Six Truths and a Lie

by Ream Shukairy

Six Muslim teens are falsely accused of a deadly attack in this timely and harrowing examination of America’s justice system, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas and Samira Ahmed.

As fireworks pop off at a rowdy Fourth of July bonfire party, an explosion off the California coast levels an oil rig—resulting in chaos and worse, murder.
 
At the center are six Muslim teens - six patriots, six strangers, and six suspects.  

An old soul caught in the wrong place. An aspiring doctor. An influencer with a reputation to protect. A perfect daughter with secrets to hide. A soccer star headed for Stanford. An immigrant in love. Each with something to hide and everything to lose.

Faced with accusations of terrorism, The Six are caught in a political game that will pit them against each other in exchange for exoneration. They must frame each other to guarantee their own independence or expose their secrets to earn back freedom for them all.
 

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2024

About the author

Ream Shukairy is a Syrian American Muslim born and raised full-time in Orange County, California and part-time over summers in Syria. Whether in California or Syria, she feels at home where her family is and wherever there’s a beach. She has a talent for learning languages and is always on the search for the next place she can travel and flex her words. The daughter of immigrants, there isn’t a stereotype she won’t try her hardest to defy. She can be found reading at the beach, with her sisters watching anime, or playing volleyball really anywhere. She currently resides in Boston for graduate school.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't necessarily the audience for this one but I thought it was a pretty solid read even for an adult audience. The characters were great, it was easy to root for them and to understand them. The writing style was generally pleasant with only the occasional flourishes. I would have liked the intrigue side to be a little more complex but other than that I really appreciated my time with this book.

[Azanta (azantareads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

edit: it’s been well over a month since i read this book and i think about it practically every day. i’m editing my review to be a full 5 stars because it was so powerful and so well done. i loved the audiobook and this is the type of book that would make an incredible show. such an important book that i’d say is one of the best books i’ve read

4.5 stars rounded up. incredibly timely and poignant. Islamophobia and injustice lives on. cried my eyes out at the end.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY FLUFF THIS WAS SO GOOD.

From the first two pages, I was GRIPPED. This novel is perhaps the most intense YA book (or any book) I've read - an action/ psychological thriller tale of 6 Muslim teens caught at the wrong place, the wrong time, and falsely accused of a terrorist act.

Each kid *is* innocent of terrorism, but also has their own personal secrets that they're forced to confront in the aftermath of their arrests.

My heart was in my throat for the first 60% of this book, and although the plot faltered a bit towards the end, it was all STILL SO GOOD. The ending tore my heart and stitched it back together a little too - a bittersweet ending, heavy on the bitter.

This book is a raw, messy, powerful, and absolutely necessary book about the reality of Islamophobia, the adultification of POC Muslim kids, the corruption of the "justice" system, the individual struggles of every teen.

I wish there had been a biiiiit more emphasis on Islam/ spirituality/ each character's personal faith, but that's just a me thing, and honestly, this book is just otherwise SO intensely nuanced and amazing.

What made it terrifying was how REAL it all was - a genuine reflection of the real world, of things that have already happened and continue to happen.

I *loved* Abdullahi's character as a genuinely sweet, wonderful Muslim boy burdened by a guilt that he doesn't deserve; Qays and Muzhda as the complicated love story; Samia's honesty in light of her social media influencer identity, Zamzam's brokenness... even Nasreen, with her rigidity disguising her inner workings.

This book MUST be in every high school library, used as part of curriculums for discussions on oppression and injustice in the contemporary context, pretty much just shoved down everyone's throats.

I honestly teared up at several points!

PRE-ORDER IMMEDIATELY OKAY?!

I'd recommend this for 16+.

(Also, I need this as a movie. Immediately.)

4.8/5 🌟

[Yusra ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

this book broke my heart. my heart is still heavy right now, the ending was so painful 😣
these characters were very demanding of attention. i’ll admit, when i started the book, i got all the girls confused together cuz im not used to more that two povs, but later they got so different.

my mind is kinda all over the place and is still processing so bear with me

nasreen: didn’t like her that much, kinda was too submissive, idc if she ended up *kinda* changing
samia: i liked her. she was okay
abdullahi: i kinda relate to him. he was just tryna help and it got him here.
muzhda: may Allah have mercy on her soul. she made me cry 😢
zamzam: my favorite from the girls. i liked her a lot, she was…idk i just liked her
qays: he broke my heart. i loved him. he was such a good character and he shattered me so bad. i love that boy sm. when he was crying and later realized she’s gone….i can’t handle thattttt 😭

so, end of the story, broke my heart and i loved it. can’t handle this rlly, so i’m gonna go and process this for the rest of the day.

[h i n d · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ream ma'am you are insane for this

I initially found and followed the author on twitter through this aesthetic board years ago


This book exceeded all of my expectations which were already so high.

10 out of 10 for writing, pacing, characters, and of course plot

"Qays had the good looks that littered Instagram. Muzhda had the editorial allure of Vogue."
Your honor I love them 😭

The concept of the book works really well with the commentary that the author highlights in her note at the end of the book "it's a story about a Muslim ummah divided"
We have a super diverse cast (Palestinian, Lebanese/Syrian, Afghan, Pakistani, Sudani, and Black) and when they're pitted against each other in court they get to play into their 'otherness' and throw the accusations at the others for a chance to get themselves out.

Truly one of the best books I've read in a while

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live for descriptive writing when it is well done and adds to the story’s action. Words like “she yelped as she crashed into the ground, a layer of sand on the concrete burrowing into her palms and her forearms. She winced, her skin erupting in a million tiny stings”. Ouch! I could feel her pain! Shukairy knows when to employ the use of detail and when to move on with the plot.

I can’t remember the last time I read 70+ pages straight in one sitting. As soon as I picked it up, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I have to say that Shukairy did a wonderful job of setting up the six main characters by devoting a chapter to each at the beginning of the book. I did not find them difficult to navigate at all. Each has a distinct name and memorable backstory which flows into subsequent chapters keeping them fresh in the readers’ minds.

The conflict arises early in this story as an event occurs at a high school beach party - specifically a gathering of Muslim students from different schools. It turns out that an oil barge and a pier are blown up, killing a security officer. The six are detained and the story quickly picks up from there.

I won’t divulge any other details so as not to spoil the book, but I have to say that I enjoyed Shukairy’s use of descriptive details when necessary and that this book reminded me of Kafka's book, The Trial. Also, I try to give away as many books as I can - I just read too many to keep them all - but this is one that is staying on my shelf to re-read and lend out to my friends who like to read as I do.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reads: 139/250

2024 tbr: 61/120

this book follows six muslim teens following a deadly attack at a fourth of july party that they’re accused of causing. as they’re endlessly questioned for what was simply a matter of in the wrong place at the wrong time, they’re torn between banding together or doing whatever it takes to clear their own name.

i really enjoyed ream shukairy’s debut, the next new syrian girl, so i was excited to read this one, despite knowing it’d be fairly different. despite there being so many pov characters, each had a distinct voice, which i appreciated as this is not the case with every book featuring 3+ viewpoints. i really enjoyed getting to know each character.

i enjoyed the plot, as well. this book really showed how corrupt our justice system is, especially when it comes to minority groups (all characters are muslim; nasreen is pakistani and sapphic; qays is palestinian; samia is lebanese and syrian; muzdha is afghani; abdullahi is sudani; zamzam is black). i won’t dive into spoilers, but i did like how the plot played out. i’d recommend this to ya mystery readers.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've solved this by just saying "In case of an investigation by any federal entity or similar, I do not have any involvement with this group or with the people in it, I do not know how I am here, probably added by a third party, I do not support any actions by members of this group and I myself have no involvement in this case and wish to remain neutral"
Could never be me.

[Sara Hashem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of reading this book when it was in its early stages back in summer 2022 (I’m lucky enough to be friends with the author), and I finished it in a day. I was STRESSED flipping through some of those scenes, let me tell you. This book was so, so good and I’m not exaggerating when I say I still think about it regularly years later.

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling, poignant and gripping thriller.

This was a fantastically nuanced exploration of Islamophobia and the corruption of the ‘justice’ system, specifically when it comes to profiling, racism and prejudice towards Muslims. Shukairy did a great job at highlighting the varying ways each teen experienced both the world and Islamophobia, depending on their dress, background, gender and the colour of their skin.

Devastating, addictive and timely, this is a thriller that achieves so much than simply answering the question of ‘who done it’.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely YA mystery novel about a group of South Asian teens who get wrongly caught up in a presumed terrorist attack with great commentary on American Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate. Great on audio and perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir's All my rage.

[Sawsan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest that it was a slow start for me to get into (it didn’t help that I was in a reading slump! Which this book, when I eventually did settle into helped me start to pull myself out of!).

It follows a diverse cast of six Muslim teens that come from different walks of life and find their world turned upside when they are arrested for a crime they didn’t do. From there we follow along their experiences trying to navigate the justice system of America. Ream weaves in some great commentary on the injustices of the so-called justice system when it comes to race and religion.

As I was reading each voice felt so distinct even though their stories are interconnected. By the last 3rd of the book I was completely captivated! I read it one sitting because I was truly gripped and I just had to know what happens. Also the plot twist 😳 the tears I shed for that 😭 I honestly did not expect it. It was soooo well done!

Anyways, needless to say this is one to add to your list for 2024. And the less you know going in, the better!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been getting a lot of buzz from friends at work. I liked the questions that this tragedy brought to the surface. And I get the whole racist scapegoat finding mentality. I think the author described it with such authenticity, I was pulled right into the drama unfolding.

There were a few things that needed more fleshing out. It reminded me of some the mind numbing kids movies (especially the animated ones) that I watched over and over again at my kids request where all the adults are bumbling fools and the kids are forced to swoop in to save the day. Which brings me to the next thing....there really wasn't a lot of sleuthing going on. Really, they do two things and it brings everyone to their knees? No. That needed more, more, more to make that sell.

I really wanted to believe, but I never really got there. So overall, with all things considered, this was 3 stars.

[Zeina S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up to 4

What a joy it is to watch Shukairy grow with each book!

Six Truths and a Lie follows six Muslim teens from various ethnic backgrounds framed for a “terrorist” attack they never actually committed. Six Truths and A Lie follows these six perspectives as they become ensnared in a wider political game that seeks to capitalize on harmful and pervasive Western notions of Islam as inherently backward and violent.

It was interesting to see where race/ethnicity is leveraged to comment on America’s deeply flawed persecution system that often cuts across lines of whiteness and “America-ness” which in turn frequently capitalizes on the shock and trauma that the wider public experiences following a tragedy. This has many parallels to the reactions we’ve seen following October 7th by the mainstream media and elite state actors. To have a Palestinian main character pushed to the forefront of the persecution in the novel was equally nauseating and enlightening, forcing readers to specifically confront the harsh realities of Palestinian Muslims who receive little justice in the West when they face the Law. Shukairy does a decent job illustrating how the intersectionality of it all by drawing in concepts of age, race, and “white-passing”.

However, it’s also interesting to see where this falls flat —particularly during several moments when the characters are reduced to mouthpieces to highlight the hypocrisies of the justice system which is also a consequence of attempting to balance 6 separate perspectives alongside their character arcs and interrelationship dynamics. Attempting to balance all results in stagnated character development. It's a tough act to accomplish especially when limited by the boundaries of YA yet Shukairy does a decent enough job in the end.

Indeed, Six Truths and a Lie is stretched quite thinly across these six perspectives, often bumbling awkwardly between them until the writing finally finds its footing at around 80%. This was only exacerbated by the pacing can’t really seem to decide what speed it wants to commit to, making it (at least in my experience) difficult to push through. I also found the writing a little too saccharine at times for my tastes when it comes to contemporary novels which also hindered my enjoyment. This also seemed to be exacerbated by the romantic storylines. Side point: did not enjoy the quick introduction of multiple romantic storylines, which were at times, just as quickly forgotten.

Yet, even though the reader gets to experience the majority of character development quite literally in the last quarter of the book, it doesn’t feel like a hindrance to the novel overall. I actually think this is where some of Shukairy’s best writing comes into play, with unexpected hard-hitting emotional notes and plot twists clarifying and resolving a lot of the earlier writing that I found a bit questionable.

Anyways, regardless of the shaky execution, I do widely recommend this book and I’m super excited to see Shukairy continue to grow with each book!


P.s. — don’t think too much about how the law system was enacted in the story and how unrealistic the timeline was for the legal proceedings and the trial in this book, like, at all.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG THIS WAS SO GOOD.

From the first two pages, I was GRIPPED. This novel is perhaps the most intense YA book (or any book) I've read - an action/ psychological thriller tale of 6 Muslim teens caught at the wrong place, the wrong time, and falsely accused of a terrorist act.

Each kid *is* innocent of terrorism, but also has their own personal secrets that they're forced to confront in the aftermath of their arrests.

My heart was in my throat for the first 60% of this book, and although the plot faltered a bit towards the end, it was all STILL SO GOOD. The ending tore my heart and stitched it back together a little too - a bittersweet ending, heavy on the bitter.

This book is a raw, messy, powerful, and absolutely necessary book about the reality of Islamophobia, the adultification of POC Muslim kids, the corruption of the "justice" system, the individual struggles of every teen.

I wish there had been a biiiiit more emphasis on Islam/ spirituality/ each character's personal faith, but that's just a me thing, and honestly, this book is just otherwise SO intensely nuanced and amazing.

What made it terrifying was how REAL it all was - a genuine reflection of the real world, of things that have already happened and continue to happen.

I *loved* Abdullahi's character as a genuinely sweet, wonderful Muslim boy burdened by a guilt that he doesn't deserve; Qays and Muzhda as the complicated love story; Samia's honesty in light of her social media influencer identity, Zamzam's brokenness... even Nasreen, with her rigidity disguising her inner workings.

This book MUST be in every high school library, used as part of curriculums for discussions on oppression and injustice in the contemporary context, pretty much just shoved down everyone's throats.

I honestly teared up at several points!

PRE-ORDER IMMEDIATELY OKAY?!

I'd recommend this for 16+.

(Also, I need this as a movie. Immediately.)

Thanks to @littlebrown for the ARC!

4.8/5 🌟

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a complex and complicated story of six Muslim teens who are pulled into a police station after being falsely accused of a deadly attack.

The six are diverse and have big backstories and even bigger future plans. The entire story will break your heart but this might be one of the most important books you read this year!

For me it was harrowing and thrilling but a little hard to keep track of the massive group of characters. I do recommend it to anyone interested in Muslim voices - you will learn a lot!
#littlebrown #reamshukalry #sixtruthsandalie

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy. Thanks to @littlebrownforyoungreaders for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An explosion at an oil rig caused six Muslim teens to be suspected as terrorists.

This should be a required reading for high schoolers. It shows how bias and discrimination exist within even the highest of authorities, as well as the media. The entire story was an outrage and I loved that we saw it through Muslim teen’s perspectives. There was a twist that I was not expecting, that made the story even more powerful and heartbreaking.

“What would our lives have looked like if I hadn’t run that night?”

Six Truths and a Lie comes out 3/12.

[a · Rating 5 out of 5]

the world is not ready for this book

[hamna · Rating 4 out of 5]

this *IS* the most important book to me ever

[eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

at first i thought the book was going on too long but the end was really good


i was so confused with muzhda tho 😭😭

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This book is terrifying, because on so many levels it feels true. There's nothing worse than wrong-place, wrong-time stories, especially ones that go in the direction you know they would in real life. Guilty by association, even if that association is just looking a certain way and being in a perfectly public place when something horrible happens. My one problem with this book comes down to the ultimate bad guy (i.e. the book-presented bad guy that isn't just the system itself). The system is already insidious enough that this addition felt unnecessary, and the portrayal here was so hyperbolic I felt it diminished the overall impact of the book. But there were enough twists and gut-punches in this book, I think, to mostly make up for that.

Anyway, there's a lot more to say here, and all of that will be included in my full review, publishing March 8, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Stop by when it goes live!

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning packed a punch, but the pace was a little slow during the first half of the book. The multiple perspectives were very well written and made it easy to connect with the characters and their voices. There was a lot of emotion and tension from all sides and Ream Shukairy did a fantastic job at tackling the heavy subjects surrounding the plot.

The second half was when things picked up and I really couldn't put the book down! There were so many moving parts as the trial progressed and some twists and reveals that shook that up. The ending itself was bittersweet and wrapped up the story rather nicely.

[Safyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the concept of this book. This book tries to tell the story of the wrongly accused which is a common phenomenon of the current world we live in. It was quite slow paced for at least half of the book. Unfortunately, the book failed to stick to portraying the parallel of the current world and the story unfolded in a very unrealistic manner. So while there were valuable insights, the reader needs to be highly insightful and merciful to receive them.

[KMart Vet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six Muslim teenagers' lives are shattered when they are blamed for terrorist actions when they're at an innocent bonfire. Life will never be the same for any of them.

This hurt my heart. I couldn’t put it down. It goes wrong so quickly and you just dread everything that's coming because you know how this all works. You know they're not going to get a fair shake.

And when the twist happened, it felt like I was punched in the gut and my heart ACHED for these children as I sobbed for them. I had trouble catching my breath for the rest of the story. I feel for all of these characters and it’s a testament to skill that I was so emotionally invested in these fictional characters.

This should absolutely be required reading. This covers difficult topics like racism, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and generational trauma. It is gorgeous and achingly painful to watch the events in this novel unfold because it feels fated to happen because our world isn’t fair and just. It feels incredibly real and I think circumstances like these likely occur every single day in smaller, more subtle ways. We owe it to one another to try to understand that we are all human beings struggling to survive and succeed. We owe it to each other to understand different circumstances - which is why reading diverse viewpoints is so incredibly important.

Anyone who loved All my Rage by Sabaa Tahir will love this book.

This was beautiful. And it hurt. And it’s essential.

Highly recommend.

Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours, the author, and Little, Brown and Company (Hachette) for a physical review copy. This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

[Miranda Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Definitely an eye opener.

[Shifa Safadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a gut punch of a book- a thriller that had me by the throat in its high stakes- the reality that we live in a world that these events truly may happen, and in fact did- in stories about innocent teens like Mansoor Adayfi being taken to Guantanamo and American teens like Serial’s Adnan Syed and the Central Park Five that had racist rhetoric used to put the law and justice on pause in their sentencing.

Synopsis:
6 Muslim teens are on a beach one unfortunate night when everything suddenly goes haywire- an explosion happens, people panic, and these six get taken into custody.

The investigator in charge is sure this is an easy case to solve- after all, add terrorism to any Muslim face and it suddenly clicks to the public that they did it.

But there are holes in the story, so the six are constantly questioned and pressured to turn on each other. The reality is that the resolution is something that is not even looked for- because it is so convenient for those in charge to just accept that Muslims might do this due to their identity.

Protests erupt all over the city, and a court case comes to a culmination in the most traumatic way possible- and the six have to count on each other to uncover the truth and save themselves.

Honestly, this book had me in anxious knots, I binged it in one day because I NEEDED to know what happened and I cried multiple times. Ream Shukairy can WRITE and this story ripped my heart open in its raw truths- the fact is- it is all truth. The lie is the one used to dehumanize people of color over and over- a lie we see countless times playing in front of our eyes.

The characters were kids! Kids that weren’t perfect but kids who were just trying to figure their life out. And Islamaphobia stole their lives away.

The book isn’t necessarily a HEA- but it addresses the unfair truth that racism has lasting affects on people’s lives, affects that aren’t easily erased and tied up.

This book will stay with me.

I would recommend it to be used as a curriculum for a highschool English Literature class for a unit on the harm of Islamaphobia. And I encourage mature teens and young adults to pick up a copy and preorder!

[Shaq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Affirming but confusing.
I have never felt more conflicted on a rating for a book than for this one, because on one hand, I was so frustrated reading this book because I just did not understand why something could be written with such a confusing plotline and for me that takes away a lot from this book. The prose, the plotline, the descriptions, they all were very jarring and unsettling to the point where I just did not understand what was happening or how this was being considered normal.
But at the same time, if this was an intentional effort by the author, to make the reader feel empathy for its characters who felt the exact same way, it suddenly turns into such an amazing story and lesson because that's truly an amazingly powerful way to send that message across, but since its a one too many steps to take to get to that point, Im unfortunately not giving this book that much grace.

That being said, I truly truly believe, the true essence of this book lies in the second half. In fact I would not be surprised if the author envisioned this book with the second act of this book onwards, had to construct a first act which wasnt all that thought out but banded together to complete the story, because if I had not read the first half of the book, and I started from Chapter 20 onwards, I feel like this book would feel so much more impactful in its messaging. Like honestly a 5 star read.

With all that said, beggars cant be choosers and so dealing with the fact that we have what we have.
Its honestly a great book to binge through, its messaging while not entirely unheard of is still a great reminder to the reality that Western Muslims face on a daily basis. What should be considered unheard of is their daily life and so the idea of unbelievable truly being presented in a believable format is what the story presents, and presents it well.

There is somethings to be said about the fact that its a little on the nose, all things considered, but for its target audience, I feel it speaks immensely for showing that representation that people shy away from speaking about, highlighting the diseases that plague the Muslim society, as well as highlights the opposition clearly as to those who would go to any lengths to make them unwanted or simply disappear.

I loved the characters in the story, I loved their unique personalities, I loved how exceptionally well they were presented as different in all their ways, and I loved the irony of how they were still seen as one for only one defining factor about them.

All in all, a powerful punch packed in a neat little story about teenagers facing real life issues that in a perfect society shouldnt have to face at all, serving us all with a great reminder and a warning and honestly, by the end of it, quite motivational too.

[Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Muslim teens find themselves at the center of a national crisis when they are falsely accused of orchestrating a deadly terror attack. Each of them - an old soul, an aspiring doctor, an influencer, a seemingly perfect daughter, a rising soccer star, and an immigrant in love - carries their own secrets. As they navigate an unforgiving justice system, they are forced into an impossible choice: betray one another for personal exoneration or stand together and risk everything to fight for the truth.

This book delivers a beautiful and important message about the systemic failures of America’s legal and political systems. Ream Shukairy doesn’t shy from discussing issues related to islamophobia, racism, police brutality, and systemic injustices. There are moments where the serious storytelling notes lean more toward telling rather than showing. For older readers, the messaging may feel somewhat heavy-handed, but for the intended young adult audience, this direct approach is likely necessary and impactful. It provides a valuable perspective that may help young readers better understand experiences that may or may not align with their own.

One of the book’s strongest aspects is its representation of diverse Muslim identities. Islam is not a monolith, and neither are its followers, and this story does a good job of showcasing the variety of experiences within the Muslim community. I also appreciated the author’s note, where Ream discusses ongoing issues within the global Muslim community and emphasizes the importance of recognizing shared struggles rather than focusing on divisions. This added depth and context to the novel’s themes.

The pacing, however, had its ups and downs. The beginning felt slow, making it difficult to become fully invested in the story at first. However, the final third of the book picks up significantly, propelled by a gripping plot twist that made the book impossible to put down. While I would have liked the mystery elements to be a bit more complex, I ultimately enjoyed my time with this book and appreciated the thoughtfulness behind its themes and representation.

[katara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Truths reminds me of Jellicoe Road: different topics but a complex examination of societal issues.

I liked this (I think) even more than The Next New Syrian Girl! They're such different works and stories it's hard to compare, even, but Six Truths enmeshed me more in its twists and turns, and I felt the narration between the Six was more balanced.

There's a great plot twist in this one that hits later in the game, and each character has their own idiosyncrasies and weaknesses and strengths that make them root-able heroes. The ending reveals after the twist felt a little out of place to me, but it didn't take the enjoyment of the story as a whole from me.

I would read anything Shukairy writes!

[misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this not knowing it was YA, but for a YA book this was one of the most nuanced, well-written depictions of Islamophobia and class differences between different groups of Muslims. I was engrossed in the thriller and was actively rooting for the characters and their growth. Was this the most mature writing? No — I found it way too flowery sometimes and felt it didn’t add to the plot. I also thought the end was rushed and thought the flowery paragraphs could’ve gone toward that. But this book still deserves 5 stars (ok maybe like 4.5) because it did what a lot of books about Muslim America failed to do