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Zara Hossain Is Here
Zara's family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them.
Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life in Corpus Christi, Texas, since her family moved there for her father to work as a pediatrician. While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low, trying not to stir up any trouble and jeopardize their family's dependent visa status while they await their green card approval, which has been in process for almost nine years.
But one day her tormentor, star football player Tyler Benson, takes things too far, leaving a threatening note in her locker, and gets suspended. As an act of revenge against her for speaking out, Tyler and his friends vandalize Zara's house with racist graffiti, leading to a violent crime that puts Zara's entire future at risk. Now she must pay the ultimate price and choose between fighting to stay in the only place she's ever called home or losing the life she loves and everyone in it.
From the author of the "heart-wrenching yet hopeful" (Samira Ahmed) novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, comes a timely, intimate look at what it means to be an immigrant in America today, and the endurance of hope and faith in the face of hate.
Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life in Corpus Christi, Texas, since her family moved there for her father to work as a pediatrician. While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low, trying not to stir up any trouble and jeopardize their family's dependent visa status while they await their green card approval, which has been in process for almost nine years.
But one day her tormentor, star football player Tyler Benson, takes things too far, leaving a threatening note in her locker, and gets suspended. As an act of revenge against her for speaking out, Tyler and his friends vandalize Zara's house with racist graffiti, leading to a violent crime that puts Zara's entire future at risk. Now she must pay the ultimate price and choose between fighting to stay in the only place she's ever called home or losing the life she loves and everyone in it.
From the author of the "heart-wrenching yet hopeful" (Samira Ahmed) novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, comes a timely, intimate look at what it means to be an immigrant in America today, and the endurance of hope and faith in the face of hate.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 6, 2021
53 people are currently reading
8069 people want to read
About the author
Sabina Khan
9 books574 followersSabina Khan is the acclaimed author of the upcoming Middle Grade Fantasy THE BLOODSTONE THIEF (Scholastic, Fall 2025), and YA Contemporary novels WHAT A DESI GIRL WANTS, MEET ME IN MUMBAI, ZARA HOSSAIN IS HERE & THE LOVE AND LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI. She has lived in Germany, Bangladesh, Macao, Illinois and Texas before finally settling down in Vancouver, BC. When she’s not writing, you can find her playing with her adorable puppy, picking new songs for Karaoke or sitting in a coffee shop dreaming up new stories and characters.
Her books have received starred trade reviews; were a Junior Library Guild Selection, a Teen Indie Next Pick, were on the “Best Of” lists of Oprah Magazine and Seventeen, were featured on NBC News and the BBC, the NYT, Teen Vogue, as well as short-listed for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize and the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Awards.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram @sabina_writer
Website: https://sabina-khan.com/
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May 31, 2021ahh this was so great! a really quick read with some great characters and a deep look at the U.S. immigration system. I loved how this book had a lot of similarities to Sabina Khan's THE LOVE AND LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI but also portrayed a totally different family dynamic and situation. I love that this will be a book that a lot of immigrant kids can read and feel seen <3
January 9, 2021
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC!
Content warning: racism/bullying, Islamophobia, gun violence, biphobia (from one character)
RTC.
Content warning: racism/bullying, Islamophobia, gun violence, biphobia (from one character)
RTC.
June 29, 2021
3.5 stars
I have some mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side it had a good plot and touched on important subjects. The problem for me was the writing style. Matter of fact, nothing more is how I would describe it.
Zara Hossain is a 17 year old Pakistani immigrant living in Texas. Her family has been waiting for green card approval for close to nine years. Islamophobia is something Zara frequently encounters and when she is targeted at school it sets off a horrible chain of events. Now Zara's future is at risk, in more ways than one.
Normally I tend to stay away from discussing anything in my review that isn't covered in the publisher's synopsis. However, I think it is worth noting Zara is bisexual as most readers are interested in supporting books featuring underrepresented characters. Seeing how her sexuality meshed with the family's religion was intriguing and I actually would have loved it if the author could have explored it even more in the story. There are a few relevant storylines that I didn't think got their deserved attention. This will be one of the few times I ever say I wish a book was longer in length so everything was covered in depth.
Given everything Zara is dealing with it's pretty much automatic you feel for her. But that really has to do more with the nightmare situation she is facing rather than how the character was written. I do think the book is a worthwhile read though as it shines a light on the US immigration system among other things. It might not be a perfect read but I don't need it to be in order to feel like I gained something from the reading experience.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side it had a good plot and touched on important subjects. The problem for me was the writing style. Matter of fact, nothing more is how I would describe it.
Zara Hossain is a 17 year old Pakistani immigrant living in Texas. Her family has been waiting for green card approval for close to nine years. Islamophobia is something Zara frequently encounters and when she is targeted at school it sets off a horrible chain of events. Now Zara's future is at risk, in more ways than one.
Normally I tend to stay away from discussing anything in my review that isn't covered in the publisher's synopsis. However, I think it is worth noting Zara is bisexual as most readers are interested in supporting books featuring underrepresented characters. Seeing how her sexuality meshed with the family's religion was intriguing and I actually would have loved it if the author could have explored it even more in the story. There are a few relevant storylines that I didn't think got their deserved attention. This will be one of the few times I ever say I wish a book was longer in length so everything was covered in depth.
Given everything Zara is dealing with it's pretty much automatic you feel for her. But that really has to do more with the nightmare situation she is facing rather than how the character was written. I do think the book is a worthwhile read though as it shines a light on the US immigration system among other things. It might not be a perfect read but I don't need it to be in order to feel like I gained something from the reading experience.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
April 25, 2021
Zara Hossain Is Here
, Sabina Khan's newest YA novel, is a poignant, powerful story about the racism and prejudice faced by immigrants, even within their own religions and cultures.
“My presentation in class today has reminded me that I exist in a sort of no-man’s-land. I wasn’t born here, but I don’t remember much of Pakistan and I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I still lived there. But I know how a lot of people here feel about immigrants. So...where do I belong?”
As the only Muslim in her conservative Texas Catholic high school, Zara Hossain stands out—and not for the reasons she wants to. Every day she faces abuse—vicious stares and comments about terrorism, especially from football player Tyler Benson and his friends. But when she dares to challenge him in front of his friends, he vandalizes her locker, which sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy and upheaval.
Zara’s parents contemplate moving back to Pakistan, but that will upend Zara’s life. She won’t be able to get as good of a college education there, and being bisexual, she’ll face even more prejudice from her own people. But how can she stay in the U.S. if her parents go?
I thought Zara Hossain Is Here was a really good, thought-provoking read about an all-too-familiar experience immigrants face. It’s also particularly timely given the recent rise in violence against Asians.
This is the first book of Sabina Khan’s I’ve read, although her first book, The Love and Lives of Rukhsana Ali , is on my TBR as well. I love how she captured both the racial prejudice immigrants face and the judgment faced in their own communities for things like not being “devout enough.”
It was great to be part of the tour for this book. Storygram Tours, IReadYA, and Sabina Khan provided me with complimentary copies of both of Khan's books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making them available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the last decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
“My presentation in class today has reminded me that I exist in a sort of no-man’s-land. I wasn’t born here, but I don’t remember much of Pakistan and I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I still lived there. But I know how a lot of people here feel about immigrants. So...where do I belong?”
As the only Muslim in her conservative Texas Catholic high school, Zara Hossain stands out—and not for the reasons she wants to. Every day she faces abuse—vicious stares and comments about terrorism, especially from football player Tyler Benson and his friends. But when she dares to challenge him in front of his friends, he vandalizes her locker, which sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy and upheaval.
Zara’s parents contemplate moving back to Pakistan, but that will upend Zara’s life. She won’t be able to get as good of a college education there, and being bisexual, she’ll face even more prejudice from her own people. But how can she stay in the U.S. if her parents go?
I thought Zara Hossain Is Here was a really good, thought-provoking read about an all-too-familiar experience immigrants face. It’s also particularly timely given the recent rise in violence against Asians.
This is the first book of Sabina Khan’s I’ve read, although her first book, The Love and Lives of Rukhsana Ali , is on my TBR as well. I love how she captured both the racial prejudice immigrants face and the judgment faced in their own communities for things like not being “devout enough.”
It was great to be part of the tour for this book. Storygram Tours, IReadYA, and Sabina Khan provided me with complimentary copies of both of Khan's books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making them available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the last decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
June 1, 2021
This was a quick and gripping yet powerful story about fighting back against an immense and broken system. Highly recommend!!
Update: November 10 2020 now
Does anyone have a time machine? If so plz contact me ASAP I need a quick journey to a bookstore on July 7 2020 thx
Update: November 10 2020 now
Does anyone have a time machine? If so plz contact me ASAP I need a quick journey to a bookstore on July 7 2020 thx
July 17, 2022
I liked the overall plot of the story, it was interesting and fast pace and kept me on my toes. My only issue with the book was that it felt a bit performative in its social justice themes, a tad bit on the nose at times. I did appreciate some of the the issues the author explored however. It was a pretty solid read, despite not being as good as her first contemporary novel.
April 20, 2021
I am no stranger to the works of Sabina Khan, having read 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali'. This one, I must say, far surpasses the former with its deft and clear portrayal of everyday reality that a Muslim immigrant faces in America. Each page and every page of this novel is a testimony of the fact that how the fear that is rampant in the country destroys the sense of security of a group of people who have come to see this country as their own.
The prank of a teenager goes out of hand (I believe, in his mind, all that racist remarks that came out of jealousy was just a prank) and destroys the lives that Zara's Pakistani family has built up in America for years. With the right connections, the victim is turned into the criminal revealing another face of a country that often assumes the position of the international police force.
Racist theme aside, Sabina Khan also voices the prejudice and discrimination the LGBT+ community faces in their Catholic school. When they demand to assert their liberty to form their own club, the school reacts by shutting down all social clubs. And the treatment meted out to Chloe, Zara's girlfriend, adds another reminder that acceptance of your identity still remains a dream for many.
Powerful and poignant, Sabinal Khan has created a masterpiece that exposes the harsh truths we often try to disregard. Highly recommended!
The prank of a teenager goes out of hand (I believe, in his mind, all that racist remarks that came out of jealousy was just a prank) and destroys the lives that Zara's Pakistani family has built up in America for years. With the right connections, the victim is turned into the criminal revealing another face of a country that often assumes the position of the international police force.
Racist theme aside, Sabina Khan also voices the prejudice and discrimination the LGBT+ community faces in their Catholic school. When they demand to assert their liberty to form their own club, the school reacts by shutting down all social clubs. And the treatment meted out to Chloe, Zara's girlfriend, adds another reminder that acceptance of your identity still remains a dream for many.
Powerful and poignant, Sabinal Khan has created a masterpiece that exposes the harsh truths we often try to disregard. Highly recommended!
July 1, 2021
3.5 stars
trigger + content warnings: gun violence, shooting, racism, vandalism, xenophobia, islamophobia, medical content, hospitals, biphobia, homophobia, bullying, racial slurs, threat of violence, religion
overall, this is an enjoyable read that addresses many important topics, including being an immigrant in america, islamophobia, and being queer (along with intersections of those identities). i appreciate the positive relationship zara has with her parents and how openly supportive they are of her. one of my main issues with the book was the pacing. it’s a fairly fast-paced book that was able to keep my interest, but at times the plot felt rushed. there were also a few subplots that seemed glossed over or crammed in. at times, the discussion of issues felt heavy-handed and i didn’t fully agree with everything that was said. for example, that said, i do think this book covers a lot of important topics.
trigger + content warnings: gun violence, shooting, racism, vandalism, xenophobia, islamophobia, medical content, hospitals, biphobia, homophobia, bullying, racial slurs, threat of violence, religion
overall, this is an enjoyable read that addresses many important topics, including being an immigrant in america, islamophobia, and being queer (along with intersections of those identities). i appreciate the positive relationship zara has with her parents and how openly supportive they are of her. one of my main issues with the book was the pacing. it’s a fairly fast-paced book that was able to keep my interest, but at times the plot felt rushed. there were also a few subplots that seemed glossed over or crammed in. at times, the discussion of issues felt heavy-handed and i didn’t fully agree with everything that was said. for example, that said, i do think this book covers a lot of important topics.
June 10, 2021
I think the issues talked about in the book are super important, and why I pushed through to finish this one. It’s very representative of the terrible immigration system in the U.S. and highlights an array of issues and unfairness people of color — specifically people of the Muslim faith — face everyday. But i couldn’t help but feel like I was reading a string of Tweets with trigger word facts and language that are said to make people angry. And they rightly should make people angry but the execution in this novel just wasn’t successful.
It’s written simply even for a Young Adult novel. It’s way too much tell not enough show in which made the whole book seem more trivial than for a senior in high school. The dialogue felt choppy, cliche, and disingenuous. There was even a moment where they “reached for the glass at the same time”, and another when “I let go of the breath I had been holding” and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. It was all just…eh
As always, these are only my opinions and how I felt while reading the story. Others may feel differently and that’s okay! I was disappointed because I’ve seen Zara weaving in out of my goodreads and Instagram feeds for the last few months.
It’s written simply even for a Young Adult novel. It’s way too much tell not enough show in which made the whole book seem more trivial than for a senior in high school. The dialogue felt choppy, cliche, and disingenuous. There was even a moment where they “reached for the glass at the same time”, and another when “I let go of the breath I had been holding” and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. It was all just…eh
As always, these are only my opinions and how I felt while reading the story. Others may feel differently and that’s okay! I was disappointed because I’ve seen Zara weaving in out of my goodreads and Instagram feeds for the last few months.
April 5, 2021
CW: racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, gun violence, homophobia, biphobia, bullying
Zara Hossain is Here is one of those books that I think should be required reading for young people. There are a lot of heavy topics and themes discussed in this book (see content warnings above), but Sabina Khan brilliantly examines the struggles of being a Pakistani and Muslim immigrant in the US.
Zara is a high school senior in Corpus Christi, TX at a wealthy private high school thanks to her dad’s job as a pediatrician at the local hospital. Life at school isn’t exactly smooth sailing since she has to deal with the head jock’s (Tyler) constant racist and Islamophobic remarks. Zara has always just tried to push through to keep her parents from worrying until Tyler’s antics escalate. Now everything that Zara and her family has worked for is in jeopardy, and of course, the Brown immigrants are the ones who stand to lose everything.
Zara is a phenomenal character. First off, she’s bisexual, which is addressed on page. There are several conversations surrounding Zara’s sexuality being at odds with her religious identity, and that even though her parents are 100% supportive, Zara would have to hide that aspect of her in Pakistan. She would not have the privilege of being out as she is in the US. This is stark contrast to Zara’s girlfriend Chloe, who is a white Catholic American girl with parents who are unwilling to accept that their daughter is lesbian. I love that Khan showed this dichotomy and even addresses that the assumption that it’s always the parents within Muslim communities that do not accept queerness when in this case, it’s the opposite.
The insight into just how complicated and messy the immigration system was much appreciated. I think that there’s this ideology in the US specifically that as long as you enter the country legally (as is the case here with employer sponsored visas) that everything will proceed without any hiccups. The way Khan challenged this naive notion and highlighted how flawed the system truly is was eye-opening.
I want to quickly comment on the side characters of this book. I absolutely loved Zara’s parents and their unwavering love and support for their daughter no matter what avenues she wanted to pursue. Zara’s two best friends, Nick and Priya were also really well done. Some of my favorite moments in the book was seeing how seamlessly Nick was incorporated into Zara’s family and traditions. Nick is Mexican American, but when he’s at Zara’s house, he uses the traditional honorifics when addressing Zara’s family.
Overall, this is a brilliant coming of age novel that provides raw insight into the struggles of being an immigrant while also highlighting the importance of remembering that the meaning of home may not always be the land your from but the people that you surround yourself with especially in times of strife.
Thank you to Scholastic Inc (I Read YA) for providing a copy for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Zara Hossain is Here is one of those books that I think should be required reading for young people. There are a lot of heavy topics and themes discussed in this book (see content warnings above), but Sabina Khan brilliantly examines the struggles of being a Pakistani and Muslim immigrant in the US.
Zara is a high school senior in Corpus Christi, TX at a wealthy private high school thanks to her dad’s job as a pediatrician at the local hospital. Life at school isn’t exactly smooth sailing since she has to deal with the head jock’s (Tyler) constant racist and Islamophobic remarks. Zara has always just tried to push through to keep her parents from worrying until Tyler’s antics escalate. Now everything that Zara and her family has worked for is in jeopardy, and of course, the Brown immigrants are the ones who stand to lose everything.
Zara is a phenomenal character. First off, she’s bisexual, which is addressed on page. There are several conversations surrounding Zara’s sexuality being at odds with her religious identity, and that even though her parents are 100% supportive, Zara would have to hide that aspect of her in Pakistan. She would not have the privilege of being out as she is in the US. This is stark contrast to Zara’s girlfriend Chloe, who is a white Catholic American girl with parents who are unwilling to accept that their daughter is lesbian. I love that Khan showed this dichotomy and even addresses that the assumption that it’s always the parents within Muslim communities that do not accept queerness when in this case, it’s the opposite.
The insight into just how complicated and messy the immigration system was much appreciated. I think that there’s this ideology in the US specifically that as long as you enter the country legally (as is the case here with employer sponsored visas) that everything will proceed without any hiccups. The way Khan challenged this naive notion and highlighted how flawed the system truly is was eye-opening.
I want to quickly comment on the side characters of this book. I absolutely loved Zara’s parents and their unwavering love and support for their daughter no matter what avenues she wanted to pursue. Zara’s two best friends, Nick and Priya were also really well done. Some of my favorite moments in the book was seeing how seamlessly Nick was incorporated into Zara’s family and traditions. Nick is Mexican American, but when he’s at Zara’s house, he uses the traditional honorifics when addressing Zara’s family.
Overall, this is a brilliant coming of age novel that provides raw insight into the struggles of being an immigrant while also highlighting the importance of remembering that the meaning of home may not always be the land your from but the people that you surround yourself with especially in times of strife.
Thank you to Scholastic Inc (I Read YA) for providing a copy for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
May 22, 2021
This book really makes you face the constant struggle of being different in a violent world.
To be very clear specifically Muslim immigrants in the United States.
THINGS I Enjoyed
Showing progressive, caring, and loving Muslim parents!! It's so cool to see especially in YA.
Her friend Nick was my favorite character! He was hilarious and charming and I want one..... HAHA
Zara is a strong character who is complex and really growing from beginning to end.
Half way through I was SHOCKED! And I cried for the characters so you know the characters were developed well!
Only think I didn't enjoy was the love story felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the conversations around love and queerness.
SOME SPOILERS
I loved the representation and how it made me think deeper. The only reason it's not a five star is because I wish it was loner (personal preference) and, though the ending is supposed to be hopefully, it gave me pause. Yes, we need to keep fighting for justice but it is also truly sad to think about how the US isn't safe for everyone. That some people do need to leave. As a mixed (black/hispanic) American it hurts to see people struggle so hard and to come to the realization that they just can't stay in the US. Which is very realistic - it makes a lot of sense - but it's still sad and disheartening.
My heart goes out to all those who struggle through violent racist acts and this terrible immigration system.
To be very clear specifically Muslim immigrants in the United States.
THINGS I Enjoyed
Showing progressive, caring, and loving Muslim parents!! It's so cool to see especially in YA.
Her friend Nick was my favorite character! He was hilarious and charming and I want one..... HAHA
Zara is a strong character who is complex and really growing from beginning to end.
Half way through I was SHOCKED! And I cried for the characters so you know the characters were developed well!
Only think I didn't enjoy was the love story felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the conversations around love and queerness.
SOME SPOILERS
I loved the representation and how it made me think deeper. The only reason it's not a five star is because I wish it was loner (personal preference) and, though the ending is supposed to be hopefully, it gave me pause. Yes, we need to keep fighting for justice but it is also truly sad to think about how the US isn't safe for everyone. That some people do need to leave. As a mixed (black/hispanic) American it hurts to see people struggle so hard and to come to the realization that they just can't stay in the US. Which is very realistic - it makes a lot of sense - but it's still sad and disheartening.
My heart goes out to all those who struggle through violent racist acts and this terrible immigration system.
December 30, 2020
Some things, like Fawad Khan and Zara Hossain, are worth staying up until nearly 2 am reading! RTC in April, when all of you can read this fabulous book!
My sincerest thanks to the author, Sabina Khan for providing me with an ARC. This book hit shelves April 6th, 2021.
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And the holidays came early because I won an ARC of this book!!!!! I am so excited
Update: This is now releasing in April 2021, and its sad because I just want to read this book right now!
When I said this: I am a simple woman, I see a Sabina Khan book ready to emotionally devastate me and possibly reference Fawad Khan, I like. I hit want to read. I was hoping that this would be what would come of this book. Little did I know that I was actually correct. First of all the main character is BISEXUAL (brown, bisexual & Muslim, we stan) and there will be lots (according to the author) of Fawad Khan references. If you know me, ya girl is thriving!!!!! But that November 10th, 2020 release date has me thriving a little let. But it's okay, November will come, this is just 370 days away.
My sincerest thanks to the author, Sabina Khan for providing me with an ARC. This book hit shelves April 6th, 2021.
---
And the holidays came early because I won an ARC of this book!!!!! I am so excited
Update: This is now releasing in April 2021, and its sad because I just want to read this book right now!
When I said this: I am a simple woman, I see a Sabina Khan book ready to emotionally devastate me and possibly reference Fawad Khan, I like. I hit want to read. I was hoping that this would be what would come of this book. Little did I know that I was actually correct. First of all the main character is BISEXUAL (brown, bisexual & Muslim, we stan) and there will be lots (according to the author) of Fawad Khan references. If you know me, ya girl is thriving!!!!! But that November 10th, 2020 release date has me thriving a little let. But it's okay, November will come, this is just 370 days away.
June 24, 2022
4.5/5
Damn this consistently hurt my heart, but I also loved it so much!!
This book follows bisexual Muslim Pakistani immigrant Zara Hossain. She lives in Texas with her parents and has been for nine years. They've been waiting ever since then for their green cards/citizenship to be approved. Meanwhile, Zara deals with racist and Islamophobic bullies at school. Normally, it's something she can deal with. But when football star, Tyler Benson, takes it too far, Zara reports him and he is suspended. In retaliation, Tyler vandalizes the Hossain's house which leads to a violent crime that could jeopardize everything the Hossain family has worked for.
This book has it's happy moments, but don't mistake this for a light and fluffy contemporary because it is not that. This book takes a direct look at racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia and some of the systems that uphold them in this country. We need more books like this and more white people need to read them.
I loved Zara and seeing her growth throughout this book. It was hard to read at times because I know the fictional events in this book are very real for families across the US and it breaks my heart. The bullshit the Hossain family had to deal with was outrageous and this country definitely needs to change.
Anyway, please read this book. It will make you rage, despair, but in the end there is so much hope and I loved it so much.
Rep: Muslim bisexual Pakistani cis female immigrant MC, white lesbian cis female side character, Latino cishet male side character, Indian American cishet female side character, various Muslim Pakistani and Pakistani-American side characters, various white side characters.
CWs: Racism, islamophobia, xenophobia, hate crime, gun violence, biphobia/bimisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, medical content, bullying, religious bigotry, racial slurs, violence. Moderate: medical trauma, injury/injury detail. Minor: panic attacks, cursing, death, mental illness (PTSD).
Damn this consistently hurt my heart, but I also loved it so much!!
This book follows bisexual Muslim Pakistani immigrant Zara Hossain. She lives in Texas with her parents and has been for nine years. They've been waiting ever since then for their green cards/citizenship to be approved. Meanwhile, Zara deals with racist and Islamophobic bullies at school. Normally, it's something she can deal with. But when football star, Tyler Benson, takes it too far, Zara reports him and he is suspended. In retaliation, Tyler vandalizes the Hossain's house which leads to a violent crime that could jeopardize everything the Hossain family has worked for.
This book has it's happy moments, but don't mistake this for a light and fluffy contemporary because it is not that. This book takes a direct look at racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia and some of the systems that uphold them in this country. We need more books like this and more white people need to read them.
I loved Zara and seeing her growth throughout this book. It was hard to read at times because I know the fictional events in this book are very real for families across the US and it breaks my heart. The bullshit the Hossain family had to deal with was outrageous and this country definitely needs to change.
Anyway, please read this book. It will make you rage, despair, but in the end there is so much hope and I loved it so much.
Rep: Muslim bisexual Pakistani cis female immigrant MC, white lesbian cis female side character, Latino cishet male side character, Indian American cishet female side character, various Muslim Pakistani and Pakistani-American side characters, various white side characters.
CWs: Racism, islamophobia, xenophobia, hate crime, gun violence, biphobia/bimisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, medical content, bullying, religious bigotry, racial slurs, violence. Moderate: medical trauma, injury/injury detail. Minor: panic attacks, cursing, death, mental illness (PTSD).
March 20, 2021
Zara Hossain is Here surprised me. This is a short book, and it's written in a way that feels pared down to the essentials. When the story begins, Zara is experiencing Islamophobic harassment from the star football player at school, but she has a strong network and friends and family that supports her. This harassment escalates, though, and it takes the story in a darker and more complicated direction than I was expecting.
I appreciated the complexity that this story brought to the subject of immigration. It discusses the wait time and challenges to completing the application process, but also the luck involved. This chance encounter could erase all her family's years of being ideal citizens, including her father's work as a beloved pediatrician. An author's note explains the author's own family's immigration process was derailed by a clerical error, making all of their work null and void. Added to that is the layer of Zara's family wondering: is this worth it? Do I want to be in a country where so many people don't want me here? Even if most of the people they encounter are supportive, it just takes one armed racist or one well-connected bigot to dismantle their lives.
This is a book that doesn't provide any easy answers. It acknowledges that these are thorny, deeply flawed choices to have to make. Zara wants to stay and fight to make things better, but her mother is tired of fighting--and both of those are fair. This is a great addition to books that start conversations about immigration in the U.S., with the added layer of being an out queer immigrant from a country that is not accepting of queer people. I highly recommend it.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I appreciated the complexity that this story brought to the subject of immigration. It discusses the wait time and challenges to completing the application process, but also the luck involved. This chance encounter could erase all her family's years of being ideal citizens, including her father's work as a beloved pediatrician. An author's note explains the author's own family's immigration process was derailed by a clerical error, making all of their work null and void. Added to that is the layer of Zara's family wondering: is this worth it? Do I want to be in a country where so many people don't want me here? Even if most of the people they encounter are supportive, it just takes one armed racist or one well-connected bigot to dismantle their lives.
This is a book that doesn't provide any easy answers. It acknowledges that these are thorny, deeply flawed choices to have to make. Zara wants to stay and fight to make things better, but her mother is tired of fighting--and both of those are fair. This is a great addition to books that start conversations about immigration in the U.S., with the added layer of being an out queer immigrant from a country that is not accepting of queer people. I highly recommend it.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Want to read
October 8, 2020October 07, 2020: I mean, I'm pretty sure I would love this.
September 22, 2022
"I release the breath I'd been holding." (p.30 & p.143)
✨This was not what I expected… Just as I did not expect to read this ridiculous sentence ever again in a book hahaha. If only I had a dime every time I read this in my reading career... 👽✨
MY OVERALL FEELINGS
Khan’s writing is still as engaging as ever, but the topics tackled did not felt completely executed? The major events happening were not as wrapped up and I wanted them to be. There were too much blurred lines left for my taste. Although, I do love the family relationships in this book. Finally a YA book where parents do actively exist! The friendships too were very beautiful to read about. However, I think her debut was a stronger read than this one, but I will still read another book form the author.
FALSE ADVERTISING
A problem that really stuck with me is a similar flaw I noticed in the novel Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed. To be more precise, both of these books emphasize about the hatred towards Muslims, how it oppresses both main characters in their everyday life as young Muslim women in an anti-Muslim space. However, throughout both novels, the characters do not care in the slightest about religion or what it means to be Muslim.
Religion is not the focus of the book whatsoever. The advertising of both works is false. Being Muslim and being brown are two different experiences that marketing must be able to dissociate. These novels examine the treatment of brown people and people of colour in a predominantly white and conservative space. Not religion. Labelling these novels are Muslim stories when they are not is quite deceitful. I really did not know if Sabina Khan wanted to focus on islamophobia or racism, or both. The way islamophobia was approached in the book felt performative as it did not matter that much as the plot goes on. Racism was the bolded topic, not islamophobia. While I did not read Khan's Zara Hossain Is Here only for the religious aspect, I admit that I was a bit disappointed that the tackling of islamophobia ended up completely left off. The book had the potential to develop more on this relevant concern, but it did not unfortunately.
"I am proud of being a Muslim woman" (p.183)
On the contrary of what this quote suggests, I never witnessed Zara being proud of being Muslim in her narrative. She does not mention God once in the book, or pray, or anything. I know the she stated early in the story that she is culturally Muslim (if you believe such thing as "culturally Muslim", you do you). She only say this when something bad happens against the community, otherwise she does not really seem to care about religion, which feels performative for a book labelled as a Muslim story.
THE DEMONIZATION OF RELIGION
Khan's writing intentions felt into the trap of demonizing religion. To be honest, I had the impression that the book portrays religious people as villains. If you practice the religion, you directly earn the label of "bad, intolerant, and brain-washed" in Zara's mind.
"It's not that, [Chloe's parents] don't accept it. [Chloe] told [Zara], they're super religious and this goes against all their beliefs." (p.46)
"[Zara's auntie]'s probably telling everyone that she always knew [Zara's family] are not real Muslims (regarding Zara’s bisexuality)." (p.144)
The nuance was significantly in shortage. Yes, it is not right to deny someone just because they have different beliefs. Yes, they are people like Chloe's parents who exist (religious parents denying their lesbian daughter). However, you can be religious and accept others as who they are. Many religions teach about tolerance and respect other beings. Islam and Christianism are one of them. Too bad there was no tolerant and religious character on page to balance the negative bias this narrative gives toward practicing people. Another reason why I recommend Khan's The Love and Lies of Ruksana Ali' over this one is because, in her debut, the author featured (practicing) Muslims being accepting of LBGTQA2S+ characters without giving up their beliefs.
PLOTLINES
Here, I will do my best to stay spoiler free. As I mentioned, the resolution of the conflict. was not complete. The last thirty pages were so unbelievably rushed! When I was near the end, I was like "How the heck is everything going to wrap up in 20 pages?". I guess the ending for Zara and her family was alright, but the story failed at providing any information regarding the villain and how his life was affected by his actions done. He did not seem to be stopped in any manner, which does not serve the purpose of the book (stopping racists and punishing their hateful crimes against minorities). The outcome of the book lacked aim as a result. The dilemma Zara felt throughout the storyline felt very real to me and I can understand why her family seriously considered some of their options despite the emotional tearing for Zara.
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS
The way Zara's best friends, Priya and Nick, did their best to keep her hopeful and cheering her up was truly admirable. Zara really has true friends and I am glad they had a big role in the story. As of the romance, it went pretty quick but considering how short the book is, I did not mind it as much as I usually would.
✨This was not what I expected… Just as I did not expect to read this ridiculous sentence ever again in a book hahaha. If only I had a dime every time I read this in my reading career... 👽✨
MY OVERALL FEELINGS
Khan’s writing is still as engaging as ever, but the topics tackled did not felt completely executed? The major events happening were not as wrapped up and I wanted them to be. There were too much blurred lines left for my taste. Although, I do love the family relationships in this book. Finally a YA book where parents do actively exist! The friendships too were very beautiful to read about. However, I think her debut was a stronger read than this one, but I will still read another book form the author.
FALSE ADVERTISING
A problem that really stuck with me is a similar flaw I noticed in the novel Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed. To be more precise, both of these books emphasize about the hatred towards Muslims, how it oppresses both main characters in their everyday life as young Muslim women in an anti-Muslim space. However, throughout both novels, the characters do not care in the slightest about religion or what it means to be Muslim.
Religion is not the focus of the book whatsoever. The advertising of both works is false. Being Muslim and being brown are two different experiences that marketing must be able to dissociate. These novels examine the treatment of brown people and people of colour in a predominantly white and conservative space. Not religion. Labelling these novels are Muslim stories when they are not is quite deceitful. I really did not know if Sabina Khan wanted to focus on islamophobia or racism, or both. The way islamophobia was approached in the book felt performative as it did not matter that much as the plot goes on. Racism was the bolded topic, not islamophobia. While I did not read Khan's Zara Hossain Is Here only for the religious aspect, I admit that I was a bit disappointed that the tackling of islamophobia ended up completely left off. The book had the potential to develop more on this relevant concern, but it did not unfortunately.
"I am proud of being a Muslim woman" (p.183)
On the contrary of what this quote suggests, I never witnessed Zara being proud of being Muslim in her narrative. She does not mention God once in the book, or pray, or anything. I know the she stated early in the story that she is culturally Muslim (if you believe such thing as "culturally Muslim", you do you). She only say this when something bad happens against the community, otherwise she does not really seem to care about religion, which feels performative for a book labelled as a Muslim story.
THE DEMONIZATION OF RELIGION
Khan's writing intentions felt into the trap of demonizing religion. To be honest, I had the impression that the book portrays religious people as villains. If you practice the religion, you directly earn the label of "bad, intolerant, and brain-washed" in Zara's mind.
"It's not that, [Chloe's parents] don't accept it. [Chloe] told [Zara], they're super religious and this goes against all their beliefs." (p.46)
"[Zara's auntie]'s probably telling everyone that she always knew [Zara's family] are not real Muslims (regarding Zara’s bisexuality)." (p.144)
The nuance was significantly in shortage. Yes, it is not right to deny someone just because they have different beliefs. Yes, they are people like Chloe's parents who exist (religious parents denying their lesbian daughter). However, you can be religious and accept others as who they are. Many religions teach about tolerance and respect other beings. Islam and Christianism are one of them. Too bad there was no tolerant and religious character on page to balance the negative bias this narrative gives toward practicing people. Another reason why I recommend Khan's The Love and Lies of Ruksana Ali' over this one is because, in her debut, the author featured (practicing) Muslims being accepting of LBGTQA2S+ characters without giving up their beliefs.
PLOTLINES
Here, I will do my best to stay spoiler free. As I mentioned, the resolution of the conflict. was not complete. The last thirty pages were so unbelievably rushed! When I was near the end, I was like "How the heck is everything going to wrap up in 20 pages?". I guess the ending for Zara and her family was alright, but the story failed at providing any information regarding the villain and how his life was affected by his actions done. He did not seem to be stopped in any manner, which does not serve the purpose of the book (stopping racists and punishing their hateful crimes against minorities). The outcome of the book lacked aim as a result. The dilemma Zara felt throughout the storyline felt very real to me and I can understand why her family seriously considered some of their options despite the emotional tearing for Zara.
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS
The way Zara's best friends, Priya and Nick, did their best to keep her hopeful and cheering her up was truly admirable. Zara really has true friends and I am glad they had a big role in the story. As of the romance, it went pretty quick but considering how short the book is, I did not mind it as much as I usually would.
April 8, 2021
Well, this was a disappointment. I had loved The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali and had been waiting for Zara Hossain Is Here for what felt like forever with high expectations (too high, possibly).
The first half of the book was all right, all the ingredients you expect in such a book were there: a great MC with a strong personality, loving family, adorable friends, terrible foes, etc. To be honest, it felt like something was missing, it felt a little flat. Yes, Zara is dealing with racism and that's awful, but still it felt like nothing much was happening in the rest of her life, or, in the secondary characters' lives (I thought for a very long time Nick had some secret somewhere, but no he's just a goofy puppy of a best friend. That's a bit short IMO).
Then suddenly, Zara's father gets shot (I don't consider it a spoiler as it's written in the blurb although it happens about halfway through the book) and of course, everything changes. But the book doesn't become more interesting, it just becomes less credible.
Zara's parents' reactions were hard to follow from that point on and even Zara's behavior got totally contradictory by the end of the book. I HATED the ending. It makes no sense whatsoever and honestly, it paints Canada as a paradise free of racism. I know the author is a WOC from Canada so she knows what's she's talking about but, still, the mind boggles.
I had to force myself to keep going because honestly, it still felt uneventful and I was bored.
One great thing was Zara and Chloe's relationship, they were so cute together, I really liked everything about them but again, that ending kind of ruined it for me.
One last thing (good or not, I'll let you decide), Zara Hossain Is Here made me crave for South Asian food and frozen yogurt. They eat SO MUCH in this book!
The first half of the book was all right, all the ingredients you expect in such a book were there: a great MC with a strong personality, loving family, adorable friends, terrible foes, etc. To be honest, it felt like something was missing, it felt a little flat. Yes, Zara is dealing with racism and that's awful, but still it felt like nothing much was happening in the rest of her life, or, in the secondary characters' lives (I thought for a very long time Nick had some secret somewhere, but no he's just a goofy puppy of a best friend. That's a bit short IMO).
Then suddenly, Zara's father gets shot (I don't consider it a spoiler as it's written in the blurb although it happens about halfway through the book) and of course, everything changes. But the book doesn't become more interesting, it just becomes less credible.
Zara's parents' reactions were hard to follow from that point on and even Zara's behavior got totally contradictory by the end of the book. I HATED the ending. It makes no sense whatsoever and honestly, it paints Canada as a paradise free of racism. I know the author is a WOC from Canada so she knows what's she's talking about but, still, the mind boggles.
I had to force myself to keep going because honestly, it still felt uneventful and I was bored.
One great thing was Zara and Chloe's relationship, they were so cute together, I really liked everything about them but again, that ending kind of ruined it for me.
One last thing (good or not, I'll let you decide), Zara Hossain Is Here made me crave for South Asian food and frozen yogurt. They eat SO MUCH in this book!
May 2, 2021
TW: racism, islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia
I really enjoyed this! It was short but very effective, I think it dealt with some very heavy topics well. I also really liked that it also had many moments of joy throughout the story, especially seeing some cute sapphic love! I’d definitely recommend this!
I really enjoyed this! It was short but very effective, I think it dealt with some very heavy topics well. I also really liked that it also had many moments of joy throughout the story, especially seeing some cute sapphic love! I’d definitely recommend this!
May 5, 2021
Zara and her family immigrated to the US from Pakistan when she was a young girl. Now at 17 they’re still waiting on approval for their green cards. When she pushes back against an Islamophobic bully at her school things in her life spiral out of control for her and her family.
I thought this was a great story about family, racism, sexuality, friendship, and being an immigrant in America. Zara was a really compelling main character, I loved seeing her relationship with her family. She’s out to them as bisexual and they’re supportive of her and her relationship with another girl. The story is also realistically frustrating with how bigoted some people are and the way that Zara gets treated by some of her classmates and the immigration system.
The writing style of the book felt pretty bland and repetitive at times. Also, the ending wrapped things up way too quickly. But overall I think this was a very nice YA contemporary story.
I thought this was a great story about family, racism, sexuality, friendship, and being an immigrant in America. Zara was a really compelling main character, I loved seeing her relationship with her family. She’s out to them as bisexual and they’re supportive of her and her relationship with another girl. The story is also realistically frustrating with how bigoted some people are and the way that Zara gets treated by some of her classmates and the immigration system.
The writing style of the book felt pretty bland and repetitive at times. Also, the ending wrapped things up way too quickly. But overall I think this was a very nice YA contemporary story.
May 7, 2021
I really loved this one. It's heavy at times and is focused on very serious and important topics including immigration in the US, racism, islamophobia, and homophobia. Zara is bisexual and I really appreciated that they rep was casual. It just was. She was already out and her parents were accepting despite the stance of their religion. She had great supportive friends. She gets a girlfriend and it's no big deal. The queerness in this was just an undercover theme and I loved it. The main focus of this book is about immigration and the fact that Zara and her family are waiting for the green cards to be processed when an incident happens that affects their status. There's a lot of discussions about the system for immigrants in the US and also on how immigration is treated as a topic in general within US politics. Overall highly recommend with some content warnings.
April 25, 2021
(3.5)
zara hossain is here is a little book about zara, a bisexual Muslim immigrant, packed full of discussions about topics under represented in ya such as gun violence and white privilege
FIRST OF ALL it’s been so long since i’ve read a ya contemporary and i MISSED THEM! SO MUCH!
something i loved about this was the queer rep - i loved that the queer rep is always there but it’s never the centre and while i LOVE books full of in your face queer rep, i like that this exists too! and also i LOVED that zara’s sexuality is never a question - it’s just a thing, she happens to be bisexual and the story isn’t ABOUT that but rather just,,a story about someone who is bisexual (also we LOVE books with parents who are super accepting towards their queer child. as someone with an unaccepting parent it gets tiring to constantly be reading queer books with unsupportive parents, obviously those stories need to exist but i wish there was more of a balance)
it’s also really really fast paced with short chapters which kept it from being too heavy to read at times
other things i really liked about this - discussions of the anxiety faced being a marginalised person just,,existing. i also liked the discussions of the complexities of an identity, how different pieces of it affect your belonging in certain places and just ! how difficult it is to have a part accepted in a place and a part not in the same place (i think i am not making any sense any more helpp what are words)
i’m really into ya books revolving around important issues like this because they manage to present them in such an accessible way and teenagers NEED to have these stories
plsss just ignore my rating it is solely because while this story was so GREAT it didn’t really do it for me with the writing and characters????
zara hossain is here is a little book about zara, a bisexual Muslim immigrant, packed full of discussions about topics under represented in ya such as gun violence and white privilege
FIRST OF ALL it’s been so long since i’ve read a ya contemporary and i MISSED THEM! SO MUCH!
something i loved about this was the queer rep - i loved that the queer rep is always there but it’s never the centre and while i LOVE books full of in your face queer rep, i like that this exists too! and also i LOVED that zara’s sexuality is never a question - it’s just a thing, she happens to be bisexual and the story isn’t ABOUT that but rather just,,a story about someone who is bisexual (also we LOVE books with parents who are super accepting towards their queer child. as someone with an unaccepting parent it gets tiring to constantly be reading queer books with unsupportive parents, obviously those stories need to exist but i wish there was more of a balance)
it’s also really really fast paced with short chapters which kept it from being too heavy to read at times
other things i really liked about this - discussions of the anxiety faced being a marginalised person just,,existing. i also liked the discussions of the complexities of an identity, how different pieces of it affect your belonging in certain places and just ! how difficult it is to have a part accepted in a place and a part not in the same place (i think i am not making any sense any more helpp what are words)
i’m really into ya books revolving around important issues like this because they manage to present them in such an accessible way and teenagers NEED to have these stories
plsss just ignore my rating it is solely because while this story was so GREAT it didn’t really do it for me with the writing and characters????
October 15, 2021
Zara does her best to stay out of trouble, despite the constant Islamophobia she faces at school, because her family has been waiting years for their visa process to be finalized. But when she speaks up against Tyler, star football player, he gets suspended, costing him his position on the team. After Tyler and his friends vandalize her house, Zara’s father goes to Tyler’s house hoping to talk—and instead gets shot and charged with trespassing. Now, Zara’s future is unclear, and her family has a difficult decision to make.
Though this obviously does deal with the heaviness mentioned above, there are light parts of this novel too, such as the short chapters and Zara’s relationship with her friends and girlfriend (for the most part). Everyone who enjoys YA contemporary should read this!
Completed for 2021 Popsugar reading challenge; prompt #32—a book whose title starts with “Q,” “X,” or “Z”
Though this obviously does deal with the heaviness mentioned above, there are light parts of this novel too, such as the short chapters and Zara’s relationship with her friends and girlfriend (for the most part). Everyone who enjoys YA contemporary should read this!
Completed for 2021 Popsugar reading challenge; prompt #32—a book whose title starts with “Q,” “X,” or “Z”
April 21, 2021
i really, really liked this book and it dug deep into my heart
April 18, 2021
Thank you to the publisher, HearOurVoices booktours, and edelweiss for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own and this is an honest review~
This is my first Sabina Khan read and it definitely won't be my last!
There is a lot to unpack in this book as the author touches on a lot of important topics. From the social commentary on immigration reformation, to the discussions on religion and the LGBTQIA+ community, Khan focuses on each subject diligently while also weaving a heartfelt story about love, the power of friendship, and strong family dynamics.
I am not Muslim or from Pakistan so I cannot speak for that community but I will say I loved reading about the different dishes there were and learning about Bollywood films & actors. I felt like I got this little slice of life from Pakistan and it was an enthralling experience.
I appreciated how loving and supportive Zara's family were about her sexuality. They let her be unapologetically her and it was refreshing to witness.
My only nitpick about this book is that I felt the ending was a little rushed and too neatly wrapped up; however, I still highly recommend this book. The discussions and events that Khan highlights in this book are impactful.
TW: racism, bomb threat, homophobia, assault, slurs against the MC, gun violence, hatred against immigrants, etc.
This is my first Sabina Khan read and it definitely won't be my last!
There is a lot to unpack in this book as the author touches on a lot of important topics. From the social commentary on immigration reformation, to the discussions on religion and the LGBTQIA+ community, Khan focuses on each subject diligently while also weaving a heartfelt story about love, the power of friendship, and strong family dynamics.
I am not Muslim or from Pakistan so I cannot speak for that community but I will say I loved reading about the different dishes there were and learning about Bollywood films & actors. I felt like I got this little slice of life from Pakistan and it was an enthralling experience.
I appreciated how loving and supportive Zara's family were about her sexuality. They let her be unapologetically her and it was refreshing to witness.
My only nitpick about this book is that I felt the ending was a little rushed and too neatly wrapped up; however, I still highly recommend this book. The discussions and events that Khan highlights in this book are impactful.
TW: racism, bomb threat, homophobia, assault, slurs against the MC, gun violence, hatred against immigrants, etc.
June 6, 2021
I am thankful to the author and publishers for the free ebook.
The author has written about a very serious and sensitive issue. The muslims, particulary Pakistani muslims are always misunderstood. People need to understand that the actions of one muslim don't speak for the whole nation. This book tells us the same thing. The unfairness to muslims is at peak everywhere around the world. People need to educate themselves about Islam, Pakistan and muslims.
Zara's story opened my eyes to something that I never thought about. Being outsider, the sense of being looked as an immigrant first and other things rather than being treated as human is something so common and Zara's life was same. She was lucky to have friends like Nick and Priya. I doubt everyone gets so lucky in real life.
What I liked the most was the everlasting support of Zara's parents for her. That's what people take for granted when they have been given this support so freely. I liked the fact that they didn't try to enforce what they thought was right for Zara. They always stood up for her. They sacrificed so much for her future, it brought tears to my eyes.
Also,I am glad Zara loved her parents and wasn't selfish enough to let them suffer even more. Glad that she was a good daughter. I liked her.
I am relieved that the author mentioned the fact that everyone observes Islam differently. So we can't judge one muslim for entire muslim community. I am not saying I agree with Zara's view about her religion and the way she led her life, but that was her choice. Muslims usually don't live that way and Zara might be wrong about many things so people might want to keep it on their mind while reading it.
Also, I'm glad Zara loved her country and her religion regardless of how she led her life. I guess religion is something personal and is between the person and God.
I enjoyed this book. The injustice to Zara's family and other immigrants broke my heart. I hope that would change one day.
The author has written about a very serious and sensitive issue. The muslims, particulary Pakistani muslims are always misunderstood. People need to understand that the actions of one muslim don't speak for the whole nation. This book tells us the same thing. The unfairness to muslims is at peak everywhere around the world. People need to educate themselves about Islam, Pakistan and muslims.
Zara's story opened my eyes to something that I never thought about. Being outsider, the sense of being looked as an immigrant first and other things rather than being treated as human is something so common and Zara's life was same. She was lucky to have friends like Nick and Priya. I doubt everyone gets so lucky in real life.
What I liked the most was the everlasting support of Zara's parents for her. That's what people take for granted when they have been given this support so freely. I liked the fact that they didn't try to enforce what they thought was right for Zara. They always stood up for her. They sacrificed so much for her future, it brought tears to my eyes.
Also,I am glad Zara loved her parents and wasn't selfish enough to let them suffer even more. Glad that she was a good daughter. I liked her.
I am relieved that the author mentioned the fact that everyone observes Islam differently. So we can't judge one muslim for entire muslim community. I am not saying I agree with Zara's view about her religion and the way she led her life, but that was her choice. Muslims usually don't live that way and Zara might be wrong about many things so people might want to keep it on their mind while reading it.
Also, I'm glad Zara loved her country and her religion regardless of how she led her life. I guess religion is something personal and is between the person and God.
I enjoyed this book. The injustice to Zara's family and other immigrants broke my heart. I hope that would change one day.
September 13, 2021
I don’t wanna make this long. Loved the way there were so many topics covered inside this book, and actually enjoyed reading all about it. But honestly, the writing was so bland. It made me want to stop reading. The writing just felt so dry, and it was kinda hard to get through the book because of that. Zara and Chloe felt way too fast, and I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
Things i loved from this book:
-The diversity
-More about the US immigration system
-Zara's family and her friends (supportive environment)
-Chloe's problems with her family being religious (these topics being discussed)
Overall, most of the stuff in this book was amazing. I just think it wasn't well executed and the writing style was not for me. Writing is key for me, especially because I can't enjoy a book if the writing was bland.
Things i loved from this book:
-The diversity
-More about the US immigration system
-Zara's family and her friends (supportive environment)
-Chloe's problems with her family being religious (these topics being discussed)
Overall, most of the stuff in this book was amazing. I just think it wasn't well executed and the writing style was not for me. Writing is key for me, especially because I can't enjoy a book if the writing was bland.
July 1, 2021
sabina khan novels always make me tear up. this book was beautifully written though i do wish zara was developed a bit more. the ending felt bit rushed to me (20-30 pages to round it out would have helped) but overall this was a really great book that dealt with complex topics in a nuanced and respectful way
Want to read
November 1, 2019Apparently, this book has a lot of people obsessing about Fawad Khan... so I'm in.
Read
February 1, 2022TW: racism, bullying, islamophobia
Zara Hossain Is Here is about teenage Pakistani immigrant, Zara, who has been living a fairly normal life in Texas. While she deals with islamophobia at school, she tries to keep her head low as her family is waiting for their green card approval. After her tormentor who is a star football player takes things too far, he gets suspended. As revenge they vandalize Zara's house which leads to a violent crime that puts Zara's future in the US at risk.
The idea of this is really important- it talks a lot about islamophobia and shines light on how crappy the US immigration system is (which sucks and takes a million years) but the writing just didn't work. It felt like some of the actions were just, too wild? I understand this string of events can and does happen but it was just one after the other and it didn't make sense. Like it was a checklist of actions and thoughts from racist characters to say to get the best response for the mc to talk about.
It was all tell not show and was so much of it. The dialogue was at times so bad and the romance was... a thing. While I enjoyed a side nice f/f it was given no attention or development. I loved how her parents defended her being bisexual but her girlfriend's side story of her parents not accepting her was also given nothing. Just more talk but never seeing anything.
Then the ending was just so??? The entire book is basically all talk of them struggling through the US immigration system but then the solution is to... go to Canada?? What?? Going to another country? It was down between moving back to Pakistan so they can feel at home or staying in the US for Zara so where did Canada even come into this and why is that the solution? Like Canada also has immigration lol even if you have family living there you can't just be like alright guys we're going to Canada!!
I don't know much about it though, whole thing just felt really weird. And then the book ended like, a couple pages after and it was such a magical solution to the problem they were talking about the entire time. Not me googling if Canada has racism or islamophobia because according to Zara it doesn't so that's pretty neat. Comparing to fucking Texas I'm sure literally anything else is a paradise though haha.
But it was really short and the audiobook was good so it's fine.
Zara Hossain Is Here is about teenage Pakistani immigrant, Zara, who has been living a fairly normal life in Texas. While she deals with islamophobia at school, she tries to keep her head low as her family is waiting for their green card approval. After her tormentor who is a star football player takes things too far, he gets suspended. As revenge they vandalize Zara's house which leads to a violent crime that puts Zara's future in the US at risk.
The idea of this is really important- it talks a lot about islamophobia and shines light on how crappy the US immigration system is (which sucks and takes a million years) but the writing just didn't work. It felt like some of the actions were just, too wild? I understand this string of events can and does happen but it was just one after the other and it didn't make sense. Like it was a checklist of actions and thoughts from racist characters to say to get the best response for the mc to talk about.
It was all tell not show and was so much of it. The dialogue was at times so bad and the romance was... a thing. While I enjoyed a side nice f/f it was given no attention or development. I loved how her parents defended her being bisexual but her girlfriend's side story of her parents not accepting her was also given nothing. Just more talk but never seeing anything.
Then the ending was just so??? The entire book is basically all talk of them struggling through the US immigration system but then the solution is to... go to Canada?? What?? Going to another country? It was down between moving back to Pakistan so they can feel at home or staying in the US for Zara so where did Canada even come into this and why is that the solution? Like Canada also has immigration lol even if you have family living there you can't just be like alright guys we're going to Canada!!
I don't know much about it though, whole thing just felt really weird. And then the book ended like, a couple pages after and it was such a magical solution to the problem they were talking about the entire time. Not me googling if Canada has racism or islamophobia because according to Zara it doesn't so that's pretty neat. Comparing to fucking Texas I'm sure literally anything else is a paradise though haha.
But it was really short and the audiobook was good so it's fine.
January 21, 2023
This book was just such a special experience in so many ways. I found it on the day I had finished “Internment” (a book with a similar main character/themes/audience) and realized that I’d read Khan’s debut novel already and loved it, but somehow had never heard of this one, so I had just added it to my TBR, and was so surprised to see it there in a Little Free Library my husband and I happened to go to that evening. Additionally, I loved that this one was stamped with the “Read in Color” initiative that actually was part of getting so many of these LFL’s established in low-literacy locations in this city. The last really special connection I found I had with this book was that it was the first time I saw my name in print! “Meri Chanda” means “My Moon,” and it’s actually a Hindu song in Bollywood. I’ve been learning about the origin and meaning of my name for quite some time, but this was still something new, surprising, and a sweet little comfort to find, and I loved the mother’s use of “chanda” as “moon” as a pet name for her daughter throughout the book. It was just so special!
Zara is like any other teenager- trying to balance friends, figuring out who she is, school, dating, and family… except that she’s also Muslim and Bisexual. Her conservative Catholic school may be more accepting of one attribute than the other, and it seems some of the students are determined to try to make her leave. What the students don’t realize is that Texas is really the only home Zara has known, even though she may have been born in another country and look different than some of the other students.
Her father moved their family from Pakistan to Corpus Christi 14 years ago, to open up a pediatric residency, which sponsored his green card application. They’ve been waiting for eight years, and they’re in the final months, as long as nothing goes wrong. Zara is counting down the days to graduation for two reasons: 1) To leave the bullies behind, and 2) She wants to be a US citizen before applying to college. Will things work out how she hopes?
Book 13/150
⭐️ Contemporary YA
⭐️ LGBTQ
⭐️ Romance and Friendship
⭐️ Realistic Fiction
⭐️ Immigration
Zara is like any other teenager- trying to balance friends, figuring out who she is, school, dating, and family… except that she’s also Muslim and Bisexual. Her conservative Catholic school may be more accepting of one attribute than the other, and it seems some of the students are determined to try to make her leave. What the students don’t realize is that Texas is really the only home Zara has known, even though she may have been born in another country and look different than some of the other students.
Her father moved their family from Pakistan to Corpus Christi 14 years ago, to open up a pediatric residency, which sponsored his green card application. They’ve been waiting for eight years, and they’re in the final months, as long as nothing goes wrong. Zara is counting down the days to graduation for two reasons: 1) To leave the bullies behind, and 2) She wants to be a US citizen before applying to college. Will things work out how she hopes?
Book 13/150
⭐️ Contemporary YA
⭐️ LGBTQ
⭐️ Romance and Friendship
⭐️ Realistic Fiction
⭐️ Immigration
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