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Jameela Green Ruins Everything: A Sharp Satirical Comedy and Action Adventure About a Muslim Woman's Absurd Quest to Save Her Family
“I think we got off on the wrong foot, with you telling me I had to be killed and then me getting all upset about it. Let’s start again. My name is Jameela, and I’m a writer. What do you do, besides . . . assassinations? Is that a hobby or more of a full-time thing?”
Jameela Green has only one to see her memoir on the New York Times bestseller list. When that doesn’t work out, she decides that her best next step is to make a deal with God, so she heads over to her local mosque. The idealistic new imam, Ibrahim Sultan, is appalled by Jameela’s shallowness but agrees to assist her, on one condition—that she perform a good deed.
Jameela reluctantly accepts his terms, kicking off a series of unfortunate events. The homeless man they try to help gets recruited by a terrorist group, causing federal authorities to become suspicious of Ibrahim. When the imam mysteriously disappears, Jameela is certain that the CIA has captured her new friend for interrogation and possibly torture.
Despite having no talent for this sort of thing, Jameela decides to set off on a one-woman operation to rescue him. Her quest soon lands her at the center of an international plan targeting the leader of the terrorist organization—a scheme that puts Jameela and count-less others, including her hapless husband and clever but disapproving daughter, at risk.
A no-holds-barred satire about the international cost of the American Dream, Jameela Green Ruins Everything is a compulsively readable, darkly comedic, yet unexpectedly touching story of one woman’s search for meaning and connection.
Jameela Green has only one to see her memoir on the New York Times bestseller list. When that doesn’t work out, she decides that her best next step is to make a deal with God, so she heads over to her local mosque. The idealistic new imam, Ibrahim Sultan, is appalled by Jameela’s shallowness but agrees to assist her, on one condition—that she perform a good deed.
Jameela reluctantly accepts his terms, kicking off a series of unfortunate events. The homeless man they try to help gets recruited by a terrorist group, causing federal authorities to become suspicious of Ibrahim. When the imam mysteriously disappears, Jameela is certain that the CIA has captured her new friend for interrogation and possibly torture.
Despite having no talent for this sort of thing, Jameela decides to set off on a one-woman operation to rescue him. Her quest soon lands her at the center of an international plan targeting the leader of the terrorist organization—a scheme that puts Jameela and count-less others, including her hapless husband and clever but disapproving daughter, at risk.
A no-holds-barred satire about the international cost of the American Dream, Jameela Green Ruins Everything is a compulsively readable, darkly comedic, yet unexpectedly touching story of one woman’s search for meaning and connection.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2022
62 people are currently reading
6733 people want to read
About the author
Zarqa Nawaz
4 books136 followersZarqa Nawaz created the world’s first sitcom about a Muslim community living in the west. Little Mosque on the Prairie premiered to record ratings on the CBC in 2007. It finished airing it’s 91th episode in 2012 after completing 6 seasons and is now being broadcast to over 60 countries.
The show demystified Islam for millions of people around the world by explaining how practicing Muslim live their lives from dating to marriage to burying their dead.
And now Zarqa Nawaz has written her best-selling comedic memoir Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, about growing up as a Canadian of Muslim faith. And it’s also about her lack of dating, marriage and burying the dead.
In 2005, Zarqa Nawaz made the ground-breaking documentary Me and the Mosque, for the National Film Board of Canada about Muslim women’s battle with patriarchy in the mosque which ultimately inspired the television series.
Zarqa has a B.Sc from the University of Toronto and a B.A.A in journalism from Ryerson University. She has four children and a husband stashed away in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The show demystified Islam for millions of people around the world by explaining how practicing Muslim live their lives from dating to marriage to burying their dead.
And now Zarqa Nawaz has written her best-selling comedic memoir Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, about growing up as a Canadian of Muslim faith. And it’s also about her lack of dating, marriage and burying the dead.
In 2005, Zarqa Nawaz made the ground-breaking documentary Me and the Mosque, for the National Film Board of Canada about Muslim women’s battle with patriarchy in the mosque which ultimately inspired the television series.
Zarqa has a B.Sc from the University of Toronto and a B.A.A in journalism from Ryerson University. She has four children and a husband stashed away in Regina, Saskatchewan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews
October 4, 2022
4.5 Stars. Having watched all 6 seasons of Little Mosque 0n the Prairies, created by Zarqa Nawaz, I was excited to read this book. The TV show from CBC was pleasurable, light-hearted, and informative. I was concerned when this book was described as a fast-paced satire with madcap black humour, which usually does not appeal to me. I was wary that its over-the-top hilarity. However, laying aside any expectations, I couldn't put it down, was frequently surprised, and found myself laughing out loud at many of the outrageous, absurd situations.
The book tackles contentious issues, such as how American interference in Muslim countries failed to establish democracy and led to terrorist groups. Islamophobia and white supremacy, dread of Communism by western countries, and suspicion of immigrant cultures by the West further led to fear and destabilization here and abroad. Despite these controversial ideas used as satire, the plot was hilarious.
Jameela Green is an angry, sarcastic woman with a loving husband, working as a dentist, and a teenage daughter who volunteers at the local mosque. Her husband converted to the Muslim faith, but Jameela ceased attending religious ceremonies, losing her belief in prayer when her beloved brother was murdered. She is inattentive to her husband and daughter and estranged from her parents, immigrants from Pakistan, because she resented her strict upbringing and they often expressed their dislike that she married a white man.
Jameela has written a book with the high hopes that it will become a bestseller on the NYT's list. Unfortunately, her book signing did not go as planned. A beautiful and popular enemy from high school gained all the attention, and Jameela's book was ignored. In distress, she decided to go to the Imam at the mosque for solace. Imam Ibrahim was a young man of pious, conservative beliefs and strict moral values. He believed in the power of prayer, but one must be patient. Aware that Jameela's faith is on shaky grounds, he advises her to show her commitment by doing an act of kindness by helping a homeless person. Jameela is self-centred, and this is beyond her comfort zone. She believes a homeless man murdered her devout brother. Nevertheless, she does want her book to be a bestseller, so accompanied by Ibrahim, they find a homeless man in the park.
Ibrahim invites the homeless man, Barkley, back to his apartment. They get along very well. Ibrahim feels no longer lonely and plans to teach him the language and the Islam faith. Jameela thinks this is a bad idea. Her warnings to the Imam come true when Barkley disappears, stealing money from the collection box. They learn he had been recruited online by a terrorist group and was on his way to join D.I.C.K (the Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms). This was clearly inspired by ISIS. There were puns based on the acronym, but these became stale.
Soon, Ibrahim disappears, and Jameela believes he has been captured by the CIA and taken to Syria to be tortured into revealing his knowledge about any D.I.C.K. recruits from his mosque including Barkley, the homeless man he befriended. The CIA has received a warning of an impending terrorist attack by the group upon America and feels Ibrahim may know the location of the impending deadly destruction.
Feeling that it is her fault that Ibrahim has vanished, Jameela decides it is her duty to proceed to Syria and rescue him. She tells no one of her dangerous journey. All sorts of mayhem and outrageous events occur. Jameela has been told that she needs to infiltrate D.I.C.K. and learn where and when the upcoming attack will happen to prevent numerous American deaths. In return, Ibrahim will be freed. Her mission is changed, and she is now ordered to find the elusive leader of the terrorist group and kill him.
Many of the early characters end up at the terrorist compound, along with Jameel's daughter, who has come to rescue her mother and ends up cooking healthy meals for the terrorists; Barkley is among the recruits and is disillusioned, finding life not as he expected. Second in command to the leader is a large lustful man, to whom Jameela is being forced to marry in an elaborate wedding and feast. Can she avoid that? Ibrahim arrives accompanied by a CIA agent who has fallen in love with him. She hopes to marry the reluctant imam. She is also the daughter of Talal, the deadly leader of D.I.C.K., now in ill health. His number 1 wife seems to be running the organization. Jamella must comply with their orders, or she and her daughter will die.
Even Jameela's old high school enemy has been captured, and Jameela is ordered to behead her. How will Jameela cope with all the craziness? She feels she can control some situations from her hours watching Netflix and her inventive writer's mind. Will anyone be able to break free and live to return home?
Highly recommended for readers who like a frantic, madcap, dark comedy and are not offended by the biting satire involving world affairs.
The book tackles contentious issues, such as how American interference in Muslim countries failed to establish democracy and led to terrorist groups. Islamophobia and white supremacy, dread of Communism by western countries, and suspicion of immigrant cultures by the West further led to fear and destabilization here and abroad. Despite these controversial ideas used as satire, the plot was hilarious.
Jameela Green is an angry, sarcastic woman with a loving husband, working as a dentist, and a teenage daughter who volunteers at the local mosque. Her husband converted to the Muslim faith, but Jameela ceased attending religious ceremonies, losing her belief in prayer when her beloved brother was murdered. She is inattentive to her husband and daughter and estranged from her parents, immigrants from Pakistan, because she resented her strict upbringing and they often expressed their dislike that she married a white man.
Jameela has written a book with the high hopes that it will become a bestseller on the NYT's list. Unfortunately, her book signing did not go as planned. A beautiful and popular enemy from high school gained all the attention, and Jameela's book was ignored. In distress, she decided to go to the Imam at the mosque for solace. Imam Ibrahim was a young man of pious, conservative beliefs and strict moral values. He believed in the power of prayer, but one must be patient. Aware that Jameela's faith is on shaky grounds, he advises her to show her commitment by doing an act of kindness by helping a homeless person. Jameela is self-centred, and this is beyond her comfort zone. She believes a homeless man murdered her devout brother. Nevertheless, she does want her book to be a bestseller, so accompanied by Ibrahim, they find a homeless man in the park.
Ibrahim invites the homeless man, Barkley, back to his apartment. They get along very well. Ibrahim feels no longer lonely and plans to teach him the language and the Islam faith. Jameela thinks this is a bad idea. Her warnings to the Imam come true when Barkley disappears, stealing money from the collection box. They learn he had been recruited online by a terrorist group and was on his way to join D.I.C.K (the Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms). This was clearly inspired by ISIS. There were puns based on the acronym, but these became stale.
Soon, Ibrahim disappears, and Jameela believes he has been captured by the CIA and taken to Syria to be tortured into revealing his knowledge about any D.I.C.K. recruits from his mosque including Barkley, the homeless man he befriended. The CIA has received a warning of an impending terrorist attack by the group upon America and feels Ibrahim may know the location of the impending deadly destruction.
Feeling that it is her fault that Ibrahim has vanished, Jameela decides it is her duty to proceed to Syria and rescue him. She tells no one of her dangerous journey. All sorts of mayhem and outrageous events occur. Jameela has been told that she needs to infiltrate D.I.C.K. and learn where and when the upcoming attack will happen to prevent numerous American deaths. In return, Ibrahim will be freed. Her mission is changed, and she is now ordered to find the elusive leader of the terrorist group and kill him.
Many of the early characters end up at the terrorist compound, along with Jameel's daughter, who has come to rescue her mother and ends up cooking healthy meals for the terrorists; Barkley is among the recruits and is disillusioned, finding life not as he expected. Second in command to the leader is a large lustful man, to whom Jameela is being forced to marry in an elaborate wedding and feast. Can she avoid that? Ibrahim arrives accompanied by a CIA agent who has fallen in love with him. She hopes to marry the reluctant imam. She is also the daughter of Talal, the deadly leader of D.I.C.K., now in ill health. His number 1 wife seems to be running the organization. Jamella must comply with their orders, or she and her daughter will die.
Even Jameela's old high school enemy has been captured, and Jameela is ordered to behead her. How will Jameela cope with all the craziness? She feels she can control some situations from her hours watching Netflix and her inventive writer's mind. Will anyone be able to break free and live to return home?
Highly recommended for readers who like a frantic, madcap, dark comedy and are not offended by the biting satire involving world affairs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2021
A hilarious satire about female ambition and the impact of American foreign policy on parts of the Muslim world? Sign me up. I enjoyed this mad-cap romp of a book - it was zany, and did a great job juxtaposing character growth alongside real events in the world. Jameela Green is a unique Muslim female hero, someone unapologetically unlikeable who grows and develops by the end of the story. There are so few stories about Muslim women that do this, and the result is both biting satire and entertainment unafraid to tackle difficult issues. Can't wait to see what Zarqa comes up with next!
Read
May 15, 2022I've decided not to rate this or give out my opinions that much. Satire is a complicated thing, when it works it's great, when it doesn't, it's just a mess. I don't know anything about the cultures and people the satire is based on so I won't give it a rating as I don't feel comfortable doing so not knowing the whole context or similar
September 19, 2022
I saw this at B & N. One of the employees wrote a blurb about it being hilarious. I gave it a go. I must say, I was disappointed.
Even though this is supposed to be satire, I couldn't laugh at a topic that caused so much discontent and sadness in the world. Mocking religion, and the entire 9/11 story just didn't sit well with me. This led to a convoluted story of redefining events and beliefs.
I know the author made an attempt to dismiss and diminish these heavy topics, but they can't be sugar-coated or overlooked.
This is the story of Jameela Green who wants to be a best-selling novelist. When things don't go her way she tries to get spiritual guidance from Imam Ibrahim. Ibrahim gets kidnapped by a terrorist organization called D.I.C.K (funny, not funny). Jameela goes on a mission to try to rescue Ibrahim. What ensues is a topsy turvy, not-so-hilarious operation.
Zarqa Nawas tries too hard to mold a religion into a palpable idea without realizing that she is re-writing some of the most beautiful parts of it. Religion is a hard topic to fictionalize. It's even harder to patronize.
I had a hard time getting to the punchline, it all became erratic and highly absurd towards the end. Nawas tried to be a trendy and woke, it just didn't work.
I give Jameela Green Ruins Everything 2/5 stars.
Even though this is supposed to be satire, I couldn't laugh at a topic that caused so much discontent and sadness in the world. Mocking religion, and the entire 9/11 story just didn't sit well with me. This led to a convoluted story of redefining events and beliefs.
I know the author made an attempt to dismiss and diminish these heavy topics, but they can't be sugar-coated or overlooked.
This is the story of Jameela Green who wants to be a best-selling novelist. When things don't go her way she tries to get spiritual guidance from Imam Ibrahim. Ibrahim gets kidnapped by a terrorist organization called D.I.C.K (funny, not funny). Jameela goes on a mission to try to rescue Ibrahim. What ensues is a topsy turvy, not-so-hilarious operation.
Zarqa Nawas tries too hard to mold a religion into a palpable idea without realizing that she is re-writing some of the most beautiful parts of it. Religion is a hard topic to fictionalize. It's even harder to patronize.
I had a hard time getting to the punchline, it all became erratic and highly absurd towards the end. Nawas tried to be a trendy and woke, it just didn't work.
I give Jameela Green Ruins Everything 2/5 stars.
October 1, 2022
I gave it 2 stars only because I was able to finish it.
I must also note that this book was sent to me by the publisher.
This is going to be a long opinionated one, so hold on for dear life.
This book is said to be heavily satirical and also described as comedic. I did not find it funny.
I dislike being extremely critical when it comes to books because while it may not be for me, it can be for someone. But this book was chaotic in a bad way.
In the first 50 pages, my hopes were high as I enjoyed the setup and writing style despite touching on serious topics. While certain phrases often made me cringe, an example being when the main character is communicating with God, via internal thought or prayer, and putting forth conditions. Astaghfirullah, as much as I hated reading it, it’s the reality of someone who is in a limbo and questioning their faith. The loss of faith is relatable. The reason for lost faith, touched on in this book, is spot on with modern struggles of the Muslim identity and really anyone who struggles with faith. Despite being uncomfortable reading it, I understand where it comes from.
What rubbed me the wrong way was not it poking fun at all the Islamic stereotypes and islamophobia, but the need to make Islam more digestible to western ideologies. An example that comes to mind, because it kept being brought up in the book, was the entire notion of using “she” instead of “he” when referring to Allah (Allah is just the Arabic word for God). I know it stated that God has no gender and we use He as a way to mention God as there is no pronoun when referring to Allah. But was it necessary? The English language is lacking but this is linguistically inaccurate. In Arabic, like in many languages such as French, terms are grammatically gendered. When we say “God” in French, “dieu” is a masculine term, this we say “mon dieu” or “le dieu”. That’s not stating that God is gendered, but the word itself is a masculine word. Or if we look at the word “chair”. It is a grammatical gendered feminine word and is “la chaise”. I bring this specific example to light because the author kept hyper fixating on this one point.
What’s the purpose of fixating on calling God She? I only see it as a way to say “hey look we can be “forward” thinking too. I use “forward” loosely because Islam doesn’t need modification or explanations. This abhorrent use of pronouns to explain that God has no gender was completely unnecessary and repetitive.
I don’t even want to begin discussing the irony of praising JK Rowling and then “advocating” for trans characters. It just seems completely ignorant and that the author didn’t really research these themes but threw them in there to have more controversial conversations surrounding the book.
Calling a terrorist organization “DICK”, really is this peak comedy?
I read an article published on CBC where the author was quoted saying, “I always had non-Muslim editors, which helped a lot. When there were things that they didn't understand, they would point them out. But for the most part, they let it ride out, because they felt that people would get it contextually.”
While I am not familiar with the process that this author took to get the book published or who read drafts prepublication, I think it would have been beneficial to actually focus on Muslim opinions and editors as it is representing the Muslim voice.
I’ve had the same issues with books before. Islam doesn’t need to fit anyone. It doesn’t need to be “modernized” or palatable to whatever is classified as a so called modern society.
A lesson I learnt recently is that I don’t need everything explained to me and I don’t need to fully understand everything to accept it. By it I mean the way others choose to live.
If people of a certain faith are not hurting anyone and minding their own business, others don’t need to understand, they just need to accept it.
Anyway, this isn’t really a review. It’s just chaotic opinions. If you must, read the book yourself and make up your own opinions about it
I must also note that this book was sent to me by the publisher.
This is going to be a long opinionated one, so hold on for dear life.
This book is said to be heavily satirical and also described as comedic. I did not find it funny.
I dislike being extremely critical when it comes to books because while it may not be for me, it can be for someone. But this book was chaotic in a bad way.
In the first 50 pages, my hopes were high as I enjoyed the setup and writing style despite touching on serious topics. While certain phrases often made me cringe, an example being when the main character is communicating with God, via internal thought or prayer, and putting forth conditions. Astaghfirullah, as much as I hated reading it, it’s the reality of someone who is in a limbo and questioning their faith. The loss of faith is relatable. The reason for lost faith, touched on in this book, is spot on with modern struggles of the Muslim identity and really anyone who struggles with faith. Despite being uncomfortable reading it, I understand where it comes from.
What rubbed me the wrong way was not it poking fun at all the Islamic stereotypes and islamophobia, but the need to make Islam more digestible to western ideologies. An example that comes to mind, because it kept being brought up in the book, was the entire notion of using “she” instead of “he” when referring to Allah (Allah is just the Arabic word for God). I know it stated that God has no gender and we use He as a way to mention God as there is no pronoun when referring to Allah. But was it necessary? The English language is lacking but this is linguistically inaccurate. In Arabic, like in many languages such as French, terms are grammatically gendered. When we say “God” in French, “dieu” is a masculine term, this we say “mon dieu” or “le dieu”. That’s not stating that God is gendered, but the word itself is a masculine word. Or if we look at the word “chair”. It is a grammatical gendered feminine word and is “la chaise”. I bring this specific example to light because the author kept hyper fixating on this one point.
What’s the purpose of fixating on calling God She? I only see it as a way to say “hey look we can be “forward” thinking too. I use “forward” loosely because Islam doesn’t need modification or explanations. This abhorrent use of pronouns to explain that God has no gender was completely unnecessary and repetitive.
I don’t even want to begin discussing the irony of praising JK Rowling and then “advocating” for trans characters. It just seems completely ignorant and that the author didn’t really research these themes but threw them in there to have more controversial conversations surrounding the book.
Calling a terrorist organization “DICK”, really is this peak comedy?
I read an article published on CBC where the author was quoted saying, “I always had non-Muslim editors, which helped a lot. When there were things that they didn't understand, they would point them out. But for the most part, they let it ride out, because they felt that people would get it contextually.”
While I am not familiar with the process that this author took to get the book published or who read drafts prepublication, I think it would have been beneficial to actually focus on Muslim opinions and editors as it is representing the Muslim voice.
I’ve had the same issues with books before. Islam doesn’t need to fit anyone. It doesn’t need to be “modernized” or palatable to whatever is classified as a so called modern society.
A lesson I learnt recently is that I don’t need everything explained to me and I don’t need to fully understand everything to accept it. By it I mean the way others choose to live.
If people of a certain faith are not hurting anyone and minding their own business, others don’t need to understand, they just need to accept it.
Anyway, this isn’t really a review. It’s just chaotic opinions. If you must, read the book yourself and make up your own opinions about it
January 7, 2022
This book is a perfect example of the cliché “don’t judge a book by its cover”. In contrast to the fun illustration, this book is a satire tackling a plethora of social and political issues, including Islamaphobia, ideological extremism, and America’s role in creating terrorist groups.
The protagonist, Jameela, is a shallow, cynical, aspiring writer whose mission is to reach number one on the New York Times bestseller list. She is accidentally recruited by an international terrorist organization, whose mission is to send a message to the West by killing a lot of civilians. This novel is a whirlwind, with the plot toeing the line between believable and insane as Jameela crosses to the globe to save first her friend, and then the world.
This novel uses humor as a carrier to address some very real issues. The light tone of the novel, which reads like chick lit, the cover illustration, and Jameela’s quirky personality make it very easy to get lost in the story and adventure. But it is essentially a satire about ISIS, and the underlying ideas of the novel are much heavier, including:
- The experiences of Muslims living in the West, from struggling to fit in to facing discrimination and Islamphobia in a post 9/11 world.
- Historical context for the war on terror, which is not understood in the West, especially the role of the US in creating terrorist organizations.
- The tendency of the US to meddle in other countries’ affairs.
- Dealing with loss and grief
- Family relationships
This novel is unique in its structure and topics, with a fresh (and much needed) Muslim perspective. It is an engaging and easy read, but it really makes you think. It’s very easy to buy into the American perspective on world affairs when that is the only thing we are taught.
The protagonist, Jameela, is a shallow, cynical, aspiring writer whose mission is to reach number one on the New York Times bestseller list. She is accidentally recruited by an international terrorist organization, whose mission is to send a message to the West by killing a lot of civilians. This novel is a whirlwind, with the plot toeing the line between believable and insane as Jameela crosses to the globe to save first her friend, and then the world.
This novel uses humor as a carrier to address some very real issues. The light tone of the novel, which reads like chick lit, the cover illustration, and Jameela’s quirky personality make it very easy to get lost in the story and adventure. But it is essentially a satire about ISIS, and the underlying ideas of the novel are much heavier, including:
- The experiences of Muslims living in the West, from struggling to fit in to facing discrimination and Islamphobia in a post 9/11 world.
- Historical context for the war on terror, which is not understood in the West, especially the role of the US in creating terrorist organizations.
- The tendency of the US to meddle in other countries’ affairs.
- Dealing with loss and grief
- Family relationships
This novel is unique in its structure and topics, with a fresh (and much needed) Muslim perspective. It is an engaging and easy read, but it really makes you think. It’s very easy to buy into the American perspective on world affairs when that is the only thing we are taught.
April 29, 2022
This was comical but not in a humourous way; it was absurd without being funny. It kind of reminded me of the TV series "Get Smart" where ridiculous situations pervail or a more modern example "The Spy Who Dumped Me" but that was genuinely funny. There were times i thought the book rated three stars but there were times i read what seemed like 25-30 pages only to find out it was just five pages. Perhaps it could be made into a movie, dubbed into Pashtu and sent to the Taliban; that might be entertaining (in how it would be received).
March 11, 2022
This book. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. An absolutely hilarious, and wild ride! Dark comedy at its finest. The storyline is fast paced, the situations are ridiculous, and the characters are perfectly flawed and fantastic.
I don't know about the title ... I think Jameela made everything just a little more awesome. Her sarcasm and wit had me laughing out loud so many times. I loved her character and found her hilarious! I also really enjoyed watching her grow and change throughout the story. A journey of self discovery.
Lastly, I'm with you Jameela, sour cream & onion chips are my fav too!
Huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for my gifted copy!
I don't know about the title ... I think Jameela made everything just a little more awesome. Her sarcasm and wit had me laughing out loud so many times. I loved her character and found her hilarious! I also really enjoyed watching her grow and change throughout the story. A journey of self discovery.
Lastly, I'm with you Jameela, sour cream & onion chips are my fav too!
Huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for my gifted copy!
March 13, 2022
Madcap and blackly funny are the descriptors that kept coming to mind as I read this funny, satirical book by Zarqa Nawaz.
This is a story about a woman reconnecting with her family and her faith, and it’s also an examination of being a Muslim in a country where racist and Islamophobic words and actions are often excused as white supremacy is the bedrock of the culture and government of the US.
Jameela Green has written a book, and wants it to hit the bestseller lists. After a disastrous launch where a self-centred, white, high school enemy hijacks the event, Jameela breaks with her longstanding aversion and goes to her town’s mosque to petition God for her success.
The imam, Ibrahim, a sweet, naïve man, says she has to demonstrate her worthiness and commitment, and directs her to help a homeless person as a start. She does, unwillingly, as she has negative feelings about the homeless and her faith, as her devout and kind elder brother was killed years earlier by a homeless man.
The whole effort backfires, and when she and Ibrahim report the homeless man to the police for theft, the police immediately see Ibrahim as a terrorist, and the imam is swiftly scooped up by some unnamed party and disappears. Jameela fears he’s been deported to Syria by the CIA to be tortured, and she swiftly finds a way to get herself sent after him.
What follows is a frequently hilarious misadventure for everyone involved, including Jameela’s daughter and husband, and a CIA agent tasked with taking Ibrahim to Syria. Jameela gets into the heart of terrorist organization DICK (no doubt a jab at ISIS and various other similar organizations), and deals with both death threats and amorous attention, her sarcastic humour and understanding of politics and international relations alternating with panic.
James Bond she is not, but Jameela rather handily deals with one dangerous, outrageous situation after another, realizing that her hours watching Netflix and being a writer have taught her to be inventive, despite the escalating danger. She also gains needed insight into her fears, failings and feelings for her daughter and husband.
I laughed out loud many times while reading this. On the surface, the story and characters are all pretty silly, but Zarqa Nawaz has a lot of great commentary about Western nations’ simplistic desire to see everyone coming out certain areas in the world as terrorists. As well, she points out how the US’ international policies, based as they are on facile assessments of complex situations and other cultures, as well as a mistaken belief in white superiority, a hatred of Communism and an unfounded fear of Islam, have been responsible for a terrific amount of suffering, destruction and death in the above mentioned places, and responsible for the arming and training of terrorists. Nawaz bases her analyses, caricatures and humour on research, which she describes in an introduction to this incisive and funny book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
This is a story about a woman reconnecting with her family and her faith, and it’s also an examination of being a Muslim in a country where racist and Islamophobic words and actions are often excused as white supremacy is the bedrock of the culture and government of the US.
Jameela Green has written a book, and wants it to hit the bestseller lists. After a disastrous launch where a self-centred, white, high school enemy hijacks the event, Jameela breaks with her longstanding aversion and goes to her town’s mosque to petition God for her success.
The imam, Ibrahim, a sweet, naïve man, says she has to demonstrate her worthiness and commitment, and directs her to help a homeless person as a start. She does, unwillingly, as she has negative feelings about the homeless and her faith, as her devout and kind elder brother was killed years earlier by a homeless man.
The whole effort backfires, and when she and Ibrahim report the homeless man to the police for theft, the police immediately see Ibrahim as a terrorist, and the imam is swiftly scooped up by some unnamed party and disappears. Jameela fears he’s been deported to Syria by the CIA to be tortured, and she swiftly finds a way to get herself sent after him.
What follows is a frequently hilarious misadventure for everyone involved, including Jameela’s daughter and husband, and a CIA agent tasked with taking Ibrahim to Syria. Jameela gets into the heart of terrorist organization DICK (no doubt a jab at ISIS and various other similar organizations), and deals with both death threats and amorous attention, her sarcastic humour and understanding of politics and international relations alternating with panic.
James Bond she is not, but Jameela rather handily deals with one dangerous, outrageous situation after another, realizing that her hours watching Netflix and being a writer have taught her to be inventive, despite the escalating danger. She also gains needed insight into her fears, failings and feelings for her daughter and husband.
I laughed out loud many times while reading this. On the surface, the story and characters are all pretty silly, but Zarqa Nawaz has a lot of great commentary about Western nations’ simplistic desire to see everyone coming out certain areas in the world as terrorists. As well, she points out how the US’ international policies, based as they are on facile assessments of complex situations and other cultures, as well as a mistaken belief in white superiority, a hatred of Communism and an unfounded fear of Islam, have been responsible for a terrific amount of suffering, destruction and death in the above mentioned places, and responsible for the arming and training of terrorists. Nawaz bases her analyses, caricatures and humour on research, which she describes in an introduction to this incisive and funny book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 11, 2022
This book was so ridiculous! Which is the point, I just think satire isn't my favorite when it's done in this more light hearted way
If you wanna read something real silly, here it b!
If you wanna read something real silly, here it b!
July 30, 2022
After hearing close friends talk about this book- I wanted to hate it, I had no intention of finishing it, I was prepared to be furious with the Islamic rep and the shoddy writing. I don't read much adult fiction, and even less contemporary satire. Somehow though, despite the grammar errors, a terribly inconsistent mother character, over the top ridiculousness, and my disagreeing with many of the character’s Islamic understandings -I found myself enjoying the outlandish adventure of this immature character.
I was uncomfortable with Allah swt being referred to with female pronouns, or the side opinions of tattoos and if men and women can pray side-by-side and with female imams, but honestly these are all just talking points to add to the shock value of the book, once you get past the first 15% or so, the story and satire takes over and is far more entertaining than the framing of reviews would suggest. That is not to say I agree with her (the author's/the characters') logic a lot of the time or that the writing is brilliant (it isn't), but the book actually has a lot of heart. Islam is very centered, and I don't think it dripped with internalized Islamophobia. There is a lot of irony about US politics, grief, religion in general, terrorism, international politics, culture, but not a lot of laughter at the expense of Islam. Trusting, truly trusting Allah swt is actually a huge theme in the book. The characters pray regularly, it avoids ranting or mocking common tropes, stories of the Prophets are remarked upon, and strict parents are given redeeming qualities.
All that being said, I had issues with the mother being not religious at the beginning ("religion has never been her thing" ) and then labeled as religious everywhere else ("since when do you read anything other than the Quran") except for when handling a transgendered friend. There were a number of grammar errors I hope are corrected as well (I read an arc). Jameela's voice until the "action" starts is annoying, immature, and unbelievable. But once the spying, killing, infiltration gets in full swing, there are bigger concerns than how she vacillates between being a complete airhead about religion and life in general, and being raised at Muslim Summer Camps, listening to weekly Jummah khutbahs and missing her deceased brother. Her own mothering is called in to question, but yet even when in the terrorists' custody she isn't overly concerned about her daughter as most parents would be. Ultimately consistency and relatability are not the books strong points and a little more polishing would have helped.
The style of book is probably not for everyone. Just as many find fantasy shirk-y, many will find religious present satire in poor taste. I do understand the hatred some feel for this book, I do. The raunchy humor, the terrorist group being called DICK (Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms), the lacking logic of it all. For me though, the satire is fun, it reminded me of Borat or Get Smart. Jameela is thrown into espionage and is marrying a terrorist while her real husband, a sweet convert, worries about her and their daughter. A teenager who feeds everyone in the camp, including a terrorist who can't eat gluten. As Jameela is set to behead someone to save her daughter, she is helping design a wedding dress and the guards have a Arab vs Desi dance competition. It really is wild, and as embarrassed as I am to admit it, I must begrudgingly admit, I laughed aloud reading it, and I even got a little teary eyed at the end with Jameela's growth and introspection.
I was uncomfortable with Allah swt being referred to with female pronouns, or the side opinions of tattoos and if men and women can pray side-by-side and with female imams, but honestly these are all just talking points to add to the shock value of the book, once you get past the first 15% or so, the story and satire takes over and is far more entertaining than the framing of reviews would suggest. That is not to say I agree with her (the author's/the characters') logic a lot of the time or that the writing is brilliant (it isn't), but the book actually has a lot of heart. Islam is very centered, and I don't think it dripped with internalized Islamophobia. There is a lot of irony about US politics, grief, religion in general, terrorism, international politics, culture, but not a lot of laughter at the expense of Islam. Trusting, truly trusting Allah swt is actually a huge theme in the book. The characters pray regularly, it avoids ranting or mocking common tropes, stories of the Prophets are remarked upon, and strict parents are given redeeming qualities.
All that being said, I had issues with the mother being not religious at the beginning ("religion has never been her thing" ) and then labeled as religious everywhere else ("since when do you read anything other than the Quran") except for when handling a transgendered friend. There were a number of grammar errors I hope are corrected as well (I read an arc). Jameela's voice until the "action" starts is annoying, immature, and unbelievable. But once the spying, killing, infiltration gets in full swing, there are bigger concerns than how she vacillates between being a complete airhead about religion and life in general, and being raised at Muslim Summer Camps, listening to weekly Jummah khutbahs and missing her deceased brother. Her own mothering is called in to question, but yet even when in the terrorists' custody she isn't overly concerned about her daughter as most parents would be. Ultimately consistency and relatability are not the books strong points and a little more polishing would have helped.
The style of book is probably not for everyone. Just as many find fantasy shirk-y, many will find religious present satire in poor taste. I do understand the hatred some feel for this book, I do. The raunchy humor, the terrorist group being called DICK (Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms), the lacking logic of it all. For me though, the satire is fun, it reminded me of Borat or Get Smart. Jameela is thrown into espionage and is marrying a terrorist while her real husband, a sweet convert, worries about her and their daughter. A teenager who feeds everyone in the camp, including a terrorist who can't eat gluten. As Jameela is set to behead someone to save her daughter, she is helping design a wedding dress and the guards have a Arab vs Desi dance competition. It really is wild, and as embarrassed as I am to admit it, I must begrudgingly admit, I laughed aloud reading it, and I even got a little teary eyed at the end with Jameela's growth and introspection.
November 11, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ooof. I finished this book because I had to see where it was going thinking it would all make sense in the end, but instead I just ended up more confused. I was drawn to this book because I was excited to see a story that portrayed Muslims in a positive light and I'm not sure this book did that?
Jameela is not a likable character. That's fine! But she is so over the top and to me remained an unlikable and unrelatable character, which didn't really give me anyone to root for except maybe Ibrahim, who is at best a minor character we don't really get to know a lot about.
Everything in this book is over the top and unbelievable. There are gaping plot holes and ultimately none of it made sense to me. There's reference to real world leaders, dictators, and youtubers but there's also fake ones which makes the world this takes place in even more confusing.
The only way I can make sense of this story is if it's satire, but I'm not even sure what it would be satire of. I may have missed the point entirely and this story was not for me.
Ooof. I finished this book because I had to see where it was going thinking it would all make sense in the end, but instead I just ended up more confused. I was drawn to this book because I was excited to see a story that portrayed Muslims in a positive light and I'm not sure this book did that?
Jameela is not a likable character. That's fine! But she is so over the top and to me remained an unlikable and unrelatable character, which didn't really give me anyone to root for except maybe Ibrahim, who is at best a minor character we don't really get to know a lot about.
Everything in this book is over the top and unbelievable. There are gaping plot holes and ultimately none of it made sense to me. There's reference to real world leaders, dictators, and youtubers but there's also fake ones which makes the world this takes place in even more confusing.
The only way I can make sense of this story is if it's satire, but I'm not even sure what it would be satire of. I may have missed the point entirely and this story was not for me.
Read
March 16, 2022DNF @ p16
This feels so early to DNF a book but I just know in my heart of hearts that this book is not for me. I’m a Pakistani Muslim, and while I know this book is satire and I know that a lot of the thoughts expressed in the first few chapters is all there for character development purposes, I can’t continue reading it. I can’t move past “mosques are like bad boyfriends”, I can’t move past “don’t be a fundamentalist”, I can’t deal with the outright praise of JKR being (paraphrased) “a good author even though she’s a white woman”. I can’t deal with the constant stereotypes that just aren’t comedic in any way, nor can I deal with slandering a religion for the purpose of character and plot development. I am okay with a character losing faith or falling out of love with their religion for the sake of plot and character development, but there are a million ways to do that without slandering a religion or disrespecting its methodology, it’s place of worship or the importance of prayer to its followers. And coming from a Muslim author… there are better ways to write this story.
TWs until p16: fatphobia, strained family relationships, ref to death of brother (before book), racism, ref to kidnapping/captivity, HP references
This feels so early to DNF a book but I just know in my heart of hearts that this book is not for me. I’m a Pakistani Muslim, and while I know this book is satire and I know that a lot of the thoughts expressed in the first few chapters is all there for character development purposes, I can’t continue reading it. I can’t move past “mosques are like bad boyfriends”, I can’t move past “don’t be a fundamentalist”, I can’t deal with the outright praise of JKR being (paraphrased) “a good author even though she’s a white woman”. I can’t deal with the constant stereotypes that just aren’t comedic in any way, nor can I deal with slandering a religion for the purpose of character and plot development. I am okay with a character losing faith or falling out of love with their religion for the sake of plot and character development, but there are a million ways to do that without slandering a religion or disrespecting its methodology, it’s place of worship or the importance of prayer to its followers. And coming from a Muslim author… there are better ways to write this story.
TWs until p16: fatphobia, strained family relationships, ref to death of brother (before book), racism, ref to kidnapping/captivity, HP references
August 26, 2022
4.5!
This book was so much fun and over the top comedic. It’s a wild ride for sure!
I really love how serious issues in today’s world were spun into this satirical dark comedy. I mean, a terrorist group called DICK? Genius haha.
You’ll get a laugh-out-loud book that tackles race, religion, US policy and war, when you pick this up!
This book was so much fun and over the top comedic. It’s a wild ride for sure!
I really love how serious issues in today’s world were spun into this satirical dark comedy. I mean, a terrorist group called DICK? Genius haha.
You’ll get a laugh-out-loud book that tackles race, religion, US policy and war, when you pick this up!
February 26, 2022
I don't even know how to review this book other than to say it was a wild, hilarious ride! From the mind behind Little Mosque on the Prairie, we get a story about a middle-aged Pakistani American woman trying to celebrate the release of her new book but who gets drawn into this madcap scheme to save the homeless man she randomly befriends at her mosque. Highly recommended, this book will make you laugh and make you reconsider your assumptions about the Middle East and South Asian immigrants. Great on audio too narrated by Aizzah Fatima. Much thanks to NetGalley and the Harper Audio for my advance listening copy!!
December 30, 2021
I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. The comical language and chick lit tone used made it easy to get into. As a first generation Muslim American, reading a book with cultural and religious references intertwined with pop culture and current happenings was enjoyable. The experiences that the characters go through are eye opening and make our everyday relationships seemingly more relatable. The multiple layers of the plot that were happening at the same time created a page turning anticipation that made me want to keep reading to see what will happen next. From beginning to end it was a heart racing, heart breaking, and heartwarming piece! I would highly recommend to friends who want a light hearted but eye opening book to read! I’d love to see it turned in to a movie one day!
May 20, 2022
I don’t really know what to say. As much as I don’t know what to think of this book, I had an amazing time with it and would totally read it again. A satirical take on islamophobia and terrorists and stereotypes…is not something I ever planned to read. This was shocking, funny, and enlightening.
I would like the author to write more stories like this. They’re so much fun and worth the time, in my opinion.
I will point out that I’ve read several reviews from Muslim readers that don’t like how Islam was portrayed in this novel…so keep that in mind while reading.
I would like the author to write more stories like this. They’re so much fun and worth the time, in my opinion.
I will point out that I’ve read several reviews from Muslim readers that don’t like how Islam was portrayed in this novel…so keep that in mind while reading.
March 5, 2022
This might be my favorite book of the year!
If you liked Finlay Donnavan is Killing It, you’ll love Jameela Green too!
This is about the insane adventure of a Muslim American women finding herself after feeling lost for many years. This book is funny, endearing, thrilling, philosophical, and heartwarming all in one.
If you liked Finlay Donnavan is Killing It, you’ll love Jameela Green too!
This is about the insane adventure of a Muslim American women finding herself after feeling lost for many years. This book is funny, endearing, thrilling, philosophical, and heartwarming all in one.
May 8, 2024
Jameela Green Ruins Everything by Zarqa Nawaz is a hilarious dark comedy about the price of success and a biting look at what has gone wrong with American foreign policy in in the Middle East. This novel is a compulsively readable yet unexpectedly touching story of one woman's search for meaning and connection.
Thanks to a previous Secret Sender for gifting me this book written by a "new-to-me" Canadian author.
3 stars
Thanks to a previous Secret Sender for gifting me this book written by a "new-to-me" Canadian author.
3 stars
January 2, 2022
This is a great book. And Zarqa Nawaz is a talented writer. When I read the cover blurb, I thought the story might be a Muslim version of the “Spy Who Dumped Me,” a funny movie about a woman being drawn into an international spy adventure after being dumped by her boyfriend. I was also reminded of Zarqa’s previous quirky satires on international terrorism and anti-Muslim racism from her short films, such as “Death Threat,” a movie about a writer who tries to get a death threat put upon her by a local imam to raise her profile. Zarqa’s company that filmed these was called “FUNdamentalist Films” – a business name showing her comedic genius very early on.
Clearly Zarqa has been grappling with the intersecting themes of anti-Muslim racism and stereotyping through comedy for a very long time. Jameela Green Ruins Everything works as her latest satirical take on these issues, a novel that demonstrates she has mastered the art of writing. It is fast paced, full of unexpected twists and turns, and delivers without fail on the zany idea of a middle-aged suburban Muslim woman drawn unexpectedly into an international anti-terrorist spy comedy.
[Spoiler alert] Yet, I didn’t laugh out loud as many times as tears came to my eyes. Although I didn’t always appreciate the “progressive turn” of most of the important main characters (as if it’s not possible to be a likeable, good, socially conservative Muslim) Zarqa drew her characters with such finesse that I found myself resonating with many of the emotions they experienced; the tale of Jameela working through her grief over her brother’s death made me cry more than once.
As chance would have it, I was halfway through Stephan Salisbury’s Mohamed’s Ghosts when I stopped to read Jameela Green Ruins Everything. Salisbury tells the true story of an Egyptian imam taken into custody in Philadelphia by federal agents in 2004 on bizarre and false charges of having AK47s in the mosque basement and training Muslims to be pilots. His Moroccan-born wife was detained and accused of lying about her identity, claiming she was in fact Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui, wanted by the FBI. Salisbury’s narration is well-written also; the parallels with Zarqa’s story of the Egyptian imam taken into custody by the CIA on botched allegations connecting him to terrorism are unsettling. Life imitates art? Art imitates life?
And I think that is why I only smiled wryly and did not belly laugh at Zarqa’s satirical take on anti-Muslim racism in the US, on American foreign policy failures, and on Muslim anti-Westernism. Too much of what she wrote was true – from the positive stories about Islam, such as the Ottoman empire’s good treatment of Jews that helped Jameela’s husband Murray convert to Islam [I actually know a white Canadian convert to Islam called Murray who is married to an Indian Muslim], the negative stories of the brutality of the ISIS-like characters, American atrocities in Iraq, to anti-Muslim racism in the West. The comedy kept it as a fiction, a light-hearted tale, something to smile at, all missing from Salisbury’s non-fiction and wholly scary tale about what has happened to Muslims in the US since 9/11.
Even calling the Muslim terrorists by a rude name didn’t bring me to laugh – although many Muslims might think of ISIS in Raqqa as d***heads - calling them the “Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms” was a bit too much teenage-male humourish for my delicate ears, which cringed every time I had to read the acronym.
I wonder if a non-Muslim reader who is unaware of American crimes against Muslims in Iraq or at home, or who believes in the American myth of freedom and apple pie, would even understand Zarqa’s satire, all of it seems so far fetched that Zarqa could have invented it for her story; the social commentary underpinning her book would be lost. The author’s note at the end, then, becomes a ‘meta-text’ must read in order to understand what Zarqa is trying to do with the book. Still, I’m very glad Zarqa has tried. Can’t wait to see her next work.
Clearly Zarqa has been grappling with the intersecting themes of anti-Muslim racism and stereotyping through comedy for a very long time. Jameela Green Ruins Everything works as her latest satirical take on these issues, a novel that demonstrates she has mastered the art of writing. It is fast paced, full of unexpected twists and turns, and delivers without fail on the zany idea of a middle-aged suburban Muslim woman drawn unexpectedly into an international anti-terrorist spy comedy.
[Spoiler alert] Yet, I didn’t laugh out loud as many times as tears came to my eyes. Although I didn’t always appreciate the “progressive turn” of most of the important main characters (as if it’s not possible to be a likeable, good, socially conservative Muslim) Zarqa drew her characters with such finesse that I found myself resonating with many of the emotions they experienced; the tale of Jameela working through her grief over her brother’s death made me cry more than once.
As chance would have it, I was halfway through Stephan Salisbury’s Mohamed’s Ghosts when I stopped to read Jameela Green Ruins Everything. Salisbury tells the true story of an Egyptian imam taken into custody in Philadelphia by federal agents in 2004 on bizarre and false charges of having AK47s in the mosque basement and training Muslims to be pilots. His Moroccan-born wife was detained and accused of lying about her identity, claiming she was in fact Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui, wanted by the FBI. Salisbury’s narration is well-written also; the parallels with Zarqa’s story of the Egyptian imam taken into custody by the CIA on botched allegations connecting him to terrorism are unsettling. Life imitates art? Art imitates life?
And I think that is why I only smiled wryly and did not belly laugh at Zarqa’s satirical take on anti-Muslim racism in the US, on American foreign policy failures, and on Muslim anti-Westernism. Too much of what she wrote was true – from the positive stories about Islam, such as the Ottoman empire’s good treatment of Jews that helped Jameela’s husband Murray convert to Islam [I actually know a white Canadian convert to Islam called Murray who is married to an Indian Muslim], the negative stories of the brutality of the ISIS-like characters, American atrocities in Iraq, to anti-Muslim racism in the West. The comedy kept it as a fiction, a light-hearted tale, something to smile at, all missing from Salisbury’s non-fiction and wholly scary tale about what has happened to Muslims in the US since 9/11.
Even calling the Muslim terrorists by a rude name didn’t bring me to laugh – although many Muslims might think of ISIS in Raqqa as d***heads - calling them the “Dominion of the Islamic Caliphate and Kingdoms” was a bit too much teenage-male humourish for my delicate ears, which cringed every time I had to read the acronym.
I wonder if a non-Muslim reader who is unaware of American crimes against Muslims in Iraq or at home, or who believes in the American myth of freedom and apple pie, would even understand Zarqa’s satire, all of it seems so far fetched that Zarqa could have invented it for her story; the social commentary underpinning her book would be lost. The author’s note at the end, then, becomes a ‘meta-text’ must read in order to understand what Zarqa is trying to do with the book. Still, I’m very glad Zarqa has tried. Can’t wait to see her next work.
May 18, 2022
This was a GoodReads giveaway book. I received the ARC of this book. Jameela is accused of being a terrorist and all kinds of hilarity ensues. It is a humorous story of Jameela Green's unintended journey to stronger faith. Through a comedy of errors, she makes a new friend and finds her faith again. Imagine Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, but Muslim.
August 24, 2022
DNF - I kept trying to come back to this book and hoping that I would start to get its appeal. I made it a little over halfway, at which point all the absurd events the book starts out with completely jump the shark. I realized there's a major gap in my reading/watching/consumption of stories and art by Muslim women, and I want to change that. When I couldn't stomach Jameela Green anymore, I listened to - and loved - We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir. Both are written by AND about Muslim women from Pakistan living in Canada. Perhaps it's just that at this phase in my life I'm more drawn to serious nonfiction (and comic books), but I honestly cannot with this satirical novel. From looking at some of the other reviews, I admit I'm a bit relieved that so many others who share these identities had similar opinions (but obviously much better informed of the context the book is mocking). The image that kept coming to my mind is: 90s Disney goofy comedy starring Tim Allen, but Brown and Muslim. If you can recall even just previews from unfunny flicks like that, you'll have a taste of the kind of humor used in every paragraph of this book.
March 27, 2023
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I made the (mistaken) assumption that the main character, Jameela was either a teen or college age but she was actually middle aged with a teenage daughter. It was more interesting that the author made this choice, however. It seemed to give her more depth.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and the narrator was pretty terrible. She tried to change voices for characters and it didn't work well. She used a highly annoying valley girl voice for one of the girls and literally plugged her nose to read one of male voice.
I would definitely consider this book to be on the lowbrow side. Nothing wrong with it but I prefer to have a bit more depth in what I'm reading. I won't remember reading this a week from now.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and the narrator was pretty terrible. She tried to change voices for characters and it didn't work well. She used a highly annoying valley girl voice for one of the girls and literally plugged her nose to read one of male voice.
I would definitely consider this book to be on the lowbrow side. Nothing wrong with it but I prefer to have a bit more depth in what I'm reading. I won't remember reading this a week from now.
January 23, 2024
mother infiltrates the DICK!! what more could you want from a book?!! to be serious for about four seconds… loved this book and genuinely LOLed! a unique and too-often silenced perspective of terrorism, american foreign policy, and xenophobia in america, jameela green ruins everything is about faith, grief, and the endurance of love despite it all… this was a grand, rollicking tale that shimmers in the same light of the bandit queens and dial a for aunties, two other books I loved! mother ate, more stories like this please, nothing more to say!
January 17, 2022
Okay most of the book was pretty funny, absolutely loved the blunt humour and word play. Enjoyed the everything that could go wrong will go wrong vibe.
But the last 50 or so pages just lost me, it all felt rushed and could've been better.
But the last 50 or so pages just lost me, it all felt rushed and could've been better.
April 26, 2024
It’s a satire about a bitter Muslim mother in the rural Midwest going undercover in a fictional version of ISIS called DICK in order to save the imam she got in trouble in an attempt to bribe God to put her memoir on the NYT bestseller list. What’s not to like? I laughed out loud and learned a lot about Islam and American foreign policy in the Middle East.
May 27, 2022
This was so wildly outrageous, darkly funny, and action packed. If you liked Finlay Donovan, My Sister the Serial Killer, or the Four Aunties Series, you’ll like this.
October 16, 2022
Entertaining! Very zany, interesting satire, nice message about faith I thought in the midst of an absurd lack of seriousness
October 18, 2022
I cackled.
September 18, 2024
4.5 Stars
This book was a fun read but I think the ending could have been a little better.
This book was a fun read but I think the ending could have been a little better.
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