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Unbecoming
Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant .
In a not-too-distant America, abortions are prosecuted and the right to choose is no longer an option. But best friends Laylah and Noor want to change the world. After graduating high school, they’ll become an OBGYN and a journalist, but in the meantime, they’re working on an illegal guide to abortion in Texas.
In response to the unfair laws, underground networks of clinics have sprung up, but the good fight has gotten even more precarious as it becomes harder to secure safe medication and supplies. Both Layla and Noor are passionate about getting their guide completed so it can help those in need, but Laylah treats their project with an urgency Noor doesn’t understand—that may have something to do with the strange goings-on between their mosque and a local politician.
Fighting for what they believe in may involve even more obstacles than they bargained for, but the two best friends will continue as they always together.
In a not-too-distant America, abortions are prosecuted and the right to choose is no longer an option. But best friends Laylah and Noor want to change the world. After graduating high school, they’ll become an OBGYN and a journalist, but in the meantime, they’re working on an illegal guide to abortion in Texas.
In response to the unfair laws, underground networks of clinics have sprung up, but the good fight has gotten even more precarious as it becomes harder to secure safe medication and supplies. Both Layla and Noor are passionate about getting their guide completed so it can help those in need, but Laylah treats their project with an urgency Noor doesn’t understand—that may have something to do with the strange goings-on between their mosque and a local politician.
Fighting for what they believe in may involve even more obstacles than they bargained for, but the two best friends will continue as they always together.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2024
18 people are currently reading
4367 people want to read
About the author
Seema Yasmin
15 books151 followersMuslim Women Are Everything is out as a book, ebook and an audio book now!
I'm a medical doctor, journalist and author. My first book, The Impatient Dr. Lange: One Man's Fight to end the HIV Epidemic, tells the story of my mentor who was killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky. Dr. Lange dedicated his life to fighting HIV and was searching for a cure when he was killed.
My next books, Viral BS, (Johns Hopkins University Press, November 2020) is about medical myths and how health hoaxes can travel farther than accurate information.
I'm a medical doctor, journalist and author. My first book, The Impatient Dr. Lange: One Man's Fight to end the HIV Epidemic, tells the story of my mentor who was killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky. Dr. Lange dedicated his life to fighting HIV and was searching for a cure when he was killed.
My next books, Viral BS, (Johns Hopkins University Press, November 2020) is about medical myths and how health hoaxes can travel farther than accurate information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
June 10, 2024
I have a feeling this book will alienate the audience the author is intending this for, and while I will not speak for South Asians or Muslims, I will speak as a woman from Texas who would never consider living there again due to the danger I could potentially face in a hospital setting.
This book is powerful. I read less and less YA these days, but I think the younger setting does the topic of pregnancy, abortion, and really just people with uterus' rights an incredible amount of justice. The author is a medical doctor, so I trust the background she laid out for us.
I didn't think I'd live to see the day Roe v. Wade could be overturned. I thought I was safe in this one right. I was wrong. This isn't about abortion. This is about choice. While you may not make this choice for yourself, it is not your job to police what other people can do with their bodies. This isn't just about the teen pregnancy. It isn't about rape. It could be about the happily married couple who ends up in the hospital, threatened by the choice to save the baby, or the parent.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
This book is powerful. I read less and less YA these days, but I think the younger setting does the topic of pregnancy, abortion, and really just people with uterus' rights an incredible amount of justice. The author is a medical doctor, so I trust the background she laid out for us.
I didn't think I'd live to see the day Roe v. Wade could be overturned. I thought I was safe in this one right. I was wrong. This isn't about abortion. This is about choice. While you may not make this choice for yourself, it is not your job to police what other people can do with their bodies. This isn't just about the teen pregnancy. It isn't about rape. It could be about the happily married couple who ends up in the hospital, threatened by the choice to save the baby, or the parent.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
May 14, 2025
In an alternate near future so close to our own it hardly feels speculative, two Muslim teens work on a guide on how to access abortion in Texas now that it is completely illegal, with prison sentences for anyone who even aids abortion access. For Laylah this is need is not theoretical- she's over two months pregnant and desperate to end the pregnancy without anyone in her life finding out. This stubborn shameful secrecy is not based in any specific logic, as it was made clear that Laylah's mother, grandmother, and best friend would immediately all support her and offer help if she asked. Meanwhile, Laylah's bestie Noor, a student journalist, is chasing the rumor of stolen donations made to the local mosque and an Iman's wife who might have taken them for her own purposes. There was a lot I enjoyed in this book, from very fun mixed media formatting choices, to the strong female friendship, to seeing two characters different relationship to religion. As an adult reader I was at times somewhat frustrated by the teens making foolish, self-sabotaging choices (please just be honest with your very supportive family!) but as a teen I think this book would have knocked my socks off.
Want to read
October 28, 2023OBSESSED with this cover 🖤
July 11, 2024
An incredible YA must read about two Muslim girls fighting for abortion access and rights in a near future Texas in which Roe v Wade is still overturned! Great on audio and such an important read. I absolutely devoured this important book about women's rights, access and body autonomy told from the perspective of the Muslim American community! I cannot recommend this book enough!
November 7, 2024
I wanted to enjoy this one more than I did. Which is always a shame.
It had some good parts regarding abortion being health care, though.
It had some good parts regarding abortion being health care, though.
April 22, 2024
Devoured this one. What an impressive, thoughtful book with vividly-drawn characters and a fully realized world that tracks (uncomfortably so, on purpose) with how our world could become that one. It manages to thread a really difficult needle in delivering on the promise of its premise (and that cover!) without ever making the rebellious teens-against-the-system story seem more exciting or romantic than living in a world where the state is not yet executing anyone for abortion.
There’s a lot to learn from this book about the grim risks of living in a post-mifepristone America, about the views surrounding abortion in Islam and Judaism, and how American imperialism and forced sterilization have an intertwined history—but it never feels like a lesson, and never loses sight of being a story about two best friends going through it.
I ended up with an ARC of this on my way out from the Texas Librarian Association conference, and am grateful i did. Lots of Texas libraries are going to need copies of this.
There’s a lot to learn from this book about the grim risks of living in a post-mifepristone America, about the views surrounding abortion in Islam and Judaism, and how American imperialism and forced sterilization have an intertwined history—but it never feels like a lesson, and never loses sight of being a story about two best friends going through it.
I ended up with an ARC of this on my way out from the Texas Librarian Association conference, and am grateful i did. Lots of Texas libraries are going to need copies of this.
July 4, 2024
An absolute must read after Roe v Wade being overturned.
More to come.
More to come.
July 15, 2024
TITLE: UNBECOMING
AUTHOR: Seema Yasmin
PUB DATE: 07.09.2024 Now Available
Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant.
Thoughts:
This is such an important read about an important topic. The story is set in a world where abortions are prosecuted and where Roe v Wade is still overturned. From the perspective of two high school Muslim friends, Laylah and Noor, who are ready to make a difference by creating an illegal guide to help those who need it the most.
I just loved this book about friendship, fighting for what you believe in, and following your heart.
Get this book now - grab this gorgeous hardcover, download the ebook, or give the audio a listen now.
AUTHOR: Seema Yasmin
PUB DATE: 07.09.2024 Now Available
Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant.
Thoughts:
This is such an important read about an important topic. The story is set in a world where abortions are prosecuted and where Roe v Wade is still overturned. From the perspective of two high school Muslim friends, Laylah and Noor, who are ready to make a difference by creating an illegal guide to help those who need it the most.
I just loved this book about friendship, fighting for what you believe in, and following your heart.
Get this book now - grab this gorgeous hardcover, download the ebook, or give the audio a listen now.
March 30, 2025
THIS BOOK. THIS STORY.
It seriously feels too damn real and that's scary.
I really can't speak about the muslim representation.
But I love these characters so much. Both girls, Laylah and Noor, and all the other girls and women in this story. Not just them as individuals but also as a group, cause seriously, in times like these, you just need a strong support system to get through these horrors.
It seriously feels too damn real and that's scary.
I really can't speak about the muslim representation.
But I love these characters so much. Both girls, Laylah and Noor, and all the other girls and women in this story. Not just them as individuals but also as a group, cause seriously, in times like these, you just need a strong support system to get through these horrors.
September 14, 2024
Such an important story. Good to see more narratives highlighting these important issues.
July 6, 2024
Absolutely loved the cover for this book. It’s always a delight going into a book blind not knowing what to expect then being blown away by how great it turns out to be. Exploring heavy themes surrounding unexpected teen pregnancy, abortions, pro-choice, IVF, medical treatments, Roe v. Wade, and fighting for what’s right.
The novel follows two teens Laylah and Noor as they fight for access to abortions. While their initial plan was to create a guide for other teens seeking medical treatment. Living in the state of Texas where abortions are illegal would put both their lives in jeopardy if caught. Getting the information out to the public turned out to be harder than they thought. Laylah found out firsthand getting an abortion or access to medication to terminate a pregnancy wasn’t easy.
I enjoyed reading this one it was quite engaging and informative but I felt it lacked a clear direction. The author tackled a tough subject but incorporated to much in the sub-plots that it took away from the story a bit. I also felt it lacked depth in areas where a little more detail was needed. It was a great build up but the ending was rushed a bit and I was left with a few unanswered questions.
Overall I think many teens and young adults would enjoy this one. The representation of the Muslim culture and religion was also a plus in the book. Special thanks to the author & @simonteen for my advanced copy!!!
Rating: 3.75/5⭐️
The novel follows two teens Laylah and Noor as they fight for access to abortions. While their initial plan was to create a guide for other teens seeking medical treatment. Living in the state of Texas where abortions are illegal would put both their lives in jeopardy if caught. Getting the information out to the public turned out to be harder than they thought. Laylah found out firsthand getting an abortion or access to medication to terminate a pregnancy wasn’t easy.
I enjoyed reading this one it was quite engaging and informative but I felt it lacked a clear direction. The author tackled a tough subject but incorporated to much in the sub-plots that it took away from the story a bit. I also felt it lacked depth in areas where a little more detail was needed. It was a great build up but the ending was rushed a bit and I was left with a few unanswered questions.
Overall I think many teens and young adults would enjoy this one. The representation of the Muslim culture and religion was also a plus in the book. Special thanks to the author & @simonteen for my advanced copy!!!
Rating: 3.75/5⭐️
July 21, 2024
A brilliantly written, thoughtful and rage inducing read that’s made all the more powerful by the authors note.
Seema Yasmin has done a beautiful job at leaving her readers with both a wealth of information and knowledge about the attack on reproductive rights in the US, as well as hope in the strength and power of humanity to fight back and protect one another.
This was a terrifying read and one I wish could have been labeled as a dystopian. It’s terrifying but important and one I’d highly recommend.
Seema Yasmin has done a beautiful job at leaving her readers with both a wealth of information and knowledge about the attack on reproductive rights in the US, as well as hope in the strength and power of humanity to fight back and protect one another.
This was a terrifying read and one I wish could have been labeled as a dystopian. It’s terrifying but important and one I’d highly recommend.
Read
August 5, 2024Review copy: ARC via publisher
Unbecoming is such a timely novel that it is almost scary. Seema Yasmin has created a world that I could easily see becoming a reality and that is terrifying. And that is the feeling I had when I finished the novel – terror. While the story does end on a hopeful note, the terror at the lack of access for women’s healthcare remains in Laylah and Noor’s world, and they are having to continue to fight.
The novel is very fast paced as it spans over the course of a week as Laylah discovers she is pregnant and actually has to live the guidebook she and Noor are creating, in search of mifepristone. The desperation that she feels as time ticks away really comes through and some of the experiences she has, all of them extremely unsafe, truly reinforce how dire lack of access to abortions would be. Laylah had her whole life planned, so this one small hiccup has her spiraling. She is afraid to tell anyone, even her best friend, as she is afraid of losing respect from her friends and family. I really felt for Laylah, because having more info as the reader than Laylah, I knew that would not be case and wished greatly she would share her pain. But the feeling of isolation that Laylah feels only heightens the novel and really hits home how important teens need to have safe spaces with regards to their healthcare. There were so many moments where I was tense at a situation Laylah found herself in and greatly wished for someone to come in and save her.
On the other hand, Noor wonders what is wrong with her best friend, but at the same time is also on a journey of her own to discover shenanigans at their mosque. She is a journalist who still believes in fighting for the truth and is willing to do what she can to reveal those truths. This leads her to team up with a fellow classmate and has them survelling the wife of the mosque’s Imam. They search to uncover a conspiracy they believe a local politician and business person are involved in, only to discover the situation is not what they believed. Noor is very steadfast in her convictions and is willing to stand up for what is right, that includes standing up to her journalism teacher who would rather she stick to non-controversial and political topics. I loved this trait in Noor as she is a prime example of how well informed her generation is and is willing to fight for the future they want.
While the novel has some extremely tense moments, it does have moments of levity. Laylah’s auntie and her friends bring some lightness but also wisdom. When Laylah disassociates it comes in the form of a Bollywood film full of spectacle which gives a brief moment of ease in an otherwise tense moment. This book is also definitely about sisterhood and the moments that Laylah and Noor are together is like a warm hug.
This book was so good and intense and moving that the real takeaway is that everyone should read this novel and put themselves in Laylah’s and Noor’s to understand, no feel, what could happen in our country if women’s access to healthcare is taken away.
Unbecoming is such a timely novel that it is almost scary. Seema Yasmin has created a world that I could easily see becoming a reality and that is terrifying. And that is the feeling I had when I finished the novel – terror. While the story does end on a hopeful note, the terror at the lack of access for women’s healthcare remains in Laylah and Noor’s world, and they are having to continue to fight.
The novel is very fast paced as it spans over the course of a week as Laylah discovers she is pregnant and actually has to live the guidebook she and Noor are creating, in search of mifepristone. The desperation that she feels as time ticks away really comes through and some of the experiences she has, all of them extremely unsafe, truly reinforce how dire lack of access to abortions would be. Laylah had her whole life planned, so this one small hiccup has her spiraling. She is afraid to tell anyone, even her best friend, as she is afraid of losing respect from her friends and family. I really felt for Laylah, because having more info as the reader than Laylah, I knew that would not be case and wished greatly she would share her pain. But the feeling of isolation that Laylah feels only heightens the novel and really hits home how important teens need to have safe spaces with regards to their healthcare. There were so many moments where I was tense at a situation Laylah found herself in and greatly wished for someone to come in and save her.
On the other hand, Noor wonders what is wrong with her best friend, but at the same time is also on a journey of her own to discover shenanigans at their mosque. She is a journalist who still believes in fighting for the truth and is willing to do what she can to reveal those truths. This leads her to team up with a fellow classmate and has them survelling the wife of the mosque’s Imam. They search to uncover a conspiracy they believe a local politician and business person are involved in, only to discover the situation is not what they believed. Noor is very steadfast in her convictions and is willing to stand up for what is right, that includes standing up to her journalism teacher who would rather she stick to non-controversial and political topics. I loved this trait in Noor as she is a prime example of how well informed her generation is and is willing to fight for the future they want.
While the novel has some extremely tense moments, it does have moments of levity. Laylah’s auntie and her friends bring some lightness but also wisdom. When Laylah disassociates it comes in the form of a Bollywood film full of spectacle which gives a brief moment of ease in an otherwise tense moment. This book is also definitely about sisterhood and the moments that Laylah and Noor are together is like a warm hug.
This book was so good and intense and moving that the real takeaway is that everyone should read this novel and put themselves in Laylah’s and Noor’s to understand, no feel, what could happen in our country if women’s access to healthcare is taken away.
January 25, 2026
You should read "Unbecoming" for its cover. And because the subject of two young Muslim women fighting for reproductive rights in Texas in a speculative near future is a worthy read. If your library network doesn't have it, request it. This book should be getting more attention.
My review is going to be light so as not give away too much, so here are some highlights that might draw you into the read:
- Dual voice narrative told from the perspective of two teens (about 17 years old), one of whom is pregnant (not a spoiler). Noor is an activist who strives to become a professional journalist and Laila wants to become an OBGYN (doctor supporting women's reproductive health)
- Written soon after the US Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022. Although it is speculative fiction, it feels barely so and is a few small tip toes away from happening now. Everything else is in the present of today's world. This book was published in July 2024
- Representation includes: queer, multiple Asian and Middle Eastern ethnicities, multigenerational families
Author Seema Yasmin is medical doctor, professor, and prolific author. I previously read her excellent Corona-era poetry book, "If God is a Virus" (2021).
I was so excited to shift "Unbecoming" from my To Be Read to Reading shelf. As a reader experience, I would have liked to see the grandmother or other family figures have a more central role throughout the book, even as a third voice. Laila and Noor are passionate about how their family heritage informs their values. For most of the book, I was hungering to hear more about how their families' histories shaped their life choices in the present.
The book also would have been enhanced by an Author's Note and a stronger voice of the author herself throughout the read. I would have liked to have felt her presence in the story more as a medical doctor, and as someone who has spent significant periods of her life in the UK, Canada, and the US, which have different experiences for women's rights and activism.
Triggers: Note for 2026 readers that this book does not discuss ICE, but there are ICE-like activities detailed within. You may want to consider the span of your sensitivities before engaging if you think this might be an issue. A buddy read might be a good idea as this book would benefit from being read with friend support, reflective of the story's two narrators and their experiences.
My Source: Libby audiobook. Performed by Reena Dutt and Suehyla El-Attar Young.
My review is going to be light so as not give away too much, so here are some highlights that might draw you into the read:
- Dual voice narrative told from the perspective of two teens (about 17 years old), one of whom is pregnant (not a spoiler). Noor is an activist who strives to become a professional journalist and Laila wants to become an OBGYN (doctor supporting women's reproductive health)
- Written soon after the US Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022. Although it is speculative fiction, it feels barely so and is a few small tip toes away from happening now. Everything else is in the present of today's world. This book was published in July 2024
- Representation includes: queer, multiple Asian and Middle Eastern ethnicities, multigenerational families
Author Seema Yasmin is medical doctor, professor, and prolific author. I previously read her excellent Corona-era poetry book, "If God is a Virus" (2021).
I was so excited to shift "Unbecoming" from my To Be Read to Reading shelf. As a reader experience, I would have liked to see the grandmother or other family figures have a more central role throughout the book, even as a third voice. Laila and Noor are passionate about how their family heritage informs their values. For most of the book, I was hungering to hear more about how their families' histories shaped their life choices in the present.
The book also would have been enhanced by an Author's Note and a stronger voice of the author herself throughout the read. I would have liked to have felt her presence in the story more as a medical doctor, and as someone who has spent significant periods of her life in the UK, Canada, and the US, which have different experiences for women's rights and activism.
Triggers: Note for 2026 readers that this book does not discuss ICE, but there are ICE-like activities detailed within. You may want to consider the span of your sensitivities before engaging if you think this might be an issue. A buddy read might be a good idea as this book would benefit from being read with friend support, reflective of the story's two narrators and their experiences.
My Source: Libby audiobook. Performed by Reena Dutt and Suehyla El-Attar Young.
April 24, 2024
Told from Laylah and Noor's perspectives, this captures the terrifying reality that people seeking abortion face in more than half the country. The tension can be felt throughout the book, to the point where I literally found myself gasping aloud and devouring the story in one sitting. In addition to showing the hoops you have to jump through just to be able to make choices about your own body, I appreciated that it shows that unwanted pregnancy can happen to anyone and isn't some sign of a moral failing or promiscuity. I also enjoyed the musical interludes with Bollywood style scenes that echo Laylah's predicament. It's a nice way to add some levity to an otherwise tense topic.
This book contains in depth discussions of abortion and medical treatment, and instances of sexism and racism, so take care of yourself when reading.
This book contains in depth discussions of abortion and medical treatment, and instances of sexism and racism, so take care of yourself when reading.
July 17, 2024
In the not so distant future (aka right now 🙃) Roe v. Wade has been overturned, leaving abortion rights to the states which have almost universally outlawed it. Noor and Laylah, both Muslim teens in Texas, are working on a teenagers guide to getting an abortion. But when Laylah gets pregnant, she tests the guide's efficacy and her friendship with Noor.
Unbecoming is going to piss off a certain kind of "well meaning" white liberal and I'm here for it--a Bollywood scene with a cameo from a dead Ruth Bader Ginsburg saying she should have stepped down?? Perfection!
The friendship between Noor and Laylah was incredible and close and safely intense in the way teenage friendships are. Laylah's reactions to her pregnancy feel authentic. Yes, I wish the subplot between Noor, Latif, and their investigation was a bit more fleshed out. As well as Laylah's relationships with her mother, JJ, and her absent father.
The ending was lovely, and you'll know who the most badass character is when you get there. The richest people will always have access to abortion. Communities protect their members.
This isn't fiction anymore--it's happening every day. I'm so glad this book exists.
Unbecoming is going to piss off a certain kind of "well meaning" white liberal and I'm here for it--a Bollywood scene with a cameo from a dead Ruth Bader Ginsburg saying she should have stepped down?? Perfection!
The friendship between Noor and Laylah was incredible and close and safely intense in the way teenage friendships are. Laylah's reactions to her pregnancy feel authentic. Yes, I wish the subplot between Noor, Latif, and their investigation was a bit more fleshed out. As well as Laylah's relationships with her mother, JJ, and her absent father.
The ending was lovely, and you'll know who the most badass character is when you get there. The richest people will always have access to abortion. Communities protect their members.
This isn't fiction anymore--it's happening every day. I'm so glad this book exists.
May 25, 2024
I cried several times reading this book. I feel that this book is a necessary read for so many people and I absolutely enjoyed this from start to finish. Give me a movie adaption, a show, a radio style production, a graphic novel, just more please. It was just so beautiful and took itself seriously from start to finish.
July 17, 2024
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this book. The dual POV was perfect, I loved the subjects it breached and how they were brought.
The whole story was captivating from beginning to end, I could not stop reading. It was pretty short but the pacing was perfect.
I really enjoyed both narrators and some bad decisions were made but that happens in YA novels, and we still root for them! I really loved how both friends' stories moved alongside each other's even when they weren't communicating properly. This was really just so well constructed and smart in every way.
A scary but probably too true look at our future.
Basically, a must read.
I really loved this book. The dual POV was perfect, I loved the subjects it breached and how they were brought.
The whole story was captivating from beginning to end, I could not stop reading. It was pretty short but the pacing was perfect.
I really enjoyed both narrators and some bad decisions were made but that happens in YA novels, and we still root for them! I really loved how both friends' stories moved alongside each other's even when they weren't communicating properly. This was really just so well constructed and smart in every way.
A scary but probably too true look at our future.
Basically, a must read.
December 2, 2024
Too possible... 😬
dnf
January 4, 2025DNF at 36%. This lost me at the spying on a congresswoman and the distrust between Noor and Laylah. Idk what’s going on anymore. Not for me. I wish Laylah good luck with her pregnancy 🫡
May 14, 2025
Feel like this would do well in GN format. 3.5 stars
June 23, 2024
This is a wonderful story full of hysterical moments, complex storyline, and relatable characters. At times, it did seem the girls were a bit mature, but also, given the exact nature of the story, they would have to be.
And maybe that's really the point? In the end, they did show their age and inexperience by acknowledging it.
I loved it. I had one note from an editorial perspective, but well written, thought-provoking (for sure!), and surprisingly humorous. I didn't expect to laugh as much as I did, the girls' sense of humor is very sarcastic and also reflects their age.
Thank you! Please note: This was an ARC sent by the publisher.
And maybe that's really the point? In the end, they did show their age and inexperience by acknowledging it.
I loved it. I had one note from an editorial perspective, but well written, thought-provoking (for sure!), and surprisingly humorous. I didn't expect to laugh as much as I did, the girls' sense of humor is very sarcastic and also reflects their age.
Thank you! Please note: This was an ARC sent by the publisher.
August 9, 2024
Reproductive rights are human rights. At a moment when this feels especially fraught in the USA (although, I know, it's really nothing new), books like this are especially important. I thought Seema Yasmin did an amazing job tackling this topic from perhaps an unexpected perspective: two Muslim Texan teenagers.
I'd give this book 4.5/5 stars, because there were two or three big, load-bearing plot elements that didn't feel right to me and that I couldn't fully get past. By far the worst: the way Noor latched onto the first plausible(?) explanation for all the evidence that she and Latif were collecting (through very unscrupulous methods which she barely batted an eye at, I have to say) did not strike me as at all realistic for a supposedly award-winning journalist. (Also, I have to admit, I just wasn't that invested in the whole follow-the-money mosque politics plotline in the first place.) Less bothersome but still puzzling: why the absolute insistence on publishing the Guide by a specific, seemingly arbitrary deadline? Notwithstanding the urgency of wanting to make resources available to others as soon as possible, it seemed odd that Noor and Laylah never even considered postponing their project by a few days in light of everything that was happening in their personal lives.
That said: plot questions aside, the emotional core of this story rang true at every level. The desperation of Laylah's situation. Her inability to confide in her best friend, even though Noor would have given anything to help. Noor's complicated experience with organized religion, particularly as a queer teen. The relationship between Laylah and her Nanima, whose recollections and reflections on her own experiences as a young woman in India provided a gut-wrenching emotional climax for this novel. All of this was powerful stuff, and Yasmin pulled it off beautifully.
Though it's written as a YA novel, I would recommend this to mature audiences of any age.
Note: I listened to the audiobook, with narration by Suehyla El-Attar Young and Reena Dutt. They were both awesome! Apologies if I've misspelled any of the characters' names as a result.
I'd give this book 4.5/5 stars, because there were two or three big, load-bearing plot elements that didn't feel right to me and that I couldn't fully get past. By far the worst: the way Noor latched onto the first plausible(?) explanation for all the evidence that she and Latif were collecting (through very unscrupulous methods which she barely batted an eye at, I have to say) did not strike me as at all realistic for a supposedly award-winning journalist. (Also, I have to admit, I just wasn't that invested in the whole follow-the-money mosque politics plotline in the first place.) Less bothersome but still puzzling: why the absolute insistence on publishing the Guide by a specific, seemingly arbitrary deadline? Notwithstanding the urgency of wanting to make resources available to others as soon as possible, it seemed odd that Noor and Laylah never even considered postponing their project by a few days in light of everything that was happening in their personal lives.
That said: plot questions aside, the emotional core of this story rang true at every level. The desperation of Laylah's situation. Her inability to confide in her best friend, even though Noor would have given anything to help. Noor's complicated experience with organized religion, particularly as a queer teen. The relationship between Laylah and her Nanima, whose recollections and reflections on her own experiences as a young woman in India provided a gut-wrenching emotional climax for this novel. All of this was powerful stuff, and Yasmin pulled it off beautifully.
Though it's written as a YA novel, I would recommend this to mature audiences of any age.
Note: I listened to the audiobook, with narration by Suehyla El-Attar Young and Reena Dutt. They were both awesome! Apologies if I've misspelled any of the characters' names as a result.
October 4, 2024
This books is powerful! It's all about the loss of bodily autonomy where I live, in Texas - in fact, my city and employer are mentioned! “Unbecoming” is a fantastic YA book set in a speculative future (not that far off, unfortunately) when abortion is not only illegal in Texas, but punishable by life in prison and is on its way toward a death sentence. All birth control, fertility treatments, and other reproductive care are also banned. Two amazing Richardson teens (second-generation Indian-Americans and Muslims) set out to create a guide for securing an abortion in the state, and prepare themselves for a future fighting for Reproductive Justice. This book is so compelling and well-written. Everyone who cares about our freedom to receive the health care we need should read this book. I've put it into my Little Free Library and I really want to buy copies to give away -it's that good. Also, I'm always happy to see Muslim characters who are realistic, fully-fleshed out people! Thank you, Dr. Yasmin, for your work.
July 14, 2024
I had absolutely no idea about the coerced and often forced sterilization of over 6 million (mostly poor) men in just one year as part of the “Emergency” declared in 1975 by the prime minister of India. This was spurred on by LBJ who refused to give humanitarian food aid to famine stricken India in 1965 unless they agreed to promote sterilization and by the World Bank who gave India a massive $66 million loan in the 70s for the sole purpose of sterilization. All of this done by majority white western countries as part of a broader goal of controlling the world population, of course focused on Asian and African countries.
I hope you enjoyed that history lesson as much as I did. 🫠🫠🫠
Anyway this book was really good and quite scary and very possibly a near reality. My only gripe was that the author made a joke about how to pronounce Buda, TX and the audiobook narrator pronounced it wrong 🤦🏻♀️ there were A LOT of mentions of Blue Bell to make up for it though I guess.
Content warnings: xenophobia, Islamophobia, abortion, miscarriage, vomit, medical content, forced sterilization. I’m probably missing some things.
References:
https://www.asianstudies.org/publicat....
https://voelkerrechtsblog.org/indias-....
I hope you enjoyed that history lesson as much as I did. 🫠🫠🫠
Anyway this book was really good and quite scary and very possibly a near reality. My only gripe was that the author made a joke about how to pronounce Buda, TX and the audiobook narrator pronounced it wrong 🤦🏻♀️ there were A LOT of mentions of Blue Bell to make up for it though I guess.
Content warnings: xenophobia, Islamophobia, abortion, miscarriage, vomit, medical content, forced sterilization. I’m probably missing some things.
References:
https://www.asianstudies.org/publicat....
https://voelkerrechtsblog.org/indias-....
August 20, 2024
the youth are on the right side of the world. this was depressing and inspiring and stressful and sweet in equal measure. love a friendship love story.
March 15, 2025
Thanks to Islamic terrorists who kill Jews and Christians, the West realizes that Islam is the religion of killing. Seema Yasmin's novel reinforces that view by depicting Muslim teens who mindlessly pursue the harming of women, the killing of unborn babies, and the alienation of fathers just like any other abortion zealot. Sincere Muslims, therefore, should be outraged over this propaganda posing as fiction because Islam has nothing to do with such killing and destruction of families.
There is not much more to say about this tiresome teen abortion work. The admixture of Muslim identities and a splattering of Arabic words may be somewhat new, but the plot is typical of pro-abortion propaganda: a teenager becomes pregnant, immediately thinks that abortion is her only choice, and irrationally rambles through a couple hundred pages to obtain abortifacient pills, disregarding other life-affirming choices available to her.
In short, it’s just another failed attempt to persuade young adult readers that abortion doesn’t stop a young woman from being a mother; after an abortion, she’s merely the mother of a dead baby.
Contemporary readers will find it difficult to sympathize with a teen who wants so desperately to harm herself, kill an unborn child, and alienate herself and the unborn baby from his or her father for two other accidentals, the first accidental being the needless background of Islamic identity: the anti-Semitism and uncritical adoption of unscientific woke ideology.
Western readers, constantly aware of Islamic terrorist attacks against Jews and Christians around the world and on American college campuses and streets, would not be sympathetic to Laylah Khan, the main character, and her pansexual best friend Noor for their espousal of Islamic terrorism. The author notes that Noor has a Palestinian flag (54) and derides her journalism teacher for his “colonizer mind” (138); Laylah herself parades a “Free Palestine” bumper sticker on her car (266).
Nor would Western readers, who know simple facts of human reproduction, appreciate the irrationality of woke ideology manifested in the characters’ assertions that abortion concerns not a woman, but a “pregnant person” (48). For example, in arguing with another Muslim, Noor aggressively says, “let me start by explaining that it's not only women who get pregnant, okay? It's anyone with a uterus, and that includes people who don't identify as women. Okay?” (182).
Yasmin herself makes the propaganda function of her work clear, incorporating transgender irrationality, when she writes in the first paragraph of her address to the reader that the novel is her paranoid idea of "a dystopian future in which abortions were banned across America and pregnant people and their doctors thrown into jail—or onto death row—for even thinking about ending a pregnancy" (unpaginated ix; italics added).
If the insults to Jews and reproductive science aren’t enough, Yasmin’s characters condemn crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which help women reject abortion being sold to them by businesses like Planned Parenthood, using the most ad hoministic superlatives. The usual adjective that abortion zealots use against life-affirming CPCs appears early in the work: “the fake clinics called crisis pregnancy centers” (31). Much later in the propaganda piece, CPCs are asserted to be “the most evil thing ever” (220) and that the people volunteering at CPCs “are beyond wicked. The worst kind. Pretend to be do-gooders so they can win our votes and our trust and be our role models” (228). Another of Laylah’s condemnations of CPCs [“those fake crisis pregnancy centers where they pretend to offer you an abortion but really they're just using the facade of the clinic to lure you in and manipulate you into keeping the pregnancy” (234)] is merely a biased, paranoid assertion. Nowhere does the propaganda piece contain a passage supporting her irrational claims.
Given such hatred against CPCs, the astute reader must conclude that life-affirming pregnancy resource groups must be cutting into the profits of the abortion business. Why else would mere teenagers mouth such ridiculous and unproven assertions?
Instead of reading this mere propaganda with a Muslim twist, I recommend readers curl up with some great contemporary women’s literature on abortion, such as T. M. Gaouette’s For Eden’s Sake (review posted here: https://www.drjeffkoloze.com/t-m-gaou...).
There is not much more to say about this tiresome teen abortion work. The admixture of Muslim identities and a splattering of Arabic words may be somewhat new, but the plot is typical of pro-abortion propaganda: a teenager becomes pregnant, immediately thinks that abortion is her only choice, and irrationally rambles through a couple hundred pages to obtain abortifacient pills, disregarding other life-affirming choices available to her.
In short, it’s just another failed attempt to persuade young adult readers that abortion doesn’t stop a young woman from being a mother; after an abortion, she’s merely the mother of a dead baby.
Contemporary readers will find it difficult to sympathize with a teen who wants so desperately to harm herself, kill an unborn child, and alienate herself and the unborn baby from his or her father for two other accidentals, the first accidental being the needless background of Islamic identity: the anti-Semitism and uncritical adoption of unscientific woke ideology.
Western readers, constantly aware of Islamic terrorist attacks against Jews and Christians around the world and on American college campuses and streets, would not be sympathetic to Laylah Khan, the main character, and her pansexual best friend Noor for their espousal of Islamic terrorism. The author notes that Noor has a Palestinian flag (54) and derides her journalism teacher for his “colonizer mind” (138); Laylah herself parades a “Free Palestine” bumper sticker on her car (266).
Nor would Western readers, who know simple facts of human reproduction, appreciate the irrationality of woke ideology manifested in the characters’ assertions that abortion concerns not a woman, but a “pregnant person” (48). For example, in arguing with another Muslim, Noor aggressively says, “let me start by explaining that it's not only women who get pregnant, okay? It's anyone with a uterus, and that includes people who don't identify as women. Okay?” (182).
Yasmin herself makes the propaganda function of her work clear, incorporating transgender irrationality, when she writes in the first paragraph of her address to the reader that the novel is her paranoid idea of "a dystopian future in which abortions were banned across America and pregnant people and their doctors thrown into jail—or onto death row—for even thinking about ending a pregnancy" (unpaginated ix; italics added).
If the insults to Jews and reproductive science aren’t enough, Yasmin’s characters condemn crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which help women reject abortion being sold to them by businesses like Planned Parenthood, using the most ad hoministic superlatives. The usual adjective that abortion zealots use against life-affirming CPCs appears early in the work: “the fake clinics called crisis pregnancy centers” (31). Much later in the propaganda piece, CPCs are asserted to be “the most evil thing ever” (220) and that the people volunteering at CPCs “are beyond wicked. The worst kind. Pretend to be do-gooders so they can win our votes and our trust and be our role models” (228). Another of Laylah’s condemnations of CPCs [“those fake crisis pregnancy centers where they pretend to offer you an abortion but really they're just using the facade of the clinic to lure you in and manipulate you into keeping the pregnancy” (234)] is merely a biased, paranoid assertion. Nowhere does the propaganda piece contain a passage supporting her irrational claims.
Given such hatred against CPCs, the astute reader must conclude that life-affirming pregnancy resource groups must be cutting into the profits of the abortion business. Why else would mere teenagers mouth such ridiculous and unproven assertions?
Instead of reading this mere propaganda with a Muslim twist, I recommend readers curl up with some great contemporary women’s literature on abortion, such as T. M. Gaouette’s For Eden’s Sake (review posted here: https://www.drjeffkoloze.com/t-m-gaou...).
July 8, 2024
7/7/2024 This was SO readable. Literally hated to put it down. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/8/2024 Every so often, the publicist Alex Kelleher-Nagorski (hi, Alex!) sends me a book and starts firmly (but gently) persuading me to read it. This is one of those books. I was genuinely afraid that I wouldn't have time to get into it but Alex assured me that it would be totally worth my time. After cracking the book open and plunging into the very first pages over the weekend, I was hooked. He was absolutely right, and I will never doubt his recommendations again.
(Separately from Alex but related to my reading in general: it was also really nice to just tear through this book in a matter of hours. I've been in that reader's malaise where I start wondering "Is it me? Am I just bad at reading?" when I'm struggling to get through 300-odd pages over the course of several days. But then I come across a book like this that reassures me that I am not the problem. Seema Yasmin's writing just draws you in and doesn't let go, and I loved every minute of it.)
Anyhoo, Unbecoming is set in a near-future America where abortion has not only been criminalized but anyone found to be aiding an abortion, even if it's just by walking with someone seeking the medical procedure towards the premises providing it, can face serious criminal charges. Two Muslim teenagers in the heart of Texas decide to fight back against this clear injustice by writing an underground, online guide to getting an abortion -- and not just because first-trimester abortions are entirely legal in Islamic jurisprudence.
Layla is a hijaab-wearing, mosque-loving perfectionist who's obsessively planned her life out so that she can go to med school on the East Coast and become an ob-gyn like the one who helped her mother. Noor is a pansexual crusading journalist who's already won prestigious awards for her high school paper but has a weakness for pillow talk. Together, they've been meticulously researching their guide in anticipation of launch while juggling their school work, extracurriculars and relationships.
But when Layla's romantic life takes an unexpected turn and one of Noor's workshops turns up a surprising lead, the two girls start keeping secrets from one another. Over the course of a tumultuous week or so, they work not exactly at cross-purposes but in ways that definitely prove that they're stronger together than by trying to muddle through their issues separately. They learn, too, the power of accepting help, overcoming shame and not making assumptions, essential lessons for their (and by extension the readers') activism.
This is a wildly entertaining page-turner of a near-future thriller, with leads whose flaws are entirely plausible for their being teenagers. Ms Yasmin does a fantastic job of underlining the fact that the issue isn't just abortion but reproductive rights and education as well: people with uteruses should be empowered to make their own informed choices about how many children they want to have and when. She further delves into the sociopolitical ramifications of government regulating what happens in the bedroom, even highlighting a very horrifying chapter of the Indian Emergency that was sponsored by the United States government. It's a heartbreaking story that should kindle a fire for justice in the heart of anyone with even an ounce of humanity.
That said, Unbecoming itself is a terrific story of hope, solidarity and empowerment, that serves also as a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks that the current political climate of creeping fascism is fine. Rights must continuously be fought for because fascists will never stop trying to take them away. This book will hopefully remind people of that fact, while also inspiring us all to keep fighting for what's right.
Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin will be published tomorrow July 9 2024 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers and is available for pre-order from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
7/8/2024 Every so often, the publicist Alex Kelleher-Nagorski (hi, Alex!) sends me a book and starts firmly (but gently) persuading me to read it. This is one of those books. I was genuinely afraid that I wouldn't have time to get into it but Alex assured me that it would be totally worth my time. After cracking the book open and plunging into the very first pages over the weekend, I was hooked. He was absolutely right, and I will never doubt his recommendations again.
(Separately from Alex but related to my reading in general: it was also really nice to just tear through this book in a matter of hours. I've been in that reader's malaise where I start wondering "Is it me? Am I just bad at reading?" when I'm struggling to get through 300-odd pages over the course of several days. But then I come across a book like this that reassures me that I am not the problem. Seema Yasmin's writing just draws you in and doesn't let go, and I loved every minute of it.)
Anyhoo, Unbecoming is set in a near-future America where abortion has not only been criminalized but anyone found to be aiding an abortion, even if it's just by walking with someone seeking the medical procedure towards the premises providing it, can face serious criminal charges. Two Muslim teenagers in the heart of Texas decide to fight back against this clear injustice by writing an underground, online guide to getting an abortion -- and not just because first-trimester abortions are entirely legal in Islamic jurisprudence.
Layla is a hijaab-wearing, mosque-loving perfectionist who's obsessively planned her life out so that she can go to med school on the East Coast and become an ob-gyn like the one who helped her mother. Noor is a pansexual crusading journalist who's already won prestigious awards for her high school paper but has a weakness for pillow talk. Together, they've been meticulously researching their guide in anticipation of launch while juggling their school work, extracurriculars and relationships.
But when Layla's romantic life takes an unexpected turn and one of Noor's workshops turns up a surprising lead, the two girls start keeping secrets from one another. Over the course of a tumultuous week or so, they work not exactly at cross-purposes but in ways that definitely prove that they're stronger together than by trying to muddle through their issues separately. They learn, too, the power of accepting help, overcoming shame and not making assumptions, essential lessons for their (and by extension the readers') activism.
This is a wildly entertaining page-turner of a near-future thriller, with leads whose flaws are entirely plausible for their being teenagers. Ms Yasmin does a fantastic job of underlining the fact that the issue isn't just abortion but reproductive rights and education as well: people with uteruses should be empowered to make their own informed choices about how many children they want to have and when. She further delves into the sociopolitical ramifications of government regulating what happens in the bedroom, even highlighting a very horrifying chapter of the Indian Emergency that was sponsored by the United States government. It's a heartbreaking story that should kindle a fire for justice in the heart of anyone with even an ounce of humanity.
That said, Unbecoming itself is a terrific story of hope, solidarity and empowerment, that serves also as a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks that the current political climate of creeping fascism is fine. Rights must continuously be fought for because fascists will never stop trying to take them away. This book will hopefully remind people of that fact, while also inspiring us all to keep fighting for what's right.
Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin will be published tomorrow July 9 2024 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers and is available for pre-order from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
August 18, 2024
Would've been two or three stars but the consistent thread of antisemitism pissed me off.
All right, now let's look at some of the reasons, other than antisemitism, I didn't like this book. (Spoilers ahoy!)
First of all, nothing the characters do actually matters. The purpose of Laylah's attempts to get her pills, from a narrative standpoint, is clearly to show what it's like trying to get birth control in Texas. Her story shows how hard it is, the dangers... and apparently how all the women trying to provide services are unprofessional and terrible?? Meanwhile, Noor is just plain wrong about everything, to the point that I wondered if her story was just to pad the word count. The one thing that matters that either of them does is tell Laylah's nanima. That's it. This wanted to be Nanima's story, and you know what? If it were, I might've enjoyed it a lot more. Honestly even The Guide, which is a huge part of the story, didn't matter at the end.
Second, there's definitely a "right kind of victim", in the logic of this book. It literally tries to pull a, "Rich people will always have access," (true) using the same woman who was puking in the vet's clinic next to Laylah. Okay, weird choice but there you go. Also she somehow accessed the pills that apparently Laylah needed/deserved more but was also in Vegas at the end? Makes no sense, but this isn't a book that cares about making sense. It's also never acknowledged that Laylah spends the entire book insisting she only made one mistake--implying she doesn't deserve this! Other people maybe, but not Laylah! I understand two factors at work here. One, Laylah is deeply ashamed that she's gone off her schedule. And two, the author wants us to know how absolutely amazing Laylah is. Laylah's job is to know all the facts so she can tell us, the reader, the real info.
Third, there really isn't any rise in tension. There's a ticking clock, but that's it. Laylah doesn't seem to feel any more desperate; the events of the book don't seem to impact her. She gets shot at and barely seems to notice or care. (She also may have caused that to happen by keeping her cell phone on despite being warned repeatedly not to do that, but this book isn't really about exploring how Laylah could've ever done anything wrong ever.)
Also, yes, I do think the Ruth Bader Ginsburg crack was absolute bullshit. RBG did more for gender equality than most of us could dream of achieving. She fought until the very end. And if you want to vilify her but then have the hero be the grandma? Um, okaaaay, nothing suspicious here. There are people who actively worked to overturn Roe. It was a concentrated, decades-long effort. Mitch McConnell literally refused to even hold hearings for any of Obama's nominees for the last two years of his term--oh, but it's not Mitch McConnell's fault. It's not the fault of the Justices who actually voted to overturn Roe. It's not all those voters for whom Hillary Clinton wasn't good enough. No, apparently it's all RBG's fault. For dying.
All right, now let's look at some of the reasons, other than antisemitism, I didn't like this book. (Spoilers ahoy!)
First of all, nothing the characters do actually matters. The purpose of Laylah's attempts to get her pills, from a narrative standpoint, is clearly to show what it's like trying to get birth control in Texas. Her story shows how hard it is, the dangers... and apparently how all the women trying to provide services are unprofessional and terrible?? Meanwhile, Noor is just plain wrong about everything, to the point that I wondered if her story was just to pad the word count. The one thing that matters that either of them does is tell Laylah's nanima. That's it. This wanted to be Nanima's story, and you know what? If it were, I might've enjoyed it a lot more. Honestly even The Guide, which is a huge part of the story, didn't matter at the end.
Second, there's definitely a "right kind of victim", in the logic of this book. It literally tries to pull a, "Rich people will always have access," (true) using the same woman who was puking in the vet's clinic next to Laylah. Okay, weird choice but there you go. Also she somehow accessed the pills that apparently Laylah needed/deserved more but was also in Vegas at the end? Makes no sense, but this isn't a book that cares about making sense. It's also never acknowledged that Laylah spends the entire book insisting she only made one mistake--implying she doesn't deserve this! Other people maybe, but not Laylah! I understand two factors at work here. One, Laylah is deeply ashamed that she's gone off her schedule. And two, the author wants us to know how absolutely amazing Laylah is. Laylah's job is to know all the facts so she can tell us, the reader, the real info.
Third, there really isn't any rise in tension. There's a ticking clock, but that's it. Laylah doesn't seem to feel any more desperate; the events of the book don't seem to impact her. She gets shot at and barely seems to notice or care. (She also may have caused that to happen by keeping her cell phone on despite being warned repeatedly not to do that, but this book isn't really about exploring how Laylah could've ever done anything wrong ever.)
Also, yes, I do think the Ruth Bader Ginsburg crack was absolute bullshit. RBG did more for gender equality than most of us could dream of achieving. She fought until the very end. And if you want to vilify her but then have the hero be the grandma? Um, okaaaay, nothing suspicious here. There are people who actively worked to overturn Roe. It was a concentrated, decades-long effort. Mitch McConnell literally refused to even hold hearings for any of Obama's nominees for the last two years of his term--oh, but it's not Mitch McConnell's fault. It's not the fault of the Justices who actually voted to overturn Roe. It's not all those voters for whom Hillary Clinton wasn't good enough. No, apparently it's all RBG's fault. For dying.
March 28, 2024
Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin
Releases July 9, 2024
🩺Dr. Seema Yasmin has quite the catalogue to her credit but this is the first one I have read. I absolutely love the empowerment of women in her story telling. This is art imitating the madness of recent historical reality as it relates to the right for women to choose. This is perfect for a book club for young readers and is sure to motivate some lively discussions. I am looking forward to seeing what her other titles and themes she creates through story telling. This was so well done.🩺
Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant.
In a not-too-distant America, abortions are prosecuted and the right to choose is no longer an option. But best friends Laylah and Noor want to change the world. After graduating high school, they’ll become an OBGYN and a journalist, but in the meantime, they’re working on an illegal guide to abortion in Texas.
In response to the unfair laws, underground networks of clinics have sprung up, but the good fight has gotten even more precarious as it becomes harder to secure safe medication and supplies. Both Layla and Noor are passionate about getting their guide completed so it can help those in need, but Laylah treats their project with an urgency Noor doesn’t understand—that may have something to do with the strange goings-on between their mosque and a local politician.
Fighting for what they believe in may involve even more obstacles than they bargained for, but the two best friends will continue as they always have: together.
Releases July 9, 2024
🩺Dr. Seema Yasmin has quite the catalogue to her credit but this is the first one I have read. I absolutely love the empowerment of women in her story telling. This is art imitating the madness of recent historical reality as it relates to the right for women to choose. This is perfect for a book club for young readers and is sure to motivate some lively discussions. I am looking forward to seeing what her other titles and themes she creates through story telling. This was so well done.🩺
Two Muslim teens in Texas fight for access to abortion while one harbors a painful secret in this funny and heartfelt near-future speculative novel perfect for fans of Unpregnant.
In a not-too-distant America, abortions are prosecuted and the right to choose is no longer an option. But best friends Laylah and Noor want to change the world. After graduating high school, they’ll become an OBGYN and a journalist, but in the meantime, they’re working on an illegal guide to abortion in Texas.
In response to the unfair laws, underground networks of clinics have sprung up, but the good fight has gotten even more precarious as it becomes harder to secure safe medication and supplies. Both Layla and Noor are passionate about getting their guide completed so it can help those in need, but Laylah treats their project with an urgency Noor doesn’t understand—that may have something to do with the strange goings-on between their mosque and a local politician.
Fighting for what they believe in may involve even more obstacles than they bargained for, but the two best friends will continue as they always have: together.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews