Thank you for visiting.
This content is exclusive to subscribers only.
As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
Log In
Don't have a Horn Book Account?
Register Now
Register Now
Mafi, Tahereh
6 Reviews
(3)
YA
Just after 9/11, Iranian American teen Shirin is jaded by the Islamophobic attitudes of classmates who see her as either "the Taliban" or "an exotic specimen." She copes by intimidating others with her acerbic wit and by stereotyping white Americans--until she falls for the star of the boys' basketball team. A quirky, broadly appealing romance that also explores white privilege, microaggressions, and the effects of stereotyping on young Muslim women.
Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam
(3)
4-6
In this companion to Furthermore, now-thirteen-year-old Alice is tasked through her Surrender (a magical coming-of-age ceremony) with helping similarly aged Laylee, a resentful orphan fated to prep the dead for the afterlife. The omniscient narrator's chatty tone lightens the book's darker, more horror-like elements, as does Alice's friend Oliver, who again accompanies her on the quest. Mafi's vivid language further enhances this Persian-inspired fantasy.
Reviewer: Lana Barnes
(3)
4-6
Three years after her father's disappearance, twelve-year-old Alice, accompanied by thirteen-year-old Oliver, embarks on a perilous journey to bring Father back from Furthermore, a Wonderland-like place where nothing is as it appears. This richly imaginative fantasy world--with magic as currency, live origami animals, and rulers that measure time--is bolstered by a cheeky and opinionated omniscient narrator.
Reviewer: Lana Barnes
(4)
YA
In this dystopian trilogy, Juliette (Shatter Me; Unravel Me) navigates her competing loyalties to Warner and Adam, on different sides of a rebellion, in order to destroy The Reestablishment. Juliette's transformation, from a helpless victim of her own supernatural powers to an invincible leader, provides a strong story line, but it's undercut by her dependence on male companions for support, love, and insight.
Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac
(4)
YA
Juliette struggles to manage her destructive powers, forge relationships, and develop confidence in this sequel to Shatter Me. The politics that drive the intriguing dystopian world and the rebel resistance Juliette joins are sometimes confusing, and the patriarchal attempts to own and manage the emotional heroine get a bit tedious. Still, an exciting cliff-hanger ending will likely lure readers back for the next installment.
Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac
(4)
YA
Juliette's dangerous power--her touch is fatal--leads to a life of ostracism. When a military leader tries to seduce her, she discovers reserves of personal strength and unexpected allies. The story's setting is an intriguing near-future dystopia; however, Mafi is more interested in romance than world building, leading to an implausible conclusion.
Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac
6 reviews
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.