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The Authentics Lib/E
Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage, unlike some of the "Nose Jobs" in the clique led by her former best friend, Heidi Javadi. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real.But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. It seems everyone is keeping secrets. And it's getting harder to know who she even is any longer.With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn't have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control--can she figure out how to stay true to herself?
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First published August 8, 2017
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About the author
Abdi Nazemian
13 books1,060 followersAbdi Nazemian is the author of Only This Beautiful Moment - winner of the 2024 Stonewall Award and 2024 Lambda Literary Award - and Like a Love Story, a Stonewall Honor Book and one of Time Magazine’s Best YA Books Of All Time. He is also the author of the young adult novels Desert Echoes, The Chandler Legacies, and The Authentics. His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers and the television series Ordinary Joe and The Village. He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me by Your Name, Little Woods, and The House of Tomorrow. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, their two children, and their dog, Disco. Find him online at abdinazemian.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
April 4, 2017
I have so much, and i mean
so much!!!,
to say about this book. It was thought-provoking, touching, and enlightening in so many ways. *emotionally crying*
The Authentics is a story about culture, identity and self-discovery. Daria is about to turn 16 years old, and as part of her class assignment, she is required to do a little research on her ancestry. What she realizes is that everything she thought about herself as an authentic Iranian girl might not be true. This takes her onto an adventure of trying to find out the truth about who she really is. In this adventure, she meets new people, learns new things, and develops as a person.
THINGS YOU WILL LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK:
1. The friendships!!! The Authentics are such a cool squad, and they're very supportive of each other. (we all need friends like that)
2. Family dynamics! Literally every dynamic develops so well in this story and changes so much from the beginning to the ending.
3. DIVERSITY!! Daria is biracial, her brother is gay and is married to a Chinese man. Her best friend is a lesbian, her other best friend is a queer Nigerian. Honestly, there's just great diversity in here.
4. Knowledge about Iranian culture, particularly from an immigrant's perspective and from a non-immigrant one as well. There is so much insight on religious conflict in Iran and how Daria's family came to be agnostic.
5. GREAT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!
6. Coming to term with one's own identity and culture and accepting that we are all made up of so much more than the biological blood we're born with.
I will write a full review closer to the release date. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR <3
The Authentics is a story about culture, identity and self-discovery. Daria is about to turn 16 years old, and as part of her class assignment, she is required to do a little research on her ancestry. What she realizes is that everything she thought about herself as an authentic Iranian girl might not be true. This takes her onto an adventure of trying to find out the truth about who she really is. In this adventure, she meets new people, learns new things, and develops as a person.
THINGS YOU WILL LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK:
1. The friendships!!! The Authentics are such a cool squad, and they're very supportive of each other. (we all need friends like that)
2. Family dynamics! Literally every dynamic develops so well in this story and changes so much from the beginning to the ending.
3. DIVERSITY!! Daria is biracial, her brother is gay and is married to a Chinese man. Her best friend is a lesbian, her other best friend is a queer Nigerian. Honestly, there's just great diversity in here.
4. Knowledge about Iranian culture, particularly from an immigrant's perspective and from a non-immigrant one as well. There is so much insight on religious conflict in Iran and how Daria's family came to be agnostic.
5. GREAT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!
6. Coming to term with one's own identity and culture and accepting that we are all made up of so much more than the biological blood we're born with.
I will write a full review closer to the release date. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR <3
August 16, 2017
and i so wanted to read this and so was thinking it's going to be good...i think i read it all and gave it the 2 stars just for that hope that never materialized, if the mc was not iranian i wouldn't have given it even 2 stars or lasted till the end, if the mc was not this pseudo-charicature-not really-ddefinitely not authentic iranian i might have not disliked this so much or maybe that's not really true, cause i didn't like the writing, didn't like the people and didn't like the story.
though to be fair, as someone on pointed out on another book, the target being 8-9 year olds, then this might have worked for them.... maybe?
and then daria, daria? and not darya and then ocean?
p.s. hallie for a while i am only going to be reading books that you like, cause my last 2 choices were not sp great and before that i loved, loved what you recommended!
though to be fair, as someone on pointed out on another book, the target being 8-9 year olds, then this might have worked for them.... maybe?
and then daria, daria? and not darya and then ocean?
p.s. hallie for a while i am only going to be reading books that you like, cause my last 2 choices were not sp great and before that i loved, loved what you recommended!
May 28, 2019
My advice; don’t read this book. It was a waste of my time and was one of the most infuriating novels I have ever laid my eyes upon. Don’t mistake the beautiful cover for anything, don’t mistake the fact that we have a culturally diverse Persian character as the protagonist; just don’t. It is so poorly written and was highly offensive to me because the protagonist was downright rude. I’m all for negative characters being protagonists but this was just next-level and horribly executed. The characters may have been labeled as “The Authentics” but I can assure you their actions and dialogues were fake and disturbing. Daria is a Persian girl who discovers she is adopted and decided to find her birth mother. That’s about as far as I could get before I had to stop; because mixed in with that plotline were diva parties, nose jobs and who knows what else.
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July 24, 2017I'm loving all the YA coming-of-age stories featuring diverse characters that I've been reading lately: Saints and Misfits, That Thing We Call a Heart and now ... The Authentics. All feature relatable and engaging main characters who have close relationships with their families.
The Authentics is also a story that shows how multifaceted identity in modern-day America can be. Daria, who is Iranian-American, is assigned a genealogy project for school. She has a group of friends who represent many different races, religions and sexualities and call themselves "The Authentics" to distinguish themselves from the fakeness in their high school. Daria's brother and his Chinese-American partner are about to have a baby - by surrogate. When Daria, who has never felt she fits in to the Persian community in LA, discovers something unexpected about her family, this new discovery sends her on a journey to figure out who she is and where she fits in. Along the way she'll also discover new things about family members and friends.
At fifteen, Daria is a character who seems on the younger side of YA, but she's smart and funny and I know a lot of YA readers will really relate to her. All in all, a feel good story about the families we are born into and the families we make along the way. I just wish the book had delved in a more nuanced way into the idea of culturally-specific ideas of female beauty.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com or check out my Bookstagram!
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher for possible review.
The Authentics is also a story that shows how multifaceted identity in modern-day America can be. Daria, who is Iranian-American, is assigned a genealogy project for school. She has a group of friends who represent many different races, religions and sexualities and call themselves "The Authentics" to distinguish themselves from the fakeness in their high school. Daria's brother and his Chinese-American partner are about to have a baby - by surrogate. When Daria, who has never felt she fits in to the Persian community in LA, discovers something unexpected about her family, this new discovery sends her on a journey to figure out who she is and where she fits in. Along the way she'll also discover new things about family members and friends.
At fifteen, Daria is a character who seems on the younger side of YA, but she's smart and funny and I know a lot of YA readers will really relate to her. All in all, a feel good story about the families we are born into and the families we make along the way. I just wish the book had delved in a more nuanced way into the idea of culturally-specific ideas of female beauty.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com or check out my Bookstagram!
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher for possible review.
September 26, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, I really did. You don't often seen Iranian MCs, especially in a book that focuses so heavily on performative identity, culture, gender, and relationships with other women. Yet, it was executed so ridiculously poorly.
So much of this book thrives off of women hating each other and frankly being complete jerks to other women on the sole basis that women are... bad? Frankly, the MC is a complete judgmental dick to her former best friend (and many other women in the book) because *gasp* shes's feminine?? She's adopted American fashion trends? THE HORROR
I understand the author tried to make us view these things through a "they're disregarding our culture and all the beauty in it!" kind of thing, but it fell so flat of these things. All of the MC's complaints about other women were "ooh they're shallow" "oh look at their manicures" "oh no they like pink" and every traditionally feminine woman in the book was demonized and painted a terrible, shallow person because they dared to express their identity in ways the MC didn't agree with.
It became evident pretty quickly that the author has no idea what teenage girls are like, or what healthy female relationships are. Sigh.
Speaking of the MC, at the end of the story she claims that Chinese culture is a part of her identity because her brother's husband is Chinese like ???? Girl that is not how these things work. She prides herself on being so "authentic" and better than everyone else because she embraces her Iranian heritage, yet she's one of the most inauthentic characters I've ever read.
ALSO THAT PART WHERE SHE CALLS A GUY BY A NICKNAME HE DOESN'T LIKE THE FIRST TIME SHE MEETS HIM? This girl does not know how to flirt, or interact normally with other human beings. I was homeschooled and I know better than that lol. (Can we appreciate how she thought he was her brother for a while and still went full steam ahead? A+ ethics here, guys)
In case you can't tell, I hated the MC. She walked around judging people (she calls a group of traditionally feminine girls "The Nose Jobs"), and completely ruined a long time friendship because she was obsessed with the nose job her friend got??? Even though she was super insecure about her nose before the surgery, and getting it done made her feel so much better about herself?
Please, stop painting this girl an angel or martyr. She's exactly the type of person I avoid.
As for the rest of the book? The dialogue was stilted, clunky, unrealistic and simply bad. Also apparently the author is okay with perpetuating old Chinese and Mexican stereotypes. Nice. Everything was just bad. I'm shocked I finished the book.
So much of this book thrives off of women hating each other and frankly being complete jerks to other women on the sole basis that women are... bad? Frankly, the MC is a complete judgmental dick to her former best friend (and many other women in the book) because *gasp* shes's feminine?? She's adopted American fashion trends? THE HORROR
I understand the author tried to make us view these things through a "they're disregarding our culture and all the beauty in it!" kind of thing, but it fell so flat of these things. All of the MC's complaints about other women were "ooh they're shallow" "oh look at their manicures" "oh no they like pink" and every traditionally feminine woman in the book was demonized and painted a terrible, shallow person because they dared to express their identity in ways the MC didn't agree with.
It became evident pretty quickly that the author has no idea what teenage girls are like, or what healthy female relationships are. Sigh.
Speaking of the MC, at the end of the story she claims that Chinese culture is a part of her identity because her brother's husband is Chinese like ???? Girl that is not how these things work. She prides herself on being so "authentic" and better than everyone else because she embraces her Iranian heritage, yet she's one of the most inauthentic characters I've ever read.
ALSO THAT PART WHERE SHE CALLS A GUY BY A NICKNAME HE DOESN'T LIKE THE FIRST TIME SHE MEETS HIM? This girl does not know how to flirt, or interact normally with other human beings. I was homeschooled and I know better than that lol. (Can we appreciate how she thought he was her brother for a while and still went full steam ahead? A+ ethics here, guys)
In case you can't tell, I hated the MC. She walked around judging people (she calls a group of traditionally feminine girls "The Nose Jobs"), and completely ruined a long time friendship because she was obsessed with the nose job her friend got??? Even though she was super insecure about her nose before the surgery, and getting it done made her feel so much better about herself?
Please, stop painting this girl an angel or martyr. She's exactly the type of person I avoid.
As for the rest of the book? The dialogue was stilted, clunky, unrealistic and simply bad. Also apparently the author is okay with perpetuating old Chinese and Mexican stereotypes. Nice. Everything was just bad. I'm shocked I finished the book.
March 5, 2017
Es entretenido y me copó que lo protagonizara una joven de una cultura tan rica e interesante como la persa. Peeeeeeero, la historia está bastante tirada de los pelos, algunas cosas son irritantes y, en general, es pasatista. No es un libro que genere gran impacto.
September 29, 2017
So, okay. Abdi Nazemian is my friend. Transparency. Now you know. Which has nothing to do with what I’m about to say here. I have plenty of untalented friends; Abdi is not one of them.
But to begin at the beginning …
A few years ago he shared a secret with me: he had written a book, a novel, called THE WALK-IN-CLOSET. Great, fine, I’ll read it, sigh. What he DIDN’T say, what I had to discover for myself, was that the novel he’d written was wonderful. It was good enough to make me want to be a writer and to forget that I am a writer. I read in search of books like that. They’re out there. THE WALK-IN CLOSET is one of them.
He has now given us another. Don’t ask me how. He goes to nine graduate schools, is planning a wedding, has two young twins, and caters events for General Kelly, in the White House. But he’s done it, somehow, and his new novel, THE AUTHENTICS, recently singled out by PEOPLE magazine as a great new YA, is even better than his first.
The main character is Daria, fifteen, but a normal fifteen, not an especially “insightful” or “precocious” one who is unlike any character in life, because if there were such characters you
would medicate them; make of that what you will, Holden Caulfield. Daria isn’t too sensitive for this world, which doesn’t mean she’s not sensitive to it; her observations and perceptions always felt real to me, and because of their authenticity – a word that resounds throughout the book, and any discussion of it – helped to sharpen my own.
She has an overbearing mother, a shaker in the Beverly Hills Persian community, who wants to throw Daria an ostentatious Sweet 16, to compete with the other mothers, and also to impress herself. Daria wants no part of it; she fancies herself, and is, an Authentic, which is also
the name of the club she belongs to that rejects the nose jobs and status symbols of other Persian princesses who can’t wait to grow up to be their own mothers.
And then the ground shifts, beneath her feet, the cracks and shudders initiated, unknowingly at first, by herself. As part of a school project she decides to investigate her actual past rather than her family’s manufactured one, and in doing so reveals a complex structure of secrets and lies, authentic (that word, again) diversity, and a richly explored tale of immigrant experience that changes both her life and that of those who love her more imperfectly and deeply than she first realizes. There are passages in this book that made me gasp, both as a reader and a writer, or as a writer and a reader. He’s bringing THOSE two characters together? What will happen? And even as I write those words I see a reason why I love the book; breathless life-changing stuff happens, but Mr. Nazemian is more interested in what happens between people than in mere plot. A good plot, of course, is never merely “mere”, but when it’s married to a sense of how authenticity, in love’s name, can get lost –
I always find it patronizing when a friend says “I’m proud of you,” as it suggests the friend, holds the standard of what is pride-making and you have been lucky to meet it. So I’m not proud of Abdi Nazemian. I’m grateful to him, for writing THE AUTHENTICS. And I expect you will be, as well.
But to begin at the beginning …
A few years ago he shared a secret with me: he had written a book, a novel, called THE WALK-IN-CLOSET. Great, fine, I’ll read it, sigh. What he DIDN’T say, what I had to discover for myself, was that the novel he’d written was wonderful. It was good enough to make me want to be a writer and to forget that I am a writer. I read in search of books like that. They’re out there. THE WALK-IN CLOSET is one of them.
He has now given us another. Don’t ask me how. He goes to nine graduate schools, is planning a wedding, has two young twins, and caters events for General Kelly, in the White House. But he’s done it, somehow, and his new novel, THE AUTHENTICS, recently singled out by PEOPLE magazine as a great new YA, is even better than his first.
The main character is Daria, fifteen, but a normal fifteen, not an especially “insightful” or “precocious” one who is unlike any character in life, because if there were such characters you
would medicate them; make of that what you will, Holden Caulfield. Daria isn’t too sensitive for this world, which doesn’t mean she’s not sensitive to it; her observations and perceptions always felt real to me, and because of their authenticity – a word that resounds throughout the book, and any discussion of it – helped to sharpen my own.
She has an overbearing mother, a shaker in the Beverly Hills Persian community, who wants to throw Daria an ostentatious Sweet 16, to compete with the other mothers, and also to impress herself. Daria wants no part of it; she fancies herself, and is, an Authentic, which is also
the name of the club she belongs to that rejects the nose jobs and status symbols of other Persian princesses who can’t wait to grow up to be their own mothers.
And then the ground shifts, beneath her feet, the cracks and shudders initiated, unknowingly at first, by herself. As part of a school project she decides to investigate her actual past rather than her family’s manufactured one, and in doing so reveals a complex structure of secrets and lies, authentic (that word, again) diversity, and a richly explored tale of immigrant experience that changes both her life and that of those who love her more imperfectly and deeply than she first realizes. There are passages in this book that made me gasp, both as a reader and a writer, or as a writer and a reader. He’s bringing THOSE two characters together? What will happen? And even as I write those words I see a reason why I love the book; breathless life-changing stuff happens, but Mr. Nazemian is more interested in what happens between people than in mere plot. A good plot, of course, is never merely “mere”, but when it’s married to a sense of how authenticity, in love’s name, can get lost –
I always find it patronizing when a friend says “I’m proud of you,” as it suggests the friend, holds the standard of what is pride-making and you have been lucky to meet it. So I’m not proud of Abdi Nazemian. I’m grateful to him, for writing THE AUTHENTICS. And I expect you will be, as well.
July 16, 2017
I requested The Authentics from the Indigo newsletter because it sounded extremely diverse- I haven't read much about the Iranian culture and I am interested in reading about as many different ones as possible. Plus, that cover is gorgeous!
I ended up really enjoying this book, as was expected, but I don't think that it would reign as a favourite of mine. It was very diverse with a good plot, but the main character was a bit dull and I don't see myself remembering her for too much longer.
The Authentics revolves around a teenage girl named Daria. She is of Iranian-American decent, and she is very proud of it. She sees herself and her friend group as very authentic people, and so she has named her posse "The Authentics." When she is assigned a school project requiring her to research her roots, she finds some shocking information regarding her culture. Will this negatively change her outlook, or will this make her even more authentic than she already is?
In spite of the fact that Daria was unmemorable and will cease to remain in my brain after maybe a month or so, I was still fond of her character for sure. She was definitely, well, authentic like this book's title states, as well as wise, but too many characters of this type simply blend together in my brain. That's all there is to it.
I really loved the premise of this story in Daria finding the truth about her roots and learning to appreciate that, and the plot was full of great events that really kept the story going. I found it so cool to be able to learn about Daria's family history within the novel and I am glad that this book showcased many different and interesting cultures to explore.
There was a small bit of romance between Daria and a guy nicknamed Iglesias, but honestly, it was nothing special. It wasn't terrible, either- just your average joe romance that appears in a normal contemporary story. Meh.
To conclude, I immensely enjoyed The Authentics for its themes on diversity, friendship, pride, appreciation, and even more. To say that I loved the characters would be an overstatement, but the premise is really the focal point of this story. Are you one to devour diverse novels? If so, then you will definitely enjoy this authentically diverse book once it releases on August 8th!
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.*
I ended up really enjoying this book, as was expected, but I don't think that it would reign as a favourite of mine. It was very diverse with a good plot, but the main character was a bit dull and I don't see myself remembering her for too much longer.
The Authentics revolves around a teenage girl named Daria. She is of Iranian-American decent, and she is very proud of it. She sees herself and her friend group as very authentic people, and so she has named her posse "The Authentics." When she is assigned a school project requiring her to research her roots, she finds some shocking information regarding her culture. Will this negatively change her outlook, or will this make her even more authentic than she already is?
In spite of the fact that Daria was unmemorable and will cease to remain in my brain after maybe a month or so, I was still fond of her character for sure. She was definitely, well, authentic like this book's title states, as well as wise, but too many characters of this type simply blend together in my brain. That's all there is to it.
I really loved the premise of this story in Daria finding the truth about her roots and learning to appreciate that, and the plot was full of great events that really kept the story going. I found it so cool to be able to learn about Daria's family history within the novel and I am glad that this book showcased many different and interesting cultures to explore.
There was a small bit of romance between Daria and a guy nicknamed Iglesias, but honestly, it was nothing special. It wasn't terrible, either- just your average joe romance that appears in a normal contemporary story. Meh.
To conclude, I immensely enjoyed The Authentics for its themes on diversity, friendship, pride, appreciation, and even more. To say that I loved the characters would be an overstatement, but the premise is really the focal point of this story. Are you one to devour diverse novels? If so, then you will definitely enjoy this authentically diverse book once it releases on August 8th!
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.*
December 31, 2019
I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did, but it actually made me tear up a tiny bit close to the end.
loved the diverse supporting cast, which includes other POC and queer ppl and QPOC(!).
There were several instances of ableist language though so cw/tw for ableism toward mental illness.
loved the diverse supporting cast, which includes other POC and queer ppl and QPOC(!).
There were several instances of ableist language though so cw/tw for ableism toward mental illness.
July 25, 2017
Incredibly fun and thought provoking read by one of the most inventive authors, a true rising star! His ability to tap into a female voice and a gen z heart while exploring complex issues of identity is masterful, I highly recommend this book!
June 9, 2023
This is my first novel by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. The Authentics" by Abdi Nazemian is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of identity, cultural heritage, and the search for self-acceptance. Set in contemporary Los Angeles, this coming-of-age story follows Daria Esfandyar, a sixteen-year-old Iranian-American girl who embarks on a quest to discover her true self while navigating the intricacies of her family, friendships, and community. One of the strongest aspects of "The Authentics" is Nazemian's ability to craft well-rounded and relatable characters. Daria, the protagonist, is a witty and introspective narrator who provides insightful commentary on the challenges faced by individuals caught between two cultures. Her journey of self-discovery is both authentic and relatable, as she grapples with questions of identity and belonging, while also challenging societal expectations.
August 10, 2017
Rating: 4.5 Stars
This was such a beautiful journey of self-discovery and appreciation for those who love you and you love back.
Daria and her friends always believed they were being authentic, being true to themselves. However, after experiencing an existential crisis, Daria begins to question what it means to be authentic. While trying to work through this situation, she learns a lot about herself, her friends, and her family.
This story had me hook, line, and sinker from the very beginning. I loved all four of the Authentics immediately, and was thinking how lucky Daria was to have such an awesome group of friends. The title of this book makes you think it is their story, however, this is Daria's story, and I felt fortunate to join Daria on her journey of self-discovery.
I have been lucky enough to read quite a few #OwnVoices books lately, which deal with self-discovery and self-identity. I have also been lucky enough to have enjoyed them all immensely, and am happy to add The Authentics to this list.
Nazemian gave me so many beautiful relationships to be jealous of in this book. Daria's closest friends -- Joy, Caroline, and Kurt -- are each very special in their own way. They had very different strengths and weaknesses, complementing each other quite well. They were steadfast and dedicated friends, but they were not perfect. We find out that some of them may be hiding a thing or two, but these small transgressions never nullify those super strong bonds of friendship the four of them share. The way each will put the other first is lovely, and I could only wish to have friends like them. Daria's family had a lot of things they needed to work through, but you would never question their love for each other. They didn't always make the best decisions, but they made those decisions with the best intentions. I never had a nanny, but I could only wish I could be lucky enough to have a Lala in my life. This woman exuded love through even pore of her body. She was just the epitome of a caregiver, and I loved every second I got to spend with her.
Speaking of family, I love that Nazemian shows that a family is a family even if it is not the traditional family. I equate family with love, and it seems Nazemian agrees with this. Daria's family changed and grew from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, just as Daria herself grew and changed, and all these changes were positive in my opinion.
It was interesting to be a witness to all the changes that both Daria and her family experienced. Daria definitely came of age during this tale. One of the things that hit me hardest, was when her mother broke down those walls of protection, and revealed her vulnerability, shared her pain. This changed the way Daria perceived her mother and actually made her more human.
I found the commentary about Iran quite interesting. I was in single digits during the Iranian Revolution, so I only remember bits and pieces. The insights Nazemian shared prompted me to find out more, and I think it's great when a book elicits that sort of response from me. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn more about Nazemian's culture, and felt he thoughtfully wove it into this story. It gave this book extra depth and definitely enhanced my reading experience.
Overall: I have nothing but love for this tale of friends, family, first love, self love, and self acceptance.
**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
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This was such a beautiful journey of self-discovery and appreciation for those who love you and you love back.
Daria and her friends always believed they were being authentic, being true to themselves. However, after experiencing an existential crisis, Daria begins to question what it means to be authentic. While trying to work through this situation, she learns a lot about herself, her friends, and her family.
This story had me hook, line, and sinker from the very beginning. I loved all four of the Authentics immediately, and was thinking how lucky Daria was to have such an awesome group of friends. The title of this book makes you think it is their story, however, this is Daria's story, and I felt fortunate to join Daria on her journey of self-discovery.
I have been lucky enough to read quite a few #OwnVoices books lately, which deal with self-discovery and self-identity. I have also been lucky enough to have enjoyed them all immensely, and am happy to add The Authentics to this list.
Nazemian gave me so many beautiful relationships to be jealous of in this book. Daria's closest friends -- Joy, Caroline, and Kurt -- are each very special in their own way. They had very different strengths and weaknesses, complementing each other quite well. They were steadfast and dedicated friends, but they were not perfect. We find out that some of them may be hiding a thing or two, but these small transgressions never nullify those super strong bonds of friendship the four of them share. The way each will put the other first is lovely, and I could only wish to have friends like them. Daria's family had a lot of things they needed to work through, but you would never question their love for each other. They didn't always make the best decisions, but they made those decisions with the best intentions. I never had a nanny, but I could only wish I could be lucky enough to have a Lala in my life. This woman exuded love through even pore of her body. She was just the epitome of a caregiver, and I loved every second I got to spend with her.
Speaking of family, I love that Nazemian shows that a family is a family even if it is not the traditional family. I equate family with love, and it seems Nazemian agrees with this. Daria's family changed and grew from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, just as Daria herself grew and changed, and all these changes were positive in my opinion.
It was interesting to be a witness to all the changes that both Daria and her family experienced. Daria definitely came of age during this tale. One of the things that hit me hardest, was when her mother broke down those walls of protection, and revealed her vulnerability, shared her pain. This changed the way Daria perceived her mother and actually made her more human.
I found the commentary about Iran quite interesting. I was in single digits during the Iranian Revolution, so I only remember bits and pieces. The insights Nazemian shared prompted me to find out more, and I think it's great when a book elicits that sort of response from me. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn more about Nazemian's culture, and felt he thoughtfully wove it into this story. It gave this book extra depth and definitely enhanced my reading experience.
Overall: I have nothing but love for this tale of friends, family, first love, self love, and self acceptance.
**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
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August 27, 2017
2.75 stars
I liked a lot of the ideas but the execution didn't wow me.
I liked a lot of the ideas but the execution didn't wow me.
September 15, 2017
Not sure why this was advertised as Muslim YA considering there is not one Muslim character in the entire thing... (spoiler alert: a Persian does not a Muslim make).
February 4, 2018
Well, that was an adventure. And I loved it. My first 5-star book of the year. RTC.
Read
August 11, 2017I wanted to love this book, and there are a lot of great things here. I love Daria's heritage and the way that she identifies herself proudly as part of that heritage. I love her relationship with her parents (she and her dad get along so well; she and her mom have a more contentious relationship) and that she has a group of friends who feel more like family. (I am less enamored of the fact that they call themselves "The Authentics," as in they actually have named their group of friends and it is something they all say about themselves as a group and they say it OUT LOUD. But sure, fine. I was probably super pretentious as a teenager, too.)
SPOILERS BELOW:
She learns that she's adopted, which throws her life into complete upheaval. It's so interesting and it means that basically her entire life is not what she thought. Her parents aren't her parents and (really just as importantly) her culture isn't her culture. I would've loved a book that focused on these things. That is important and real and messy and honest.
Here's what the book focused on: her birth mom has a stepson and Daria and Enrique briefly date.
NOT EVERY BOOK HAS TO HAVE A LOVE STORY. (And also, speaking as an adopted person but not necessarily for every single adopted person, I call absolute shenanigans on the fact that, when she first meets Enrique, she tells him that his stepmom is her biological mom but barely talks to him about her. I will tell you now that if I had first met a member of my birth mom's family before contacting her, I would've pumped them for information like nobody's business but also never said exactly who I was and what my relationship was. THAT IS HOW YOU RUIN LIVES AND MAKE SURE THE BIOLOGICAL FAMILY HATES YOU.)
This is not a horrible book at all but it was not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 13, 2017Really enjoying the spate of culturally infused coming-of-age novels I'm reading lately, and this was no exception. Interesting to me that the title focused on her friend group when her family and culture are so beyond dominant of the plot and definitely the stars of the show, but definitely not upset about the stuff that actually took center stage, even if it wasn't necessarily my expectation going in.
February 5, 2018
Welcome to my 2nd DNF of 2018.
DNFing at 35%. Why? The voice of the MC was painfully immature and the plot of the story was not delivered correctly. I quickly discovered that I didn't care what she had going on or how she and her friends/family were more concerned about having the latest fashions or vacationing. Her approach to finding out the big news about her past was poorly handled so I'm cutting my losses now.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
**CAUTION! SPOILERS AHEAD!**
Welcome to my first DNF review of 2018! Now please remember that I don’t like DNFing books, nor do I like writing DNF reviews. But, what I do like is the ability to express myself and voice my concerns or reasons why I felt the strong urge to stop reading a book. I did DNF at the 35% mark of the audio and I’ll explain why.
Short recap: Daria is Iranian-American and very proud of her heritage and always being real. So much so that she and her friends have started calling themselves The Authentics. Things change for Daria after she does a school project and learns some very disturbing information about her past. Maybe she isn’t as “authentic” as she thought she was. How will everyone handle the news?
Here’s the thing… I wanted to love this story, I really did. This quickly turned out to be not a story for me. I realized, accepted, and moved on. I did like Daria’s heritage and how she was always so proud of where she came from. She had a great relationship with her family, parents, and friends. But I did not like how the actual plot of the story was revealed and laid out, along with some other issues.
I did not like how immature Daria’s voice sounded. She and her friends were teenagers, yes, but the way they came across made them sound like they were 12 or 13. Every time Daria did not get her way, she whined like a spoiled entitled child. I have little to no patience for those characters. She was very well taken care of by her parents and wanted for nothing (these girls were carrying Prada bags, for Pete’s sake) so when Daria’s mom talked about her upcoming birthday, Daria threw a tantrum about how she didn’t want a party. Excuse me, missy, but some people (LIKE ME) did not have the luxury of being thrown birthday parties when they were your age – or any age – so how about you be a little grateful that your parents still want to celebrate your milestones?
I also did not enjoy reading how Daria and her group of friends gave themselves the pretentious name “The Authentics” and would only refer to themselves that way. OUT LOUD. IN PUBLIC. They were all so quick to judge other girls in their school and label them things like “Nose Jobs”. Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? No need to be so petty. I was thrilled that they always “kept it real” but being so petty to others outside of their circle of friends was not so awesome to read about.
Now here is where I stopped the story: After paying a 3rd party company to genetically map her DNA, she discovers that she is adopted. That’s when Daria lost it. I can understand being upset by not being told this information by her parents but she found out – not only by having her DNA tested without talking to her parents – she illegally snooped in a lawyer’s office to find the paperwork. She found the paperwork confirming that her parents are not her parents and her culture is not really her culture. If the book had focused on that and that alone – this would have been a great story. But it didn’t. I didn’t read any of that. What I read about was this:
Daria’s real mother had a stepson, Enrique, who Daria had instalove with and started to date.
That above sentence is why I DNFd the story. I felt the forced, unnecessary instalove/romance did not need to be in this story. This should have focused on Daria, her adoption, and possibly finding out about her true culture/heritage. Did it? NOPE. It was all about how hot Daria thought Enrique was and how much she wanted to see him shirtless… or some other pointless teenage hormone related thing. I lost all connection to the story, cut my losses and moved on.
Did I like this story? Obviously not since I DNFd. I didn’t like how it was fully of women bashing and judging. (Don’t judge someone because they carry a specific brand of bag or have their nails painted. Judge not lest ye be judged. Always remember that.) I didn’t like how the overall topic was lost in a sea of teenage hormones. This had so much potential but for me fell incredibly short.
DNFing at 35%. Why? The voice of the MC was painfully immature and the plot of the story was not delivered correctly. I quickly discovered that I didn't care what she had going on or how she and her friends/family were more concerned about having the latest fashions or vacationing. Her approach to finding out the big news about her past was poorly handled so I'm cutting my losses now.
---------
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
**CAUTION! SPOILERS AHEAD!**
Welcome to my first DNF review of 2018! Now please remember that I don’t like DNFing books, nor do I like writing DNF reviews. But, what I do like is the ability to express myself and voice my concerns or reasons why I felt the strong urge to stop reading a book. I did DNF at the 35% mark of the audio and I’ll explain why.
Short recap: Daria is Iranian-American and very proud of her heritage and always being real. So much so that she and her friends have started calling themselves The Authentics. Things change for Daria after she does a school project and learns some very disturbing information about her past. Maybe she isn’t as “authentic” as she thought she was. How will everyone handle the news?
Here’s the thing… I wanted to love this story, I really did. This quickly turned out to be not a story for me. I realized, accepted, and moved on. I did like Daria’s heritage and how she was always so proud of where she came from. She had a great relationship with her family, parents, and friends. But I did not like how the actual plot of the story was revealed and laid out, along with some other issues.
I did not like how immature Daria’s voice sounded. She and her friends were teenagers, yes, but the way they came across made them sound like they were 12 or 13. Every time Daria did not get her way, she whined like a spoiled entitled child. I have little to no patience for those characters. She was very well taken care of by her parents and wanted for nothing (these girls were carrying Prada bags, for Pete’s sake) so when Daria’s mom talked about her upcoming birthday, Daria threw a tantrum about how she didn’t want a party. Excuse me, missy, but some people (LIKE ME) did not have the luxury of being thrown birthday parties when they were your age – or any age – so how about you be a little grateful that your parents still want to celebrate your milestones?
I also did not enjoy reading how Daria and her group of friends gave themselves the pretentious name “The Authentics” and would only refer to themselves that way. OUT LOUD. IN PUBLIC. They were all so quick to judge other girls in their school and label them things like “Nose Jobs”. Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? No need to be so petty. I was thrilled that they always “kept it real” but being so petty to others outside of their circle of friends was not so awesome to read about.
Now here is where I stopped the story: After paying a 3rd party company to genetically map her DNA, she discovers that she is adopted. That’s when Daria lost it. I can understand being upset by not being told this information by her parents but she found out – not only by having her DNA tested without talking to her parents – she illegally snooped in a lawyer’s office to find the paperwork. She found the paperwork confirming that her parents are not her parents and her culture is not really her culture. If the book had focused on that and that alone – this would have been a great story. But it didn’t. I didn’t read any of that. What I read about was this:
Daria’s real mother had a stepson, Enrique, who Daria had instalove with and started to date.
That above sentence is why I DNFd the story. I felt the forced, unnecessary instalove/romance did not need to be in this story. This should have focused on Daria, her adoption, and possibly finding out about her true culture/heritage. Did it? NOPE. It was all about how hot Daria thought Enrique was and how much she wanted to see him shirtless… or some other pointless teenage hormone related thing. I lost all connection to the story, cut my losses and moved on.
Did I like this story? Obviously not since I DNFd. I didn’t like how it was fully of women bashing and judging. (Don’t judge someone because they carry a specific brand of bag or have their nails painted. Judge not lest ye be judged. Always remember that.) I didn’t like how the overall topic was lost in a sea of teenage hormones. This had so much potential but for me fell incredibly short.
December 26, 2023
3,75, lub 4 ⭐️(ale zdecydowanie bardziej skłania się ku 4)
Da się? Da się....
Nie no ten autor ma tak wiele umiejętności względem kreacji nie tylko perspektyw, ale i ich przeniku wzajemnego względem powiedziałbym ich procesu przeplatania, czy też tego, co one noszą ze sobą i jak wpisuje to pewne toki myślowe i wszelakie nasze perypetie... ukazanie tego, jak potem na różnych wymiarach i płaszczyznach układa się pewna percepcja na to, jak dane zjawisko przypisuje pewien proces....I wiele innych domen, choć akurat ta książka jest najlżejsza ze wszystkich. Ta przede wszystkim skupia się na budowaniu jakiegoś nie tyle nastawienia do relacji, ale do egzekwowania nawet nie myśli o nastawieniu, ale bardziej procesu....Ciężki kawałek chleba
I sluchajcie, ja nie wiem, dlaczego autor takich książek (ta nie jest idealna, choć nie ma takiej. Ale no może wielu osobom nie przypaść do gustu, ale Da się to docenić.) Napisał kalekę, jaką jest "Dziedzictwo Chandlera"....Nie wiem
Wyjaśni ktoś?
Da się? Da się....
Nie no ten autor ma tak wiele umiejętności względem kreacji nie tylko perspektyw, ale i ich przeniku wzajemnego względem powiedziałbym ich procesu przeplatania, czy też tego, co one noszą ze sobą i jak wpisuje to pewne toki myślowe i wszelakie nasze perypetie... ukazanie tego, jak potem na różnych wymiarach i płaszczyznach układa się pewna percepcja na to, jak dane zjawisko przypisuje pewien proces....I wiele innych domen, choć akurat ta książka jest najlżejsza ze wszystkich. Ta przede wszystkim skupia się na budowaniu jakiegoś nie tyle nastawienia do relacji, ale do egzekwowania nawet nie myśli o nastawieniu, ale bardziej procesu....Ciężki kawałek chleba
I sluchajcie, ja nie wiem, dlaczego autor takich książek (ta nie jest idealna, choć nie ma takiej. Ale no może wielu osobom nie przypaść do gustu, ale Da się to docenić.) Napisał kalekę, jaką jest "Dziedzictwo Chandlera"....Nie wiem
Wyjaśni ktoś?
March 12, 2018
The Authentics is about a 15 year old girl who's family has lied to her about being adopted. When she finds out by blood test that she is half Mexican,she tries to find her birth mother but instead finds her first kiss. Daria is very proud that she is Iranian.She thinks everyone needs to be authentic but knows that's not possible. Daria then finds out why her mother has being lying to her which makes her understand. Overall this book is a great book because it teach young adults in why someone may get adopted or why there is alreays a reason to something.
December 31, 2018
I really loved Daria's story, it's heartfelt and meaningful and her character development is great. What made me only mildly enjoy the book is the romance. If there's one thing i dislike in books is forced romantic feelings, i just didn't see the point of Daria and Enrique being together at all when they work much better as friends.
February 9, 2019
This one pleasantly surprised me and I am so glad I read it. Full RTC
February 25, 2019
Rating and review to come
August 11, 2017
***1/2
It started a bit slow but picked up steam in chapter five when Daria discovers a secret that changes everything she ever believed about herself and her family.
Her life becomes an emotional rollercoaster, and every nuance of that ride is on the page. I couldn't help but sympathize with her.
It started a bit slow but picked up steam in chapter five when Daria discovers a secret that changes everything she ever believed about herself and her family.
Her life becomes an emotional rollercoaster, and every nuance of that ride is on the page. I couldn't help but sympathize with her.
October 31, 2018
Family stuff ALWAYS gives me Emotions, and this book was no different
August 21, 2017
Definitely made the right decision in stopping my other book and starting this one. Finished it in a day and I LOVED it.
*Edit 08/20/2017*
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
It's very rare that I have enough time to finish a book in a day. It's also very rare that I WANT to finish a book in a day. But with The Authentics, I got lucky and had both of these things on my side. The Authentics is funny and definitely what I needed at the time.
The Authentics consist of Daria and her group of friends. They pride themselves on always being real. But while doing research, she finds out something about herself that she never could have imagined. To learn more about herself she keeps digging until she can't hold anymore secrets. How can she possibly say she's still "authentic" when she really has no idea who she really is?
What I loved most about this was the way it reminded me of my own family. My family is all different shapes and shades just like Daria's. Really the only difference is Daria's family hid her family from her. That truly made me feel sorry for her. She never would have gotten that part of her culture had they continued to keep that from her. It's sad to think she could have missed out on some really important things.
Another thing I liked about this was the way this book took me through a complete emotional cycle. There were times I was laughing, and there was even a time when I teared up. When I get that emotional over a book, it shows how into I am. The more emotions it brings out of me the better.
This fast paced, diverse contemporary novel is definitely one that I can see others saying they read in one sitting too. With it's emphasis on self-discovery and look into many different cultures, this book was definitely worth my entire day on the couch glued to its pages!
*Edit 08/20/2017*
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
It's very rare that I have enough time to finish a book in a day. It's also very rare that I WANT to finish a book in a day. But with The Authentics, I got lucky and had both of these things on my side. The Authentics is funny and definitely what I needed at the time.
The Authentics consist of Daria and her group of friends. They pride themselves on always being real. But while doing research, she finds out something about herself that she never could have imagined. To learn more about herself she keeps digging until she can't hold anymore secrets. How can she possibly say she's still "authentic" when she really has no idea who she really is?
What I loved most about this was the way it reminded me of my own family. My family is all different shapes and shades just like Daria's. Really the only difference is Daria's family hid her family from her. That truly made me feel sorry for her. She never would have gotten that part of her culture had they continued to keep that from her. It's sad to think she could have missed out on some really important things.
Another thing I liked about this was the way this book took me through a complete emotional cycle. There were times I was laughing, and there was even a time when I teared up. When I get that emotional over a book, it shows how into I am. The more emotions it brings out of me the better.
This fast paced, diverse contemporary novel is definitely one that I can see others saying they read in one sitting too. With it's emphasis on self-discovery and look into many different cultures, this book was definitely worth my entire day on the couch glued to its pages!
August 5, 2017
This was such a cute book. It's a heartwarming YA story, which is not usually what I go looking for, but this one is much deeper. It's a unique storyline, and the characters are well-rounded.
It was so refreshing to me that this was not a romance book. It's definitely part of the book, but Daria is focused on herself, her family, and her friends. I also liked that the romance was a little questionable, and it's probably not something the average YA reader is going to swoon over. The whole storyline of this book is creative.
Daria and her friends are concerned with being real, and it was nice to read. They learn a lot throughout the book. She loves learning about her past and her family's history in Iran, and this is the first book I remember reading with an Iranian-American main character.
When Daria experiences an identity crisis, she handles it so much better than I would. I don't want to give away anything about it, so that's all I'm going to say. She is definitely not perfect, but she is honest, and she feels what she feels. She acts like a teenager, and is sometimes a brat, but she's mature, so it's limited. I really enjoyed the book, and would read other books by Abdi Nazemian.
Thank you to Abdi Nazemian, Balzer + Bray, and Harper Collins for my advance copy of this book! It will be released on 8/8.
It was so refreshing to me that this was not a romance book. It's definitely part of the book, but Daria is focused on herself, her family, and her friends. I also liked that the romance was a little questionable, and it's probably not something the average YA reader is going to swoon over. The whole storyline of this book is creative.
Daria and her friends are concerned with being real, and it was nice to read. They learn a lot throughout the book. She loves learning about her past and her family's history in Iran, and this is the first book I remember reading with an Iranian-American main character.
When Daria experiences an identity crisis, she handles it so much better than I would. I don't want to give away anything about it, so that's all I'm going to say. She is definitely not perfect, but she is honest, and she feels what she feels. She acts like a teenager, and is sometimes a brat, but she's mature, so it's limited. I really enjoyed the book, and would read other books by Abdi Nazemian.
Thank you to Abdi Nazemian, Balzer + Bray, and Harper Collins for my advance copy of this book! It will be released on 8/8.
dnfs
July 8, 2021One chapter and 11 pages in, and I’m already not interested. It’s not bad, but I’m getting the “holier than thou” vibes, even though they aren’t as strong as other books. But when you have lines like this:
“Now [Heidi] was beautiful and popular, and I was, well, authentic.”
“Maybe it’s because my mother valued being fabulous way more than being real.”
I start questioning my empathy towards the protagonist. How is being popular always associated with being fake? There are legitimately nice popular people. Also, why are you bashing your mom?
Then there are the awkward attempts at humor, like when Daria comments on her culture inventing poetry, math, and rice and how those get thrown away. And her friend replies:
“At least you have a culture. The only culture in my house growing up was homemade yogurt.”
I guess it's funny? IDK.
Also, the protagonist mentions how ugly she is, yet we know she'll get a boyfriend later.
And do all the rich people in YA have to flaunt their wealth in over the top birthday parties where everything is pink? IDK.
“Now [Heidi] was beautiful and popular, and I was, well, authentic.”
“Maybe it’s because my mother valued being fabulous way more than being real.”
I start questioning my empathy towards the protagonist. How is being popular always associated with being fake? There are legitimately nice popular people. Also, why are you bashing your mom?
Then there are the awkward attempts at humor, like when Daria comments on her culture inventing poetry, math, and rice and how those get thrown away. And her friend replies:
“At least you have a culture. The only culture in my house growing up was homemade yogurt.”
I guess it's funny? IDK.
Also, the protagonist mentions how ugly she is, yet we know she'll get a boyfriend later.
And do all the rich people in YA have to flaunt their wealth in over the top birthday parties where everything is pink? IDK.
March 4, 2017
I wanted to like this book a lot but it just did not connect with me. I loved the central conflict with Daria questioning her identity and her Iranian/Persian culture and community. All of that felt strong and genuine and really interesting. But all the trappings of Daria's life fell flat: her friends "The Authentics," her intriguing love interest, her conflict with her former BFF. It was so frustrating because I wanted to sustain what I loved but then I just kept getting bogged down in sections of the book that felt underwritten and phoned in, or overexplained and ineffective. I still think there's a lot to like here but I finished the book feeling frustrated rather than satisfied.
January 30, 2019
I'm very tired of books that demonize female characters for stooping so low as to liking makeup. Nail polish is not the enemy. Pitting women against each other for no reason is.
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