tahereh mafi a very large expanse of sea

In this book, I think she found the perfect balance between poetic and realistic, taking it down a notch from previous novels. She manages to maintain her beautiful and almost poetic style while not letting it take over and outshine the plot and the message of the book. Tahereh Mafi’s writing style really shines. But here, in the silent explosion of my heart, was a quiet that felt familiar.” Then Shirin meets Ocean, a painfully naive boy who she finds herself falling for despite how dangerous it can be for the two of them. She built walls to protect herself, and only really allows herself to relax when break-dancing with her brother and his friends. She’s learned to handle the comments, the stares, and even the violence sent her way. Shirin is used to seeing the worst of people due to her religion and the hijab she wears.

Content warning: Islamophobia, racism, violence//Ī Very Large Expanse of Sea takes place in 2002, a year after the events of 9/11, and follows Shirin. Review in a Nutshell: A Very Large Expanse of Sea discusses important and relevant topics in a way that is sure to open your eyes, it is beautifully written and immediately pulls you in. Quotes used in this review are from the unfinished galley and may be changed in the published edition. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.I was lucky enough to receive a galley while at BEA this year, and I was so excited to dive into this fantastic read.

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of BookPage. Intense, emotional and resonant, A Very Large Expanse of Sea is a riptide that pulls readers in. While immersing themselves in gorgeous prose, readers will feel for Shirin as she stands up for her beliefs in the midst of hurtful words and violence, and they’ll cheer as she experiences first love and laugh-out-loud moments. Tahereh Mafi, best known for her Shatter Me series, has stepped away from fantasy to pen this incredibly realistic novel based on her own experiences. But when Shirin is paired with Ocean James in biology class, he slowly begins to chip away at the walls Shirin has constructed. When Shirin joins in and perfects her power moves like crab walks and head spins, she becomes someone else-someone who isn’t afraid of being hurt. The one place she feels comfortable is in the dance studio with her brother and his break-dancing team. Having grown used to the misconceptions, name-calling and outright racism hurled her way for wearing a hijab, Muslim-American Shirin has developed a tough exterior and an even tougher interior. A year after 9/11, 16-year-old Shirin is starting yet another first day of school at her third high school in two years, and she’s over it.

Tahereh mafi a very large expanse of sea