Cover Image: Love from A to Z

Love from A to Z

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Member Reviews

On the surface, this is an adorable romance between two Muslim protagonists: Zayneb and Adam; however, it goes so much deeper than that.

Zayneb just got suspended from school and flies from Indiana to aunt’s house in Doha a week early for an extended Spring Break. There’s a layover in London. Adam is flying home to Doha from school in London, where he stopped attending classes and has been making this since being diagnosed with MS. Their paths cross in the airport in London and the flight to Doha. Fate is on their side when they meet again at a party taking place at Adams house. Zayneb’s aunt is a teacher at the school that Adam’s father is the director of and was his mother’s best friend. A lot happens after this initial meeting that brings them together and changes both of lives.

This book explores Islamophobia, cultural appropriation, multiple sclerosis, dealing with loss, grief, drone strikes, justice, peace, friendship, the importance of family, having a support system, what it means to be Muslim, converting to Islam, marvels and oddities.

The story alternates between their points of view so the reader gets a good idea of what they’re thinking and feeling.

There are a lot of lovely side characters like Zayneb’s aunt and Adam’s sister and father and a taxi driver named Zahid.

As an outsider, this book provided me with a better understanding of the religion of Islam and its culture. I also learned about drone strikes and MS. The story is own voices and the author tried to be as accurate as possible with every detail. It shows how much work she put into it because the writing is very descriptive and informative. Everything about this story was done so well.

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This book is so very important for everyone to read.
Zayneb is all fire. She is a Muslim girl who refuses to accept the constant Islamophobia thrown her way. She is angry and she has every right to be. Our story begins when she is suspended from school for "threatening" a teacher. The teacher in question is an Islamophobe and is constantly disregarding Zayneb. From here she is sent to Doha to visit her aunt and hopefully find clarity.
Adam is our male protagonist, he is Muslim, having converted at a young age and he's dealing with a recent diagnosis of multiple sclerosis which just happens to be the disease that killed his mother. He's coming home to Doha from university to tell his dad of his diagnosis and that he's left school for the time being.
Zayneb and Adam have this odd and marvelous thing in common. They both have a Marvels and Oddities journal, in which they record marvels (air, touch, seventies music, coincidences) and oddities (haters, trauma, secrets, heart pain). The story is mostly told through their various journal entries although there is a sort of narrator through-out the book that pops up now and again to keep things flowing.
This was such a powerful and poignant read. My heart broke multiple times reading this book, but it offers so much hope as well. A & Z work so well as a couple, Zayneb is fiery and passionate while Adam is soft and quiet. They complement each other very well and it was nice to see a YA relationship between two Muslim characters.
This book taught me so much about religion, relationships, multiple sclerosis, grief and even the world. Adam attended Doha International School so his friends are literally from everywhere. Adam himself is Canadian (yay canada).
While I think EVERYONE should read this I'm glad it exists for readers who are Muslim so they can see themselves represented in YA literature.

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