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 Not as good as it might have been Jul 29, 2010
It's been a few weeks since I read this book, but I find that I still have mixed feelings about it.
First, I have to question who the book was intended for. This tale of a Syrian-American girl trying to find her place in both American and Muslim society was written in English, but did Kahf intend her readers to be primarily Muslims who might recognize themselves in her characters, or other Americans curious about the Muslims in their midst, or perhaps just looking for a good story? I belong to the second group, and I can't help thinking that perhaps the book was intended for other Muslims: the characters' consistent criticism of American society, and in particular their hypocrisy in complaining that Americans are ignorant about them while displaying equal ignorance about their American neighbors, are hardly endearing to this American reader. Although I appreciate that Kahf is being honest and that such opinions are hardly unique to Muslims, this is likely to be a limitation with those who don't share Kahf's obvious prejudices.
As for the quality of the book, it's a mixed bag. I certainly learned from it. Kahf writes about the difficulties of growing up Muslim in America, but more than that she focuses on the diversity in opinions and lifestyles among Muslims; she seems intent on discrediting the idea that there is one monolithic "Muslim community." The protagonist's shifting personal relationship with Islam takes center stage for much of the book. The characters seem lifelike (although most get little development or depth), there are some vivid descriptions, and the writing style isn't bad (although I felt at times that Kahf was trying too hard: she would veer from literary allusions to heavily colloquial language so fast I got whiplash).
My biggest problem with the book is one several other reviewers have mentioned: too many characters. At the beginning, Kahf introduces seemingly every single member of the community in which her heroine grows up, by name, whisks them away before we can get to know them, then brings them back later to speak a few lines, evidently expecting us to remember them. It felt a bit like spending a weekend at someone else's huge family reunion: the characters I met were believable, but I can't tell them apart or put names to faces. Later in the book, Kahf seems to want to introduce a character for every possible variation of Muslim ancestry and experience: conservatives and progressives, multi-generation American citizens and new immigrants and foreign students, those who've assimilated into American culture and those who haven't, people from the Middle East, from Central Asia, from the Persian Gulf, from Africa... not to mention the heroine's Iranian roommate, Jewish friend, feminist friend, a polygamist family thrown in for good measure, and on and on. There are simply far too many characters to get to know in a book of this length; they become more mouthpieces for their various opinions than real people.
Despite its problems, I do think this book is interesting and that it has value--but more as a book you'll learn from than as one you'll enjoy for its plot or characters.
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel May 09, 2010
The story is good, but I was disappointed to find underlining and notes in the margin. I found this very distracting and it took away the pleasure of reading this novel. Perhaps the dealer's notes should specifically say the book is marked up. This is the worst condition, which I have ever received a book from Amazon's suppliers. I will NEVER use this supplier again.
 Another Typical American Girl Mar 13, 2010
This is the coming of age story of a Muslim girl from Indiana. Maybe because I am from the Midwest too, there were parts of her journey that spoke directly to my heart and mind. It seemed that she observed some of the things that I have seen, but was never able clearly put into words. The protagonist struggled with trying to fit into society while appreciating her own culture, and developing her own true self. At the end of the novel, I was in tears because of the love and life she showed to be present in ordinary people, and the joy of unexpected surprises. It is a novel about being different, and accepting things and people for what and who they are.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Muslim American life, in a nutshell. With a "Progressive Islam" ending, though. Feb 05, 2010
I am an American Muslim who went through many of the same experiences as the book's protagonist, although I am not the child of immigrants. I found the first half of the book to be a sensitive and generally accurate depiction of American Muslim life, very parallel to my own experiences in the '90s. My enjoyment dropped off a cliff however once Khadra's divorce (all of which was perfectly reasonable) was finalized and the character of the book changed dramatically. The book becomes preachy, clearly aimed at convincing the reader of the "rightness" of Khadra's denial of "conservative religion".
While in Syria, Khadra's angst suddenly becomes apparent even though the book doesn't give any specific reason why she should be angst-y in the first place. Nobody forced her to marry that particular Kuwaiti dude. In fact, there were warning signs that he wasn't a good match for her but she just shrugged her shoulders and figured he was "just as good as anybody else who would ask". Wow. Nobody forced her to take "medical technology" as her major in school. She went to public school and had non-Muslim friends and co-workers throughout her young life and I find it hard to believe that she never had any serious exposure to other belief systems, career paths in life, personality types, etc. Yes, I know many Muslim immigrant families who are poor, science/technology-focused and literature/arts-deaf, there is a lack of appreciation for "beauty" (leaving the definition of that aside), and I know full well the type of Muslims who say you should marry "anyone with a good religion and good character" but none of this really comes to the surface in the beginning of the book. Khadra does seem to come to some appreciation of WHY that is the case at the end of the book-- poverty, oppression in the political situations in Muslim countries, etc., but this is not fully explored.
It seems that Khadra is whipped into a state of angst after meeting a nameless poet on Qasiyoun mountain who spews typical meaningless and/or cliched poet drivel. She becomes a perpetually dissatisfied twentysomething, and suddenly becomes convinced that all paths lead to God and that her goal should be to never offend anyone else by insisting on any moral standards. (Why did she have to back down when Seemi insisted that if she believes sex outside of marriage is wrong, then she must believe that she is an "immoral person" and if that is the case then she must abandon her view?)
Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Kahf's writings and her writing style and I appreciate her sensitive eye and the way she has put many sensitive and intelligent observations about American Muslim life to paper, but I stop being a fan at the point where she seems to imply, as many others do, that being "conservatively religious" and having firm standards about what constitutes appropriate outward behavior in life are somehow completely incompatible with "cherishing youself", appreciating beauty, being able to appreciate and live with other religous traditions, etc. I have many friends who took the same path as Khadra and I find they have the same bias.
One of the unique things I personally see about our experience as Muslim in America is that our religion does in fact allow us (as I believe Kahf is trying to say, ultimately) to be full participants in life while still observing our belifs both outwardly and inwardly. I think the fact that Muslims, even those who outwardly observe public prayer, hijab, formal gender interaction rules, etc., while still being visible participants in full American lives is unique. Unlike most Orthodox Jews, Mennonites, Amish, etc., we do not isolate ourselves in ghettos and subcultures.
As a "conservatively" religious person myself (And we could debate the meaning of "conservative" but I consider hijab to be a religious requirement for example so most people would label me "conservative") I reject and am offended by the implication that this insistence on my outward observances and standards (despite my full participation in public and private life) makes me a "fundamentalist", an intolerant person, or a person who has denied important parts of who I am to fit into a certain "program" or that others must need to do the same. For example I don't see why Hanifa couldn't have raced in the Indy 500 while wearing hijab or, heck, niqab even (I know some pretty tenacious niqab-wearers who would do it!) Why also was it only the "Fallen" Muslims who seem to accomplish the "Big Things"?
Finally, as a side note I do get tired of Kahf's obsession with bathroom humor and sexual references. The bathroom humor drags down the quality of the book some. I would have understood one or two incidents of it related to Muslim bathroom habits as remembered by a child, but the repetitive use of it was really too much.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Catches you by surprise Jun 12, 2009
I read this book as an assignment for my college literature class and found it very interesting and surprising, particularly because I found myself relating to the main character, Khadra. As a young adult, she deals with many of the problems and difficulties that young people face, from being bullied in a high school hall to searching for one's true religious beliefs in the midst of a logical world. It was very illuminating to read about these familiar problems through the eyes of a Muslim and to see how her beliefs affected her choices just as my beliefs would affect mine.
Yes, this book includes racism, violent acts, and everything else that comes with being a minority in a racist area. However, it does not focus entirely on Khadra's experiences with racism, but instead focuses on her own journey with Islam and her search to discover what Islam means to her. I was surprised and gladdened to see that Kahf did not spend the majority of the book talking about racism and suppression, but instead delved into Khadra's religious struggle.
As a current resident of Indiana, I was amazed at how Kahf accurately depicted the state, and more specifically it's inhabitants. Her description of the landscape, people, and general atmosphere of Indiana made me feel as if she could be my next door neighbor. This came as a great joy to me personally, as well as gave the story added realism and accuracy.
Overall, this book is an enjoyable read for anyone and will also help you gain a better understanding of Islamic culture if, like me, you know nearly nothing about Islam. The only thing I disliked was the first eighty pages or so because Kahf didn't seem to develop the characters any but continued to introduce more. This stops at around page eighty or ninety, but it took me a good amount of time to get through this part of the story.
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