PIECES
by Afshan Malik
Category: Teen/YA, Fiction
Publisher: Daybreak Press
Published: Jan. 2019
Page count: 185, with Discussion Questions
Paperback: $19.99
ISBN: 978-0-9992990-1-2
In this powerful and riveting debut, Malik tackles the ongoing socio-political environment of an American Muslim family dealing with trauma and everyday life at work and school.
Hannah and Noreen are typical teenage sisters (frenemies) growing up in Houston. They have track practice, yearbook committee, and roller coaster friendships while still maintaining their culture and religion. Their parents, Dahlia and Adam, were childhood sweethearts and are doctors with busy practices, but have always made time for their daughters. However, their once tight-knit family is now falling to “pieces” after Adam returns from a Doctors Without Borders mission in war-torn Syria with physical and emotional scars. Shy and quiet Hannah won’t visit her father in the hospital anymore after he ‘attacks’ her and has told her friends he’s dead. She buries herself in her art, lately thunderous clouds, and track practice. Dahlia now relies on Noreen more and more to pick up the slack at home while she deals with not only her patients, but her husband’s PTSD and well-meaning, albeit traditional in-laws. When not helping her mother, friendly and outgoing Noreen juggles volunteering, college applications, yearbook assignments and new friendships with Felicia and football jock Keith. Now the trio must squeeze in weekly visits to the hospital until Adam can go home believing their world will go back to normal. Once at home, Adam refuses to see friends and family, closes in on himself, sleeps all the time and struggles to make his girls understand what he feels. Until one stormy night, Dahlia and Noreen return home to find blood and glass all over the kitchen, Hannah hiding in the closet, and Adam out of control.
A must read for youth and adults, this poignant novel delves into the effects of PTSD on all family members.
I think you have done a great job summarizing the book. Is there anything you didn't like about it?
ReplyDeleteThere were times I thought the author tended to repeat herself, especially when she was explaining the girls' feelings about their father and their new situation.
ReplyDeleteAlso when Noreen would explain the reasoning of why Muslims did something on a daily basis, for example wearing the 'hijab' or praying 5 times a day, I found that tiresome (this is not the right word, but I can't think of another) but only because I know the reasoning for these. However, I do realize these explanations are for the nonMuslim readers. The simplistic way the author did her explanations without being preachy or breaking the flow of the story was excellent.
This book sounds excellent! You did a wonderful job summarizing it, and building up interest. Your first and final lines are hooking and you definitely got me interested! Great job and full points!
ReplyDelete