Sea wasn’t a flawless novel but it was enjoyable, and it’s definitely an important addition to YA. I look forward to seeing this adapted into a movie, and to reading more from Mafi, both in and out of the Shatter Me world.

Representation:
• Shirin and her family are Persian and Muslim.
• There are a few side characters of color. I believe they’re all Middle Eastern, though I can’t recall specifics.

CW: Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism, harassment, assault