Mark My Words

by Muhammad Khan

Isn't the truth as simple as black and white? Mark My Words is the searing novel from Branford Boase Award-winner and 2020 World Book Day author Muhammad Khan, asking who you can trust when all you see is lies.

Fifteen-year-old Dua Iqbal has always had trouble minding her own business. With a silver-tongue and an inquisitive nature, a career in journalism seems fated. When her school merges with another to form an Academy, Dua seizes her chance and sets up a rival newspaper, exposing the controversial stories that teachers and the kids who rule the school would rather keep buried.

Dua's investigations are digging up things she shouldn't get involved with about family, friends and her community and as exams rattle towards her, she needs to make some hard decisions about when to leave things alone. But when she discovers that some kids at school are being blamed for selling drugs when the real perpetrator is right in front of their noses, she can't keep quiet any longer.

'A voice long overdue in British fiction' Alex Wheatle on I Am Thunder

'Khan has created a book steeped in drama and empathy, as well as providing two iconic superheroes' Nikesh Shukla on Kick the Moon

Genres: Young Adult, Muslims

304 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2021

About the author

Muhammad Khan is a maths teacher in a secondary school in Tooting and takes his inspiration from the children he teaches, as well as his own upbringing as a British-born Pakistani. He lives in South London and will be studying for a creative writing MA next year at Roehampton.

Reviews

[Brittany (whatbritreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you Pan Macmillan for a copy of this book in exchange for review!*

This book started off so strongly, and I honestly thought it was going to be a four or five star book for me. It’s well written, it has a great cast of interesting characters, and it tackles some important themes - I just wish the story stayed realistic throughout. The ending got a little bit far-fetched for me and it was hard to stay focused and engrossed in this world when I just couldn’t stop thinking ‘how are these characters doing all this at 15?!’ - it was confusing.

This was a very honest portrayal of coming of age, while trying to deal with a million and one problems and ultimately do the right thing. We had some great banter between the main character and her best friend. Their friendship was so wholesome and the portrayal of it felt very realistic, I loved reading about them. There were elements of discussing problems at home and parental mental health struggles, but it felt a bit surface level for me and I would’ve loved a stronger focus on this aspect.

As well as mental health we had a lot on cultural expectations, prejudice, classism, bullying, racism and islamophobia. There was a lot to unpack in this book but it was all handled with care and I think these added a lot of dimension to the characters and their stories. It tackled some really important themes.

While I enjoyed the writing for the most part, it was heavy on cringe pop culture references and slang terms. I had a love-hate relationship with it. While at times it was believable for a group of young British teens, sometimes it was a bit too on the nose to the point I got slight secondhand embarrassment. Not completely off-putting, but enough to make me notice it. It did make me laugh out loud a couple of times though as the humour was generally quite good honestly.

While the story started off in one place, it felt like it ended in a completely different one which ultimately led my rating and enjoyment for this book to go down. The storyline just got a bit extreme and it felt more like something dramatic you’d watch on a netflix series, rather than read in a book. It took the narrative away from realistic in my opinion, and ruined my immersion. I also didn’t like the small aspect of two female characters arguing and falling out over a boy, I dislike that kind of love triangle so strongly and the petty revenge thing isn’t really something I enjoy.

Overall though, a worthwhile read. I enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely read more from this author.

[Kaneesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF I can’t with dude

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from MacMillan Kids as part of a blog tour and in exchange for my honest review. This gift has not impacted my review.

Mark My Words in the story of Dua, a Muslim teenager in her final year of her GCSEs who is dealing with the stress of family, exams, being a teenager and on top of that, her school has recently created a shared learning co-operation between her working-class, comprehensive secondary school and a nearby middle-class grammar school. This throws the working-class kids into a new environment where racism, xenophobia and classism run rife. Dua and her classmates are at the bottom of the metaphorical pecking order and when she is rejected to join the other school's newspaper, she asks can she set one up for her own classmates denoting their experiences in this new environment. It is immediately met with controversy as they start to uncover things that the headteachers and local councillors wish to keep silent but when Dua's classmates and friends are falsely accused of bringing drugs into their new school environment, she refuses to stay silent. Her and a team of dedicated classmates decide to work together to make sure their voices are heard, no matter what the consequences. But when things start to get deeper than simply some false accusations, are they prepared to face the backlash that comes with going viral?

I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I think it's rare to read a YA book with classism as a main component in the storyline. This book establishes a unique, but likely to become more relevant in the future, kind of learning environment. As someone who is working-class who went to a middle-class school, I could relate to the feelings of discomfort and isolation expressed by many of Dua's classmates. Secondly, I found her presence and the characterisation of the main group of characters was super strong. Each of their voices were distinguishable from one another and I feel that each brought a real unique factor to the story beyond your typical point-scoring that I feel is sometimes found in YA lit. I enjoyed Kiera as the villain character, she was truly believable. She wasn't downright evil, she wasn't constantly vicious the way some bullies are portrayed but her manipulation and malicious intent was so clear at certain points.

I will say sometimes as an adult, I find books written by adults trying to speak like teenagers a little cringey at times, and I did experience that a couple of times throughout this book. But that might just be a personal complex.

[Boo · Rating 2 out of 5]

this had potential but the constant pop culture and slang was unbearable, and the plot just generally very unrealistic

[Kirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 304 page YA/Teen book was surprisingly well written, gripping, relevant, and engaging. I say "surprisingly" because the cover and title don't scream pick-me-up-and-read-me, at all. If I'm being completely honest, it looks like a self published book from the 90s, not one about to be released on June 1, 2022. Appearances aside, it reads real and raw and even though it is very British and I didn't understand a lot of the slang or the framing, I still was very invested. The main character is Muslim and while part of the plot is focused on her identity, it isn't her doubting herself, it is her in all her facets taking on stresses in her life, sticking up for what's right, and going to bat against some very heavy hitters in the community. The book has drugs, parties, racism, islamophobia, lying, crushes, cross dressers, gay and straight characters and relationships, privilege, assault, theft, robbery, language, hate crimes, talk of condoms, rape, sexual assault- it is raw, but the Muslim characters know who they are and engage in the environment around them as informed practicing Muslims. The main character wears hijab and when she goes undercover she wears a wig and that conversation with herself if it is ok or not takes place, as she starts to have feelings for a boy and she tries to justify if it is ok for her, that conversation in her mind also is written out, many of her friends are of different sexual orientation and there is no judging or preaching, she accepts and celebrates them and they do the same for her. The drug use is never glorified and racism and misogyny are called out. The author is a teacher and it states in the backmatter the role his classroom and the students have in his writing and I think it shows. The book says ages 12 and up, but I think for the content, critique on systemic racism, details about drug and drug use, gentrification, and media bias, the book is better suited for 16 year old readers and up.

SYNOPSIS:

Fifteen year old Dua's school is under renovations which means her whole grade is being integrated with students at Minerva College, an elite private school on the other side of town. It is an exam year, and what should be a dream for hard working Dua to get a foot in the door at her ideal school, quickly becomes anything but. The kids from Bodley are made the scapegoats for a growing drug problem and the journalist in Dua is not standing for it. When she doesn't make the Minerva paper, she decides to start her own, and the dirt her and her news crew start uncovering isn't mere gossip, it is outright illegal. While journalism starts taking over her school life, Dua's home life is quickly crumbling. Her mother is falling apart mentally, failing to get to work, and struggling to keep her own demons at bay. When Dua's slightly estranged father tries to step in to help, Dua has to reconcile her past relationship with him and find a way to move forward. In between all the drama at school and home is Dua's time on the basketball court, and star Minerva Rugby player, Hugo, has taken an interest in her Kobe sneakers, and her. The two spend some flirty time on the court leaving Dua with some decisions to make, and her questioning who to trust as everything starts to blow up.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love how fierce and strong Dua is. Yes, she over does it at times, but just as fiercely as she pushes for what is right in her mind, she acknowledges her errors and works to correct them. She is Muslim because she is Muslim it is never a label she wears for attention or for someone else, it is who she is. I love that there are also Muslim side characters including the principal. Dua and Huda, another girl at school are always getting mistaken for one another, which is a great OWN voice (even though the author is male) inclusion. Additionally Huda has a boyfriend, and when in the midst of a conversation she refers to him as her fiancé, Dua freezes, and Huda explains that they are getting married as soon as they turn 16 since dating is Haram and their parents all know. I love that there is no explaining or judging at 16 year olds getting married, it just is what it is. Most of the book is written in that tone, that there are girls wearing hijab, and yes it gets pulled off at some point, there are guys writing make-up columns, there are gay guys explaining sub groups within the minority, but it all comes across as judgement free. When racist, or homophobic, or Islamophobic, or misogynistic, or classist comments are made, other characters call them out, not to debate or preach, but to just emphasize the live and let live tone the book seems to advocate.

I was thrilled to see Dua's best friend Liam wears hearing aids and that is very much a part of him, it isn't a label stuck on and forgotten. It is joked about, it is a daily presence and the author notes it in the backmatter as well.

There were some side storylines that felt a little under devolved, I would have liked a stronger emotional arc in Dua's mom's mental health deterioration, as well as what drove her parents to divorce. The book is fast paced, so I wouldn't want a lot more back story, but a little more to connect with would have been nice.

Honestly it took a few attempts to get in to the story, just because I'm American and the book is British. I finally just read through the first twenty pages and kept going and then I was fine. I know that is my own bias, but it is worth noting since the title, and cover aren't attractive and then once you start it isn't immediately clear what is going on, that some determination might be required before the book becomes difficult to put down.

FLAGS:

Drugs, drug use, sexual assault, physical assault, corrupt police, racial profiling, gentrification, systemic racism, media bias, partying, deception, bribery, expulsion, mental health, bullying, cross dressing, relationships, attraction, misogyny, hate crimes, threats, corruption, property damage, theft, stealing, cursing, language, alcohol consumption, dealing, to name a few, it is a contemporary high school setting with students taking on racist elitists.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I know the flag list seems long, but I think there is a lot of sleuthing, action, character and story building and investment that give the book a lot of heart. I think it could be shared in an Islamic high school and would result with some amazing discussions.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first chapter, I just loved Dua and Liam’s (her bestie) friendship. As well as being an author, Khan is a Maths teacher, and clearly one who listens to his students, as the dialogue throughout the book is superb. Not only does it give live to his characters, it enables him to write about seriously heavy subject matter with a lightness and humour that captures the resilience and bravado of Year 11 students.

There’s a lot of love for fandoms in this book, from Lord of the Rings, to Marvel and DC comics, Fortnite to Manga, and my personal fave, Emma-inspired 90s high school movie, Clueless. As if! But Khan’s characters are not just passionate about pop culture, they have diverse interests, heroes and causes, and all defy stereotypes. Khan, much like his protagonist, Dua, writes to shine a light on the students that wouldn’t be cast as the main characters in your typical high school movie or book. I find it really touching that he alludes to students that he has taught in the acknowledgments; he has written such empowering characters, and I’m sure that any teen that reads this book, but especially those that feel marginalised and unseen, will take a lot from it.

The plot races along, and like any good mystery, there are little hints scattered throughout, which later all add up to the shocking revelations at the end of the story. Khan does an excellent job of giving subtle hints without making anything too obvious, and things come together in a satisfying but not too-schmaltzy conclusion.

[Poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Mark My Words' by Muhammad Khan is a pacey read about forthright teenager Dua, the writing effectively shining a light on social inequality. At the beginning, two local schools in Enley, a privileged grammar school MInerva and the more racially diverse Bodley, located in the more run down end of town, are merged together. The result is a portrayal of a microcosm of society with tension between the haves and have nots, and prejudice lacing every interaction.

Dua is an aspiring journalist and, when she is rejected from the elite Minerva paper, decides to found her own publication to give a voice to the voiceless teenagers of Bodley school. With a bit of journalistic investigation, she begins to uncover a drug conspiracy in the town, corruption rotting at its core. Despite being quite a predictable trajectory in the story, the plotline was certainly gripping. Even when Dua made questionable decisions, it was difficult not to root for her success - she is a talented journalist, confident and an advocate for justice and it is great to see her grow as a result of her experiences.

Overall, this will be a great read for teenagers and adults alike. A gritty but satisfying story of prejudice, addiction, corruption and justice. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dr. Cheryl Diane Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I really wanted to love it. Something, for me, was missing. Maybe the author was trying to do too much, maybe it was just a little unrealistic so I couldn't be completely onboard or maybe it was just that it wasn't exciting or tense enough. I like to have emotional reactions to books and although I did like this book it wasn't gripping enough for me to not want to put it down.

However, I loved the characters. The protagonist Dua I think was very well done. Loved her relationship with her best friend Liam and I also enjoyed the distinctive narrative voice. Loved the modern messaging as well as the acronyms etc. The teenage speak was enjoyable but I thought the climax didn't really feel like a climax, and the ending was stitched together a little too neatly for my liking. It was just too unrealistic. It did feel very much like a fairy tale 'and they lived happily ever after,' kind of scenario which jarred with the real life problems of drugs, sexual assault and racist/sexist scenes in this book.

Overall it was a decent book but one that I think does not entirely work.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Muhammed Khan's previous novels - this one had a lot to live up to and didn't disappoint. As an adult reader I felt the premise was unlikely (one financially and academically secure school hosting the year 11 students of a very different school during building works) however this is unlikely to concern the target audience. This situation allowed the main characters from different walks of life to mix . The things the characters see and experience would prompt lots of discussion if this was used as either a classroom text or book club read, or would provide plenty to think about for the stand-alone reader.. I liked that the main character was flawed, and her attempts to do the right thing did not always work and at times left her isolated from her peers. I have bought several copies for my school library and it is proving very popular with students in year 9 and above. I would recommend this book, thanks to Netgalley for my ARC.

[Marii]

After reading the first page I was bamboozled and perplexed. I didn't expect to read 'peng hijab' and maaaaaaaaaaany more words and sentences that would make me cackle HAHHAH. The author clearly doesn't know how teenagers/ young adults nowadays interact or behave and certainly not how a muslim teenage girl (with hijab) would.

It also got described as being a 'wattpad standard' book, so see what you will do with that info.

It's 'cringy' and maybe I'll only read it ironically together with a friend to laugh at it.

So not my cup of tea unfortunatly.

Only thing I liked was the quote written before the story began.

[Joana Casaca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light reading for summer, but I can’t help by being annoyed with another high school hero. The main character is amazing, sure, but maybe a bit forced? The plot is interesting enough and it made a good 4 hour book for me.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written, great characters inspired by Muhammad Khan's own students. I really rooted for Dua thoroughout and couldn't put the book down - I really wanted her to smash the system! Makes for great YA reading!

[TBHONEST · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark My Words is a slow burn novel that gradually picks up pace. An interesting and diverse cast of characters make it an easy novel to connect with despite how slowly the plot unfolds.

[Rania T · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Spill the tea."

[Sabine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice but they were saying “spilling the tea” way to many time for ‘journalists’

[Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Muhammad Khan and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

An emotive, heartwarming and inspiring book about a young Muslim girl trying to achieve her dreams of being a journalist, whilst dealing with her family and friends' struggles. It started off a bit slow-paced but picked up halfway through and I couldn't put it down. Would have rated it more, but I think it was aimed more at younger readers.

[ashortbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: racism, classism, homophobia, drug abuse, corruption, violence, attempted mugging

Mark My Words is a pacy, entertaining and thought-provoking read.

This is very much a character-focused book, as you get to know and love Dua. I loved her passion and dedication to exposing the truth, though she is also fairly stubborn and insular. Her voice was so sparky and true to teenagers, with plenty of humour and heart to it. This is very much a story of her growth and coming into herself and her voice. She is nowhere near perfect and makes substantial mistakes, but these are challenged and addressed within the story. The friendship group and paper team around her are also really fun to read about, with all of them getting development and a sense of insight into their own struggles. In particular, I loved the intersectional approach Kahn took, ensuring that many different aspects of prejudice are challenged.

I loved how much this book explores the power of journalism and activism. It is only by speaking up that change can be enacted. However, Dua is up against a deeply ingrained system of classism and racism that seeks to diminish her voice. By going against the status quo, she risks a lot and does not always consider how her actions will impact those around her. This leads to a nuanced discussion around authenticity, corruption and obsession. The way this is threaded into the wider arc of social justice and pointing out the flaws in the system is really interesting. Khan really leans into the personal cost and toll this vital work can take, especially on young people. You can really feel the anger at this broken, failing system radiating through the pages, but you also get a sense of hope and inspiration in this incredible work being enacted.

Mark My Words is a punchy, puissant and impactful read that I hope gets the attention it deserves.