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Hollow Fires
A powerful, gripping YA novel about the insidious nature of racism, the terrible costs of unearthing hidden truths, and the undeniable power of hope, by New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed. Perfect for fans of Sadie and Dear Martin.
Safiya Mirza dreams of becoming a journalist. And one thing she’s learned as editor of her school newspaper is that a journalist’s job is to find the facts and not let personal biases affect the story. But all that changes the day she finds the body of a murdered boy.
Jawad Ali was fourteen years old when he built a cosplay jetpack that a teacher mistook for a bomb. A jetpack that got him arrested, labeled a terrorist—and eventually killed. But he’s more than a dead body, and more than “Bomb Boy.” He was a person with a life worth remembering.
Driven by Jawad’s haunting voice guiding her throughout her investigation, Safiya seeks to tell the whole truth about the murdered boy and those who killed him because of their hate-based beliefs.
This gripping and powerful book uses an innovative format and lyrical prose to expose the evil that exists in front of us, and the silent complicity of the privileged who create alternative facts to bend the truth to their liking.
Safiya Mirza dreams of becoming a journalist. And one thing she’s learned as editor of her school newspaper is that a journalist’s job is to find the facts and not let personal biases affect the story. But all that changes the day she finds the body of a murdered boy.
Jawad Ali was fourteen years old when he built a cosplay jetpack that a teacher mistook for a bomb. A jetpack that got him arrested, labeled a terrorist—and eventually killed. But he’s more than a dead body, and more than “Bomb Boy.” He was a person with a life worth remembering.
Driven by Jawad’s haunting voice guiding her throughout her investigation, Safiya seeks to tell the whole truth about the murdered boy and those who killed him because of their hate-based beliefs.
This gripping and powerful book uses an innovative format and lyrical prose to expose the evil that exists in front of us, and the silent complicity of the privileged who create alternative facts to bend the truth to their liking.
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2022
145 people are currently reading
9643 people want to read
About the author
Samira Ahmed
28 books1,537 followersSAMIRA AHMED was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, Illinois, in a house that smelled like fried onions, spices, and potpourri. She currently resides in the Midwest. She’s lived in Vermont, New York City, and Kauai, where she spent a year searching for the perfect mango.
A graduate of the University of Chicago, she taught high school English for seven years, worked to create over 70 small high schools in New York City, and fought to secure billions of additional dollars to fairly fund public schools throughout New York State. She’s appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Fox News, NBC, NY1, NPR, and on BBC Radio. Her creative non-fiction and poetry has appeared in Jaggery Lit, Entropy, the Fem, and Claudius Speaks.
Her writing is represented by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary, Inc.
A graduate of the University of Chicago, she taught high school English for seven years, worked to create over 70 small high schools in New York City, and fought to secure billions of additional dollars to fairly fund public schools throughout New York State. She’s appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Fox News, NBC, NY1, NPR, and on BBC Radio. Her creative non-fiction and poetry has appeared in Jaggery Lit, Entropy, the Fem, and Claudius Speaks.
Her writing is represented by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary, Inc.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 731 reviews
May 11, 2022
In a Nutshell: Excellent intent. Needed slightly better execution. Will work well for its target YA readers.
Story:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ The book begins with small one-liner definitions of ‘fact’, ‘alternative fact’, ‘truth’ and ‘lie’. Every chapter having Safiya’s narrative begins with some simple but deep statements based on the above. I loved this idea. Every single one of these entries was thought-provoking. They reminded me of the anonymous adage, “Stupidity is knowing the truth, seeing the truth but still believing the lies.”
✔ Ahmed’s writing is very poetic, though the topic is dire. Especially when she is writing about nature, she creates beautiful visuals.
✔ The book goes much beyond typical racial discrimination stories. It analyses Islamaphobia through various angles. Having characters from varied Islamic backgrounds (Arab, Indian, African) also helps build a multi-faceted analysis of this unfortunately common prejudice of recent years. The social commentary in the book, though a tad OTT especially towards the end, is excellent.
✔ The writing style reminded me a lot of “A Good Girl's Guide to Murder”. Safiya has a similar daredevil kind of approach as Pippa, the teen protagonist of the Holly Jackson novel. Both of them focus on research, both jump in alone where they shouldn’t be, both have a great group of supportive friends. The presentation of both the books is also similar, with them both containing an investigative journalism sort of vibe. This works for the story. (Though I must also say, Holly Jackson handles this aspect slightly better.)
✔ Jawad is a character who can’t be ignored. His heartfelt pleas to Safiya, his memories of his parents, his puzzlement at being singled out as a terrorist, his regret at a future that was never meant to be,… all show him to be a vulnerable boy whose life was cut off before it even began. His family is the best portrayed in the book, followed closely by Safiya’s parents.
✔ There are some great one-liners that will make you pause and ponder.
✔ Jawad’s murder is based on a real life murder case of 1924. I read the details of this case online and was surprised to see how well the author has transposed the historical details into this contemporary fictional plot and raised it to a whole new level by adding the elements of white supremacy, neo-Nazism, and racial discrimination.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ I wasn’t a fan of the plot construction. The book has multiple narrative voices - the first person perspectives of Safiya and Jawad (speaking from beyond life), and also many third-party investigative reports such as newspaper articles, police investigations and podcasts. In addition, the story isn’t linear and goes back and forth through 2021 to 2023. The abrupt changes between these was confusing.
❌ The book is pretty slow-paced in the first half.
❌ The identity of the murderer will not leave most adult readers surprised, it is so predictable! I guess only those teens/YAs who don’t read many thrillers will be caught unawares at the big reveal.
Minor spoilers below:
All in all, despite my issues with the writing style, the book still offered an insightful reading experience. This was my first book by this author but I feel like exploring more of her works. Recommended to Young Adults who want to read about a serious contemporary issue. Older readers can also give this a try but not as a crime thriller. More as a social drama.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Hollow Fires”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
A note not directly related to the book:
One action that the culprit in the book uses to scare the students is drawing the Swastika on the school wall. The students immediately recognise it as a Nazi symbol and are horrified. I just want to use this chance to let you know, there are two variants of the swastika. (I am a bit disappointed that the author didn’t mention this in her author’s note.)
One of the swastikas, drawn in a square-like pattern with right-facing arms, is an ancient sacred symbol in Indic religions - Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. There’s nothing Nazi or discriminative about it. The word “swastika” is Sanskrit for “conducive to well-being” and it is a symbol for prosperity and good luck.
The other symbol, drawn in a diamond sort of shape, is the Nazi swastika, called a “Hakenkreuz” - “hooked cross” in German. Ancient Indian artefacts once owned by Aryan nomads were found to feature the swastika, and hence Hitler adopted the symbol for his party to exert the dominance of the so-called Aryan heritage.
If you see a swastika, make sure you know which one has been drawn before shaming the person for Nazi ideologies. I am writing this because I have seen this happen multiple times on social media. Don’t jump to conclusions on half-baked information.
For your reference, here are the two swastikas.
Hope this helps!
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
Safiya Mirza is a journalism student. As an Indian-origin scholarship student who is also a Muslim, she finds herself facing biases on a regular basis but she tries not to let them affect her. But soon, the attacks start becoming more personal. This is when she discovers the body of Jawad in an abandoned corner of a local park.
Fourteen year old Jawad, the son of Iraqi refugees, was a brilliant inventor However, his life changes for the worse when a teacher mistakes his homebuilt cosplay jetpack for a bomb and calls 911. This innocent invention gets Jawad arrested, labelled “Bomb Boy”, and eventually killed.
Jawad’s voice reaches out to Safiya even from the beyond. Safiya feels the need to discover the truth but whom can she trust? Is she herself safe when her school too isn’t immune to hate crimes? Will Jawad and his family get justice?
Where the book worked for me:
✔ The book begins with small one-liner definitions of ‘fact’, ‘alternative fact’, ‘truth’ and ‘lie’. Every chapter having Safiya’s narrative begins with some simple but deep statements based on the above. I loved this idea. Every single one of these entries was thought-provoking. They reminded me of the anonymous adage, “Stupidity is knowing the truth, seeing the truth but still believing the lies.”
✔ Ahmed’s writing is very poetic, though the topic is dire. Especially when she is writing about nature, she creates beautiful visuals.
✔ The book goes much beyond typical racial discrimination stories. It analyses Islamaphobia through various angles. Having characters from varied Islamic backgrounds (Arab, Indian, African) also helps build a multi-faceted analysis of this unfortunately common prejudice of recent years. The social commentary in the book, though a tad OTT especially towards the end, is excellent.
✔ The writing style reminded me a lot of “A Good Girl's Guide to Murder”. Safiya has a similar daredevil kind of approach as Pippa, the teen protagonist of the Holly Jackson novel. Both of them focus on research, both jump in alone where they shouldn’t be, both have a great group of supportive friends. The presentation of both the books is also similar, with them both containing an investigative journalism sort of vibe. This works for the story. (Though I must also say, Holly Jackson handles this aspect slightly better.)
✔ Jawad is a character who can’t be ignored. His heartfelt pleas to Safiya, his memories of his parents, his puzzlement at being singled out as a terrorist, his regret at a future that was never meant to be,… all show him to be a vulnerable boy whose life was cut off before it even began. His family is the best portrayed in the book, followed closely by Safiya’s parents.
✔ There are some great one-liners that will make you pause and ponder.
✔ Jawad’s murder is based on a real life murder case of 1924. I read the details of this case online and was surprised to see how well the author has transposed the historical details into this contemporary fictional plot and raised it to a whole new level by adding the elements of white supremacy, neo-Nazism, and racial discrimination.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ I wasn’t a fan of the plot construction. The book has multiple narrative voices - the first person perspectives of Safiya and Jawad (speaking from beyond life), and also many third-party investigative reports such as newspaper articles, police investigations and podcasts. In addition, the story isn’t linear and goes back and forth through 2021 to 2023. The abrupt changes between these was confusing.
❌ The book is pretty slow-paced in the first half.
❌ The identity of the murderer will not leave most adult readers surprised, it is so predictable! I guess only those teens/YAs who don’t read many thrillers will be caught unawares at the big reveal.
Minor spoilers below:
All in all, despite my issues with the writing style, the book still offered an insightful reading experience. This was my first book by this author but I feel like exploring more of her works. Recommended to Young Adults who want to read about a serious contemporary issue. Older readers can also give this a try but not as a crime thriller. More as a social drama.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Hollow Fires”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
A note not directly related to the book:
One action that the culprit in the book uses to scare the students is drawing the Swastika on the school wall. The students immediately recognise it as a Nazi symbol and are horrified. I just want to use this chance to let you know, there are two variants of the swastika. (I am a bit disappointed that the author didn’t mention this in her author’s note.)
One of the swastikas, drawn in a square-like pattern with right-facing arms, is an ancient sacred symbol in Indic religions - Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. There’s nothing Nazi or discriminative about it. The word “swastika” is Sanskrit for “conducive to well-being” and it is a symbol for prosperity and good luck.
The other symbol, drawn in a diamond sort of shape, is the Nazi swastika, called a “Hakenkreuz” - “hooked cross” in German. Ancient Indian artefacts once owned by Aryan nomads were found to feature the swastika, and hence Hitler adopted the symbol for his party to exert the dominance of the so-called Aryan heritage.
If you see a swastika, make sure you know which one has been drawn before shaming the person for Nazi ideologies. I am writing this because I have seen this happen multiple times on social media. Don’t jump to conclusions on half-baked information.
For your reference, here are the two swastikas.
Hope this helps!
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
May 10, 2022
Hollow Fires is based on a true story, one I'm not even sure I heard about. But you can bet I'll be reading up on it later, and starting with the book the author recommended in the historical note.
That true case was "adapted" for modern times, and I think it was done very well.
While reading I thought there was no way someone could be so hateful, that they would go to such lengths to murder a fourteen year old boy, but it happened, it's happening right now, and it will continue to happen until something changes.
This book pushes all of those issues front and centre, and for that reason it's an important read.
There's commentary on pretty much everything, from racism and islamophobia, to patriarchy, bigotry, misogyny and ring wing politics.
I liked the journalism aspect of it all, and the format too. And especially the parts where nobody would listen to Safiya because she was a kid, even though she had evidence and (correct) suspicions about the killer, that rang true.
What I didn't like is the time jumping. It happened with both perspectives, Safiya's and Jawad's. Eventually I just rolled with it, but it took me a few moments to remember that no, this didn't happen YET, it was just a flash forward etc.
And it was also predictable in relation to the killer, but it would be perfect for younger teens who haven't read a lot of thrillers/mysteries yet.
There was even a cameo appearance by a certain...character who's named after a famous person. I'm trying not to reveal too much here, so bear with me. It was a nice surprise, one I wasn't expecting.
And finally Jawad's ghost. The scenes that tied Jawad to Safiya back when he was alive were beautiful, and tear inducing, so it makes sense that if he appeared as a ghost to anyone it would be Safiya. I just wish we knew how it was possible that she could see ghosts, it seems a bit out of place in a contemporary novel.
This was my first Samira Ahmed novel, and I think it's about time I check the others out too.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
That true case was "adapted" for modern times, and I think it was done very well.
While reading I thought there was no way someone could be so hateful, that they would go to such lengths to murder a fourteen year old boy, but it happened, it's happening right now, and it will continue to happen until something changes.
This book pushes all of those issues front and centre, and for that reason it's an important read.
There's commentary on pretty much everything, from racism and islamophobia, to patriarchy, bigotry, misogyny and ring wing politics.
I liked the journalism aspect of it all, and the format too. And especially the parts where nobody would listen to Safiya because she was a kid, even though she had evidence and (correct) suspicions about the killer, that rang true.
What I didn't like is the time jumping. It happened with both perspectives, Safiya's and Jawad's. Eventually I just rolled with it, but it took me a few moments to remember that no, this didn't happen YET, it was just a flash forward etc.
And it was also predictable in relation to the killer, but it would be perfect for younger teens who haven't read a lot of thrillers/mysteries yet.
There was even a cameo appearance by a certain...character who's named after a famous person. I'm trying not to reveal too much here, so bear with me. It was a nice surprise, one I wasn't expecting.
And finally Jawad's ghost. The scenes that tied Jawad to Safiya back when he was alive were beautiful, and tear inducing, so it makes sense that if he appeared as a ghost to anyone it would be Safiya. I just wish we knew how it was possible that she could see ghosts, it seems a bit out of place in a contemporary novel.
This was my first Samira Ahmed novel, and I think it's about time I check the others out too.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
May 12, 2022
Samira Ahmed weaves a story of mystery and Islamophobia in the most realistic way with hard hitting writing. rtc!
June 9, 2023
Çevirdiğim en etkileyici kitap.
Müthiş bir gizem.
Müthiş bir gizem.
July 30, 2021
Wow. Just wow. How do I even write a review for this? It was just so good. So, so good.
When I tried to explain to people what this book is about, I sounded like a crazy person. It's part murder mystery, part ghost story, part romance, part exploration of how alt-right groups recruit teenage boys? Ahmed masterfully weaves together so many difficult topics that it's hard to say what it's about in any concise way. It's painful, it's beautiful, it's haunting. It shines a light on horrific topics with sensitivity and grace and does so through the lens of two characters that are some of the most realistic I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Safiya didn't really know Jawad, and she still felt the pain of his loss deeply. Upon finishing this book, I too feel his loss as if I knew him. I cannot remember ever reading a book so impactful, so relevant, and so emotionally gripping. If I had my way, everyone would read this book.
When I tried to explain to people what this book is about, I sounded like a crazy person. It's part murder mystery, part ghost story, part romance, part exploration of how alt-right groups recruit teenage boys? Ahmed masterfully weaves together so many difficult topics that it's hard to say what it's about in any concise way. It's painful, it's beautiful, it's haunting. It shines a light on horrific topics with sensitivity and grace and does so through the lens of two characters that are some of the most realistic I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Safiya didn't really know Jawad, and she still felt the pain of his loss deeply. Upon finishing this book, I too feel his loss as if I knew him. I cannot remember ever reading a book so impactful, so relevant, and so emotionally gripping. If I had my way, everyone would read this book.
February 21, 2022
I just finished this book and it’s so haunting. It’s beautifully written and possibly my favorite Samira Ahmed book. Hollow Fires is an important book to read and it’s one that’s going to keep you up at night until you’re done. This book is a tear-jerker!!
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
February 8, 2022
this is Samira's best book yet and one you truly cannot miss.
December 22, 2024
SO FREAKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I read this obsessively in stunned silence (except for when I was screaming at the book). I don't think I have words. READ IT. :)
June 14, 2022
3.5 stars. This book was really hard to read but definitely important. I was FURIOUS 90% of the time.
February 5, 2023
Read for the RCLS 2022 Mock Printz
Chilling and so sad.
A great social justice mystery that highlights contemporary social issues such as Islamophobia, racism, and police and white privilege.
My library hold came in after the mock Printz discussion at work, so I knew who the main villain was from the get go. I'd like to think I would have figured it out regardless because it felt obvious, but again I already knew so that could have been why. I listened to the audio and loved the different narrators for both Safiya and Jawad. What I didn't like was the 'truth', 'lie', etc. before most Safiya's chapters - I don't think they added much, especially in the audio version.
I enjoyed the whole book despite the difficult nature of the story except for Part 7. Interspersed between Safiya and Jawad chapters were news articles and interviews. They were fine throughout the book, but almost the whole of part 7 contained detached accounts of the trial and it really separated me from the conclusion of the story.
I highly recommend this story.
Chilling and so sad.
A great social justice mystery that highlights contemporary social issues such as Islamophobia, racism, and police and white privilege.
My library hold came in after the mock Printz discussion at work, so I knew who the main villain was from the get go. I'd like to think I would have figured it out regardless because it felt obvious, but again I already knew so that could have been why. I listened to the audio and loved the different narrators for both Safiya and Jawad. What I didn't like was the 'truth', 'lie', etc. before most Safiya's chapters - I don't think they added much, especially in the audio version.
I enjoyed the whole book despite the difficult nature of the story except for Part 7. Interspersed between Safiya and Jawad chapters were news articles and interviews. They were fine throughout the book, but almost the whole of part 7 contained detached accounts of the trial and it really separated me from the conclusion of the story.
I highly recommend this story.
Want to read
January 11, 2022Speaking from the blurb alone, I just know this is going to hit close to home. Can't wait for this!
June 28, 2023
4.5 stars⭐️! I have had this book on my shelf for over a year. I've put off reading it because I thought it would be too traumatic and too devastating to digest. I grow tired of reading books where children of color experience unspeakable violence just for existing. It surrounds us enough every single day in the real world. But I am glad I gave this a chance. Though this isn't an easy story to read by any means, it is so incredibly powerful and a monument to every Black and Brown child that we have lost to the insidiousness of white supremacy/terrorism. The structure is varied, accessible, and extremely engaging. And with it, Samira brilliantly captures the seesaw role journalism and the Internet plays in twisting truth and radicalizing young white boys with chips on their shoulders. Samira Ahmed knows how to write about tough subjects with proper care and awareness. She knows how to hold space for marginalized communities and the trauma that plagues us, but most importantly she understands the importance of lifting up young people and helping them to understand their innate power.
September 7, 2023
There were so many moments in this novel that gave me chills, particularly the narration from Jawad (the target of the violence, racism & murder) & the testimony presented by Safiya at the trial towards the end. The he idea of being so young & so haunted by xenophobia makes me feel sick, makes me feel like I am complicit in the spread of white supremacy & the toxic ideologies those followers push. I felt connected to Sadie’s as an emotional young writer, perhaps because of my own identities as emotional & journalist. I think all students but particularly those interested in activism & journalism would benefit from this story.
Criticism: I didn’t like that Safiya could hear & feel Jawad. I liked that we had his narration but felt like the supernatural elements of communication were unnecessary & often made me feel like the mystery aspect of the story was coming together too nicely. I knew who was the ringleader from the beginning.
Criticism: I didn’t like that Safiya could hear & feel Jawad. I liked that we had his narration but felt like the supernatural elements of communication were unnecessary & often made me feel like the mystery aspect of the story was coming together too nicely. I knew who was the ringleader from the beginning.
April 13, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
trigger warnings: islamophobia, racism, bullying, anti-semitism and nazi ideologies, physical violence, kidnapping, murder
Hollow Fires is my favorite Samira Ahmed book to date! This book follows Safiya Mirza, a high school senior, as she tries to uncover the truth about what happened to Jawad Ali, a 14-year-old boy who goes missing shortly after being falsely labelled as a terrorist and experiencing harsh bullying. As the mystery unfolds, Ahmed explores important topics such as Islamophobia, racism, and the corrupt system of the U.S. that favors white supremacy over minority innocence.
Firstly, I really enjoyed the format of the book! It was dual pov, featuring both the perspectives of Safiya and Jawad, which I felt helped to really shape the story and bring it to its full potential. It also included additional inserts, such as news reports, interview transcripts, and web article excerpts, which added an extra element to the story and clued the reader into things they didn't necessary get from Safiya and Jawad's narratives. Plus, the book was set in both the present and near future, which was really unique! With all of these different elements put together, Hollow Fires succeeded in being a engaging read.
As for the characters, I adored both of them! Safiya was the perfect leading lady! So fierce, brave, and determined, it's no surprise she aims to be a journalist; she is everything a good journalist needs to be. I loved seeing how much she cared about Jawad and making sure he and his family got the justice they deserved, and it was incredibly inspiring to see the amount and degree of risks she was willing to take to ensure that justice was delivered. Jawad, too, was a wonderful character. His chapters were my favorite to read! While the media and the (*coughracistcough*) people in the book were relentless in their efforts to dehumanize Jawad, Ahmed made sure to humanize him through his chapters. Jawad was so brilliant and sweet and imaginative, and it broke my heart to read about the suffering this innocent soul had to endure. I also really liked the side characters, but I will say that I feel like Rachel and Usman kind of just disappeared towards the end? I feel Usman especially deserved a bigger presence in the end given his significant involved throughout the rest of the book. Other than that though, the characters were all great, and even with the antagonists, Ahmed did a great job with their characterization.
I think the mystery was set up nicely and I liked the way it unraveled. I also enjoyed the way Ahmed incorporated important themes in this book. It made the book not only an enjoyable read, but an important informative one as well.
ALSO, [REDACTED]'S CAMEO ??? THE GASP I GASPED OMG - did not see that coming, but omg i loved it.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend others to read Hollow Fires, especially for those who are fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.
trigger warnings: islamophobia, racism, bullying, anti-semitism and nazi ideologies, physical violence, kidnapping, murder
Hollow Fires is my favorite Samira Ahmed book to date! This book follows Safiya Mirza, a high school senior, as she tries to uncover the truth about what happened to Jawad Ali, a 14-year-old boy who goes missing shortly after being falsely labelled as a terrorist and experiencing harsh bullying. As the mystery unfolds, Ahmed explores important topics such as Islamophobia, racism, and the corrupt system of the U.S. that favors white supremacy over minority innocence.
Firstly, I really enjoyed the format of the book! It was dual pov, featuring both the perspectives of Safiya and Jawad, which I felt helped to really shape the story and bring it to its full potential. It also included additional inserts, such as news reports, interview transcripts, and web article excerpts, which added an extra element to the story and clued the reader into things they didn't necessary get from Safiya and Jawad's narratives. Plus, the book was set in both the present and near future, which was really unique! With all of these different elements put together, Hollow Fires succeeded in being a engaging read.
As for the characters, I adored both of them! Safiya was the perfect leading lady! So fierce, brave, and determined, it's no surprise she aims to be a journalist; she is everything a good journalist needs to be. I loved seeing how much she cared about Jawad and making sure he and his family got the justice they deserved, and it was incredibly inspiring to see the amount and degree of risks she was willing to take to ensure that justice was delivered. Jawad, too, was a wonderful character. His chapters were my favorite to read! While the media and the (*coughracistcough*) people in the book were relentless in their efforts to dehumanize Jawad, Ahmed made sure to humanize him through his chapters. Jawad was so brilliant and sweet and imaginative, and it broke my heart to read about the suffering this innocent soul had to endure. I also really liked the side characters, but I will say that I feel like Rachel and Usman kind of just disappeared towards the end? I feel Usman especially deserved a bigger presence in the end given his significant involved throughout the rest of the book. Other than that though, the characters were all great, and even with the antagonists, Ahmed did a great job with their characterization.
I think the mystery was set up nicely and I liked the way it unraveled. I also enjoyed the way Ahmed incorporated important themes in this book. It made the book not only an enjoyable read, but an important informative one as well.
ALSO, [REDACTED]'S CAMEO ??? THE GASP I GASPED OMG - did not see that coming, but omg i loved it.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend others to read Hollow Fires, especially for those who are fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.
June 5, 2022
Received advanced reader copy from publisher via Goodreads giveaway.
Prepare for the gut punch. Samira Ahmed packs a lot of emotion into her stories and this ripped-from-the-headlines tale is one hell of an emotional roller coaster. There are the trigger warnings for bullying, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and assault; I would add the warning that this is a reflection of recent events and the world we are living in. If you are looking for an escapist read, this is not the one. If you are looking to have your eyes opened and ideas challenged, grab this book and a stack of Post-it flags!
I would highly recommend this for a book club. There is so much to discuss within its story—and it will lead to discussions of the world we live in. I hope it would also lead to talking about how we can make changes.
While reading of Jawad’s creation and subsequent accusation & arrest, my heart broke. His joy and excitement were so quickly crushed by a teacher who jumped to a conclusion. Should we be cautious at schools and public spaces? Yes. Should we accuse blindly? No. {Note: The advance copy has a space left for a drawing of the jet pack that was mistaken for a bomb. I pre-ordered a finished copy and, after I get it, I will be flipping to the page to see for myself what the jetpack looked like.} Even after he was cleared of wrong-doing, Jawad’s life was in upheaval. He was labeled “Bomb Boy” and the bullying was relentless. It frustrates me that schools want students to tell teachers and leaders of bullying & abuse, yet I hear time and again how the “telling” does nothing other than make the person being bullied even more miserable—and bullied more! Jawad’s story illustrates this to a “T.”
I was especially drawn to Safiya’s story as I had wanted to be a journalist as well. I loved reading about her persistence and tenacity, her drive to tell a story even when the school administration put their thumb down on the school paper’s publication.
If I had one “wish” for the story, it would have been to read of Principal Hardy getting his comeuppance. A sharp reader will notice that there was mention in flash-forwards of a change in school leadership. But my “read the flashy/gossipy news story” self wanted the juicy details. But that is such minutiae in a book packed with wisdom, discussion points, and sentiment.
"Truth: Reading helps you discover who you are. Reading makes you more empathetic."A journalist is supposed to find the facts, report the story, leave biases out of the story. Safiya dreams of becoming a journalist and loves her job as editor of the school newspaper. But, when she finds the body of a murdered boy, leaving her biases behind becomes impossible. The murdered boy? Jawad had built a jetpack out of recycled materials and, when he brought it to school to show his after-school maker club advisor, another teacher thought it was a bomb. That jetpack got Jawad labeled as a terrorist—and killed.
Prepare for the gut punch. Samira Ahmed packs a lot of emotion into her stories and this ripped-from-the-headlines tale is one hell of an emotional roller coaster. There are the trigger warnings for bullying, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and assault; I would add the warning that this is a reflection of recent events and the world we are living in. If you are looking for an escapist read, this is not the one. If you are looking to have your eyes opened and ideas challenged, grab this book and a stack of Post-it flags!
I would highly recommend this for a book club. There is so much to discuss within its story—and it will lead to discussions of the world we live in. I hope it would also lead to talking about how we can make changes.
While reading of Jawad’s creation and subsequent accusation & arrest, my heart broke. His joy and excitement were so quickly crushed by a teacher who jumped to a conclusion. Should we be cautious at schools and public spaces? Yes. Should we accuse blindly? No. {Note: The advance copy has a space left for a drawing of the jet pack that was mistaken for a bomb. I pre-ordered a finished copy and, after I get it, I will be flipping to the page to see for myself what the jetpack looked like.} Even after he was cleared of wrong-doing, Jawad’s life was in upheaval. He was labeled “Bomb Boy” and the bullying was relentless. It frustrates me that schools want students to tell teachers and leaders of bullying & abuse, yet I hear time and again how the “telling” does nothing other than make the person being bullied even more miserable—and bullied more! Jawad’s story illustrates this to a “T.”
I was especially drawn to Safiya’s story as I had wanted to be a journalist as well. I loved reading about her persistence and tenacity, her drive to tell a story even when the school administration put their thumb down on the school paper’s publication.
If I had one “wish” for the story, it would have been to read of Principal Hardy getting his comeuppance. A sharp reader will notice that there was mention in flash-forwards of a change in school leadership. But my “read the flashy/gossipy news story” self wanted the juicy details. But that is such minutiae in a book packed with wisdom, discussion points, and sentiment.
October 14, 2023
*disclaimer, this is less of a review and more like a rant that makes zero sense, even to me. 😀 (I call this emoji “insane smile”)
Ya know, sometimes, when characters encounter something upsetting, it “makes them feel sick”. I’ve never understood this. Like characters will get upset and start throwing up and it made no sense to me. Until now. Like, I didn’t puke (obviously) , but I felt like it. Ok, lemme explain, the white supremacy in this book was so ridiculously insane, it very literally made me feel “sick”, which sounds stupid but that’s what happened. (The author isn’t a white supremacist, she wrote about white supremacy in the life of a immigrant girl, just clearing up what I meant).
That whole paragraph is not related to my actual review, but it’s just something that bewildered me. Anyway… THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A HYDERABADI INDIAN MUSLIM GIRL!!! I kid you not, I teared up a bit. I’ve never felt so included 😌. That’s it.
Ya know, sometimes, when characters encounter something upsetting, it “makes them feel sick”. I’ve never understood this. Like characters will get upset and start throwing up and it made no sense to me. Until now. Like, I didn’t puke (obviously) , but I felt like it. Ok, lemme explain, the white supremacy in this book was so ridiculously insane, it very literally made me feel “sick”, which sounds stupid but that’s what happened. (The author isn’t a white supremacist, she wrote about white supremacy in the life of a immigrant girl, just clearing up what I meant).
That whole paragraph is not related to my actual review, but it’s just something that bewildered me. Anyway… THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A HYDERABADI INDIAN MUSLIM GIRL!!! I kid you not, I teared up a bit. I’ve never felt so included 😌. That’s it.
June 16, 2022
3.5. in terms of tackling relevant issues, this book did a fantastic job. it was chilling - not because of the plot or characters but because of how realistic it is. topics like white supremacy, islamophobia and racism were explored so accurately that it hit me very hard as I read. that said, while the book was fast-paced, there were a lot of elements that I thought felt... weird? off? the whole ghost thing (while a nice sentiment) didn't read smoothly to me, and I felt that many of the character interactions were forced and cringy. overall it was a solid read, more for its themes than anything else.
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June 11, 2023
Hollow Fires was not an easy read, but it was a very engrossing one. I really enjoyed Samira Ahmed's writing style and how the story was structured here: through first person perspectives in the voices of Safiya and Jawad and the insertion of emails, interview transcripts, tweets, newspaper articles, etc. It was a very intriguing way of developing the plot and I liked how it worked to help me put the pieces together.
The plot was predictable. I didn't have a hard time at all figuring out who was behind everything, but that didn't affect my reading experience all that much. Safiya was a very compelling character and Jawad's chapters were heartbreaking and I wanted to see how it was all going to unfold. Ahmed did an incredible job of tackling issues of racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy throughout as well.
The plot was predictable. I didn't have a hard time at all figuring out who was behind everything, but that didn't affect my reading experience all that much. Safiya was a very compelling character and Jawad's chapters were heartbreaking and I wanted to see how it was all going to unfold. Ahmed did an incredible job of tackling issues of racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy throughout as well.
May 11, 2023
This was intense and rightfully so! Inspired by a real crime this book weaves so much together in a powerful way! A great option for a reader who loved "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder", "Sadie", and "Dear Martin"!
November 3, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
June 27, 2023
Bu kitabı sadece bir kitap olarak değerlendirip yorum yazmak benim için çok zor. Okuduğum her an gerçekmiş gibi hissettim. Yazarın sonundaki notunu okuduğumda ise kitabın yaşanmış bir olaya dayandığını öğrenmek dünyanın bir yerinde kalbi bu kadar taşlaşmış insanların var olduğunu yeniden fark etmek acı vericiydi.
Jawad’ın bölümlerini okumak bende kalp ağrısı hissetmeme sebep oldu. O yalnız kalmışlık ve çaresizlik hissini resmen içimde hissettim. Hala şu cümleleri aşamıyorum.
“Çok üşüyordum ayaklarım buz kesmişti ve ısınmak istemiştim.”
Bütün cümleler benim fazlasıyla kalbime dokundu. Çaresizlik dünyada beni en korkutan duygu belki de ve bu kitapta bu duyguyu hissettim. Jawad için onun ailesi için veya adaleti bekleyen bir çok çocuk için. Sadece yapabildikleri için başkalarına zarar verip kolayca sıyrılan ve sıyrılabileceğine güvenen insanlar yüzünden mahvolan binlerce hayat için yazılmış bir hatırlatmaydı bu kitap.
Benim için garip bir tecrübe oldu. Çünkü daha önce okuduğum bir çok kitaptan farklı bir türde. Ve Dağlar Yankılandı, Çizgili Pijamalı Çocuk ve Uçurtma Avcısı kitaplarını sevmişseniz eğer, bu kitabı da seveceğinizi düşünüyorum.
Jawad’ın bölümlerini okumak bende kalp ağrısı hissetmeme sebep oldu. O yalnız kalmışlık ve çaresizlik hissini resmen içimde hissettim. Hala şu cümleleri aşamıyorum.
“Çok üşüyordum ayaklarım buz kesmişti ve ısınmak istemiştim.”
Bütün cümleler benim fazlasıyla kalbime dokundu. Çaresizlik dünyada beni en korkutan duygu belki de ve bu kitapta bu duyguyu hissettim. Jawad için onun ailesi için veya adaleti bekleyen bir çok çocuk için. Sadece yapabildikleri için başkalarına zarar verip kolayca sıyrılan ve sıyrılabileceğine güvenen insanlar yüzünden mahvolan binlerce hayat için yazılmış bir hatırlatmaydı bu kitap.
Benim için garip bir tecrübe oldu. Çünkü daha önce okuduğum bir çok kitaptan farklı bir türde. Ve Dağlar Yankılandı, Çizgili Pijamalı Çocuk ve Uçurtma Avcısı kitaplarını sevmişseniz eğer, bu kitabı da seveceğinizi düşünüyorum.
June 16, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: racism, islamophobia, anti-Semitism
I kind of knew Hollow Fires would break my heart from the premise alone. And then within the book, my heart got broken about 5 or 6 times. Hollow Fires is heart wrenching, but don't let that discourage you. This book deserves to be read. It's an examination of radicalization, islamaphobia, and fuels rage, but also provides hope. From the beginning, Ahmed explores not only explicit hate crimes, but also the implicit way people give perpetrators "second chances". Or the way they are unwilling to speak against them, to see their own biases.
Being dual POV with Safiya and Jawad was going to wreck me. Spoiler alert, it did. Hollow Fires balances this chilling mystery and suspense - where is Jawad - with an examination of hatred and ignorance. Full of moments of fear in the pit of your stomach and rage in your heart, it's also has moments of levity and happiness, of romance and family moments. Piece of interviews sprinkled throughout the book heighten the suspense and atmosphere, while also looking at the events differently.
TW: racism, islamophobia, anti-Semitism
I kind of knew Hollow Fires would break my heart from the premise alone. And then within the book, my heart got broken about 5 or 6 times. Hollow Fires is heart wrenching, but don't let that discourage you. This book deserves to be read. It's an examination of radicalization, islamaphobia, and fuels rage, but also provides hope. From the beginning, Ahmed explores not only explicit hate crimes, but also the implicit way people give perpetrators "second chances". Or the way they are unwilling to speak against them, to see their own biases.
Being dual POV with Safiya and Jawad was going to wreck me. Spoiler alert, it did. Hollow Fires balances this chilling mystery and suspense - where is Jawad - with an examination of hatred and ignorance. Full of moments of fear in the pit of your stomach and rage in your heart, it's also has moments of levity and happiness, of romance and family moments. Piece of interviews sprinkled throughout the book heighten the suspense and atmosphere, while also looking at the events differently.
June 24, 2022
An emotional YA novel about the injustice of racism and Islamophobia. Jawad Ali is a 14-year-old high school boy in a exclusive private school. In an afterschool program, he designs a jetpack costume, but a teacher calls the police fearing it is a bomb (spray painted 2 liter soda bottles) and Jawad is arrested, handcuffed and taken away by the police. And while he is exonerated, he is bullied and derisively called “Bomb Boy.” Then, he vanishes.
Safiya Mirza, a scholarship student, is the editor of her school newspaper who wants to be a journalist. Safiya is furious with the school's reaction, especially the principal's, which worsens when other acts of racism and vandalism, with references to Nietzsche proliferate. Meanwhile, the handsome captain of the swim teams starts pursuing her and wants her to go to the Winter dance.
But, Jawad is reaching out to her, and she continues to pursue justice to the very end.
Safiya Mirza, a scholarship student, is the editor of her school newspaper who wants to be a journalist. Safiya is furious with the school's reaction, especially the principal's, which worsens when other acts of racism and vandalism, with references to Nietzsche proliferate. Meanwhile, the handsome captain of the swim teams starts pursuing her and wants her to go to the Winter dance.
But, Jawad is reaching out to her, and she continues to pursue justice to the very end.
June 16, 2022
This book is an epitome of what fiction can do. I have not read such a powerful and intricate murder mystery in a while. The multi-media format is a great way to present a murder mystery story and this one utilized it really well. Other books like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and the Appeal also has this kind of mixed format storytelling. But this book by far is the most powerful in terms of its message. The exploration of Islamphobia, racism and xenophobia are heartbreaking. The author even introduced a ghost character who feels so three-dimensional in a way that didn't disrupt a story that is rooted in a logic mystery, and this supernatural aspect only add to humanize the victim of the murder and the tragedy, it's something so new and I have never encountered in books before.
June 22, 2022
4.5* Powerful, moving and impossible to put down, this was one of the most compelling and (sadly) believable teen detective stories I’ve come across.
Samira Ahmed has expertly crafted a social commentary based YA thriller with this stand-out and painfully relevant story exploring the horrifying affects of of islamophobia, xenophobia and the consequences of sweeping acts of white supremacy and race related violence under the rug.
With its constant growing suspense, headstrong and brave characters and expert social commentary, I couldn’t recommend Hollow Fires more highly.
TW: racism, islamophobia, xenophobia, hate crime, antisemitism
Samira Ahmed has expertly crafted a social commentary based YA thriller with this stand-out and painfully relevant story exploring the horrifying affects of of islamophobia, xenophobia and the consequences of sweeping acts of white supremacy and race related violence under the rug.
With its constant growing suspense, headstrong and brave characters and expert social commentary, I couldn’t recommend Hollow Fires more highly.
TW: racism, islamophobia, xenophobia, hate crime, antisemitism
April 14, 2024
i was so intrigued by the synopsis because i knew the theme/message would be important but the story fell so flat for me. the writing/dialogue was unbearable, and the book was so, so repetitive. it got to the point i was skimming paragraphs/pages to get through. the antagonist was predictable. I try not to compare an author’s works but i remember enjoying Internment a couple of years ago and it being at least a 3 star read, so this was a major let down for me.
June 25, 2022
I rarely review books on here but this one really got me. I was ignited with such fury for the injustices in this country. This book uses current references to hate crimes in our country today. I haven’t been moved by a book in quite a while. I will definitely be sharing this with my students as a recommendation for next school year.
October 15, 2025
At times this story felt a little too long, rehashing a lot of information and making us wait until the very end before Safiya started questioning those around her.
April 20, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for the ARC. This was a deeply emotional, powerful YA read. Hollow Fires was my first Samira Ahmed book, but it definitely won’t be the last. Safiya and Jawad’s story had me captivated from page 1.
Jawad Ali is a 14-year-old high schooler excited about creating things. When he brings his newly finished jetpack to school, he is unjustly labeled a terrorist by his teacher and arrested. Though Jawad is exonerated, he is forced to endure continued bullying by classmates and teachers who have labeled him “Bomb Boy.”
Safiya Mirza is the editor of her school newspaper with dreams of becoming a journalist. Once Safiya learns of the disgusting profiling Jawad was victim to, she uses her investigative journalism skills to try to give him the justice he deserves.
Ahmed calls out the alt-right conspiracists, “alternative facts,” and the heated political climate from the last few years in this novel, weaving elements from real life effortlessly into the story. The unique format of the narrative will hook readers from the start—Ahmed alternates between Jawad’s and Safiya’s perspective, also including clips from news articles and interviews. This writing style kept me engaged throughout, and I will 100% recommend this book to others.
Jawad Ali is a 14-year-old high schooler excited about creating things. When he brings his newly finished jetpack to school, he is unjustly labeled a terrorist by his teacher and arrested. Though Jawad is exonerated, he is forced to endure continued bullying by classmates and teachers who have labeled him “Bomb Boy.”
Safiya Mirza is the editor of her school newspaper with dreams of becoming a journalist. Once Safiya learns of the disgusting profiling Jawad was victim to, she uses her investigative journalism skills to try to give him the justice he deserves.
Ahmed calls out the alt-right conspiracists, “alternative facts,” and the heated political climate from the last few years in this novel, weaving elements from real life effortlessly into the story. The unique format of the narrative will hook readers from the start—Ahmed alternates between Jawad’s and Safiya’s perspective, also including clips from news articles and interviews. This writing style kept me engaged throughout, and I will 100% recommend this book to others.
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