First off, I love this cover so much. The colors and the image are so beautiful and I feel like they fit the story so well. I found this book a little difficult to get into at first, but once I got into the story, I really loved it. The voice is clear and trustworthy and the story focuses on multiple characters overcoming their obstacles which is something I love. Omar is absolutely adorable and I appreciate how human he is. Each character is uniquely their own and allows outsiders to see inside the life of a POC in America.

Amina Abdul is a researcher who has recently moved across the country to be closer to her family. With this move comes a chance to forge a relationship with her 11-year-old nephew, Omar. She soon learns that he is much more interested in learning about his family's cultural roots than she and her brother had been at his age. Omar's questions, concerns and difficulties are different than hers had been, in his current post-9/11 Anerica. Add in family & workplace dynamics, a kids' cricket team, humor, humility, history, romance and many new experiences, and you have The Royal Abduls.⁣⁣
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First off, I must say that I identify strongly with Amina's caffeine intake! Three cups of coffee before she can move on with her day... I hear that! I really enjoyed the changing perspective between Amina's sections and Omar's sections. Koya did this remarkably well. The honesty and realistic qualities of each character were refreshing. It's really a story of three generations and how all the different pieces fit together (and fall apart). ⁣

This book. All. The. Feels.

I was prepared to like this one but not love it, but I couldn't get enough. I want to read about and live in the world of the Abdul family forever, and there is so much left of their story that my imagination will just have to suffice. The plot was simple: a second-generation Indian American Muslim family navigating a post-9/11 world, in a country that was the only one they knew, while struggling to understand how their Indian heritage played a part in that.

The book is told through the perspectives of Amina and her 11-year-old nephew, Omar. Amina and her brother Mo, Omar's father, were raised as Americans, eschewing traditional Indian food for burgers and pizza and not speaking their parents' native tongue. But Omar, feeling "other" from his classmates because of the color of his skin and his foreign-sounding name, becomes obsessed with India, affecting an Indian accent, inventing a royal family history, and attempting to learn the language. Things take a turn, however, when he takes a decorative knife to school, and he is expelled.

Meanwhile, Amina struggles with balancing her personal life and her career, Omar's parents' marriage goes downhill, and Amina's dad's health deteriorates. I think that's what I loved most about this book. While a major theme is the unique struggle that second- and third-generation immigrants (especially those who are not white) face in understanding their identity, much of it dealt with family issues that we all can relate to. I rooted for all the characters (well maybe not so much Omar's father) and was anxious to see how they would turn out.

Overall, I liked the book. It kept me engaged and I liked the characters even with their faults and mistakes.

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The book is set in Washington D.C. four years after 9/11. It follows a family that is Indian. Their parents immigrated from India many years ago before having children. The children are now adults. The narrative alternates between the daughter, Amina, an accomplished biologist and her brother’s 11-year-old son, Omar. Everyone is in crisis. Particularly Omar. The story picks up when Amina moves to D.C. for work and for the first time gets to know Omar. Unfortunately, he is being bullied at school and is struggling to fit in. In the post 9/11 world there was rampant racism towards Muslim people here in the US. As a child Omar can’t figure out where he fits in. That’s probably the most poignant part of the book. Omar and his father, Mohammed, were both born in the US and while descendants of Muslims are not religious in anyway. I knew that this went on after 9/11 and maybe it still does. I am realizing I am uninformed on this. It was heartbreaking to see this boy tormented for the acts of evil men who couldn’t have possibly been further removed from him.

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The book is a tough read. Many hard things happen to this family. The adults unwittingly hurt Omar over and over. I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying. It cuts off abruptly. There’s very little in the way of catharsis or resolution. There are hints but that’s it.

The Royal Abduls was a thoroughly enjoyable read! The book navigates the relationships between members of a secular Muslim family with Indian roots in the years after the 9/11 attacks. At the focus are postdoctoral research fellow, Amina, and her young nephew, Omar, who is struggling to understand his identity. Koya provides an intimate look into topics of race, culture, sexism, and identity as the family weathers several tragedies and learns more about themselves and one another.

The author does something very unique (in my opinion) in that the major turning points and catastrophes in the book are written in just a few sentences, and the bulk of the writing to follow takes us through the aftermath. I thought this was innovative and really centered the story on its characters. Overall, I thought the characters were strongly written and believable.

This is a personal preference, but I would have liked a more concrete ending. I think a lot of readers will appreciate drawing their own conclusions for each character though. Another small mention is that it seemed like almost every single female scientist mentioned in the book was engaging in sexual relationships with their boss to get ahead. I am about to finish my PhD in biology, and while sexism does occur, I don’t know of any of my classmates who have slept with their PI. Obviously things may have been different in the early 2000s, and it does seem like Amina has some internalized misogyny (which is an interesting character flaw!) so maybe this is Amina’s view of the situation rather than reality.

I really liked this novel and had a lot of trouble putting it down. It was helpful to view the perspective of a group of Americans different than myself, and I would definitely read more works by this author or other novels about the Indian American or second-generation American experience.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Royal Abduls from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great story about family connections and immigrant life. I am always looking for more diverse literature to bring into the classroom as a teacher, and I think that this will resonate with some of my students.

South Asians!!!! We need more of them always. This was some frothy and melodramatic stuff but I truly did enjoy it! I know it already went to print so I may be belated in my feedback but this was enjoyable indeed.

I love books about DC. I love books about India. I love books about families and politics and academia, and I love books that examine what sociopolitical issues look like on a daily basis for the people whose lives they touch. This book is all of those things!

Ramiza Shamoun Koya’s The Royal Abduls tells the story of Amina, a scientist who moves to DC as a post-doc and becomes close with her nephew, Omar, an eleven-year-old with a newfound fascination with his Indian heritage. The close narration shifts between Amina and Omar, giving them each a distinct voice.

Set in the wake of 9-11, this is a novel about what it can mean to be a secular Muslim and second-generation immigrant in the US today. Koya writes elegantly and with compassion for her characters, so while the novel is tragic, it is also smart and sweet.

Thank you to @forestavenuepress and @netgalley for an eARC of The Royal Abduls.

The premise of the book was great. I was really intrigued by the blurb. Unfortunately, the book did not work for me. I couldn't connect to any of the characters nor the story because of the writing style. I was left wanting so much more from the story which I felt for the most part was incoherent. There was lack of adequate character development and real plot which made it difficult to stay engaged.

I was excited to read this but it simply not for me.

Review posted on GR: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3406875371

First I would like to thank NetGalley, and the publishers for letting me read (and experience this book) before the official release date.
Now, The Royal Abduls is about a multifaceted family with Indian roots living in a post 9/11 America, and their relationships among each other, with other people, and with their heritage. And it is a beautiful story that explores many aspects of relationships, among parents, families, and among tradition and roots.
Its important to mention the writing style has a strong voice that builds so much of the novel, and people who write more bland writing styles might simply not enjoy this book as much, but wow I Loved how the novel seemed to have a voice and a strong writing style instead of something forgettable. Every relationship in the book, being between siblings, parents, grandparents, friends and lovers, speaks about somethings that are deep and real that i cannot discuss because of spoilers, but every character felt real, and every connection felt substantial, as if they were real people. It might make you cry, but it will also possibly stay with you for a long time after you finish reading. I know there are some scenes I simply wont forget any time soon. It does not always go the traditional route, and subverts some expectations you may have created, and has many real things to say, if you give it a chance.

Overall, it connected to me in so many different personal levels i could not describe and even think properly of why when i was still reading. I am sure I will be thinking about this book and its characters for a long time to come. Thank you so very much for letting me experience this. It was a moving unique touching story unlike any other i have read and i am so thankful for the moment i decided to request it. I am very grateful.

Beautifully put together and thought provoking. Loved the book cover too. Power packed read. All the very best wishes to the author.

I’m judging a 2020 fiction contest. It’d be generous to call what I’m doing upon my first cursory glance—reading. I also don’t take this task lightly. As a fellow writer and lover of words and books, I took this position—in hopes of being a good literary citizen. My heart aches for all the writers who have a debut at this time. What I can share now is the thing that held my attention and got this book from the perspective pile into the read further pile.

He let his eyes run down her body while he thought about it, and she thanked God for the long shirt that hid her breasts, which were just big enough to draw a gaze but disappointing when it came to fancy dress. Besides, she knew that Chris wasn't actually interested in her, it was just habit that he looked her over.

Thank you so much to netgalley for sending me a copy of this book. I was extremely excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. You can really connect with the characters and I would definitely recommend!

This is an adorable book, I really enjoyed it. Ramiza Sharmoun Koya's narrative kept me interested in the situations that Amina Abdul lived, a successful scientist who has grown up between two cultures, that of the United States and her own. She works in Washington DC, her brother, who lives in this city receives her at his home. Amina meets Omar, her nephew, who is very interested in their family past. Amina explains her nephew as much as she can, due to Omar's immense interest in learning the origin of his family. It is a very interesting book that describes some of the difficult situations that immigrants go through. I really liked that Amina, how she always kept a positive attitude and her optimism towards her environment. I also liked the way she explained to her nephew Omar about her past. Excellent book. Thank you NetGalley and Forest Avenue Press for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge fan of character driven novels and this one did not disappoint. It was a great story that explored race which proved timely at the point I read it. Books about dysfunctional families always appeal to me and this was another great one. I was sad to hear the author has terminal cancer. This is a wonderful, engrossing story that I thoroughly recommend.

This is an important book for these times that confronts anti-Muslim sentiments via a fictional narrative told across two characters who encounter different, but linked, challenges as Indian Americans in a post-9/11 US.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This ownvoices realistic fiction by a Muslim Indian-American woman easily bashes racial and religious stereotypes while focusing on the hard-hitting and important themes of discrimination, secularism, psychological impact of divorces on children, alcoholism, and finding one's identity when being expected to dedicate one's life for relationships. Easily recommendable!

The Royal Abduls takes a deep dive into misogyny and also the complex challenges of living in the US with a Muslim name post-911. The main character, Amina Abdul, is a first generation American of Indian descent. A young post-doc scientist studying hybrid species in moths, she struggles with figuring out how to balance her passion for her work and her passion for her family and love interest.
Amina is not a particularly likable character, which is a point of success for the story. Koya could have made her a doting aunt or position her as a victim of the many tragedies she experiences in the story, but she does not. Amina is a realistic human being, and while readers may grow frustrated with her treatment of her love interest, the way in which she weighs the choices she faces seems true to life.
The book touches on misogyny and gender politics from a number of different angles by portraying male-female relationships in the workplace, women's prejudices against other women, and the differences between experiences of women and men in the workplace. There are about five adult male characters who have significant roles in the book and they did seem each to be representative of a "type" and thus to lack complexity and depth.
When Amina moves from California to DC for work, she develops a close bond with her teen-aged nephew, Omar, who is having his own struggles fitting in as an Indian-American with a Muslim name. His mother is a white American, however, his name and his skin define how he is viewed by society. At first he tries playing in to the stereotypes, adopting an Indian accent at school and collecting artifacts to prove his family's importance. When this has devastating outcomes, he tries to turn away completely from his heritage and considers changing his name.
A fairly large portion of the book is told from Omar's distinctively teen perspective. This adds an important angle to the story, an exploration of the choice many immigrants face--to fully assimilate and let go of all vestiges of the home culture or to maintain their practices from home--and how this choice is impacted by the social and political environment in which the immigrant finds themselves. Koya manages to truly embody these struggles of the immigrant experience through her characters and their experiences without ever preaching or even taking sides.
Readers may find themselves skimming through Omar's sections to some extent eager to get back to Amina's, not because of a flaw in the writing, but because, while Omar has little agency in his situation, Amina has a world of choices to make.
Amina's research into hybrid species is an interesting backdrop to the story as it underscores Omar's experience, the question of how the product of two related but different groups should be viewed, and the idea that this merging of different groups should be studied and handled with particular care. In Omar's case, the result is disastrous, but Amina's work seems to suggest that there is hope. Koya never makes that connection in any overt way. In fact, one of the successes of this book is that, despite exploring very difficult topics of immigration, misogyny, prejudice, terrorism, and family tragedy, Koya maintains a light touch and produces an entertaining and interesting story of the intersection of lives.

This is a brilliant character driven novel. The writing is stellar and the realistic view of what life is like for immigrants in America post-9/11 was educational. The writing style doesn't come off as preachy, but the injustice that the characters experience comes through.

Amina Abdul is an evolutionary biologist who has recently moved to Washington DC from California for a post-doc & to be closer to her brother Mohammed and his family. She left behind a longterm relationship that faltered due to her lack of desire to have children and her tendency towards being workaholic. Her brother & sister-in-law welcome her to the city but their marriage is failing and they rely on her to keep their son Omar company. Omar is in the 6th grade at a private school where he is one of the only students of color. Omar, as a second generation Indian-American is hungry to explore his cultural roots and fakes an Indian accent & stories of his family’s supposed royal past. When he brings an ornamental knife to school and ends up expelled, this triggers a downward spiral for the whole family. In a post 9/11 America, at war with people who look like them, the Abduls all struggle to find their place.

This was such a unique, fascinating read dealing with all kinds of issues not often explored in literature. I was immediately drawn to Omar and the way that he dealt with being different by weaving exaggerated stories about India & his family. His grandparents had fought so hard to assimilate and his father Mohammed and aunt Amina had lived in a way where they hardly gave a second thought to their heritage. So Omar knew very little but was so hungry to know more about where he came from and what it meant to be Indian-American. The struggles he faces and the trouble he inadvertently gets into were one of my favorite parts of the story.

Then there’s Amina, who even apart from her cultural and ethnic heritage, is a character unlike any I’ve encountered before. She’s fiercely independent to the point of often alienating those around her. She seems to feel like others are better off without her and if anything I wish that had maybe been explored a bit deeper, as in where did she develop these beliefs about herself, but oof could I ever relate to her. She ends up really deeply caring for Omar too, despite her general dislike of kids, and that was the other highlight of the book for me. To see these two kind of difficult characters find a bond in their struggles was really special and what helps keep this book that deals with so many heavy subjects from being too heavy to bear.

There is so much depth and a broad range of interrelated issues explored. Amina is a woman in the sciences and academia, a space where so few women are and so many end up pushed out and pushed away from. This book really delves into the misogyny of the academic and science communities in a way that’s so real.

In addition to the general identity issues and questions of assimilation versus holding onto and connecting more deeply with one’s heritage, another thing I found really interesting and unique about this novel is that the Abdul family are secular Muslims. They drink (in fact one family member struggles with alcoholism), eat pork, and even celebrate Christmas. Yet in a world that, at the time frame of this story, is only a few years post 9/11 the whole family is forced to contend with what it means to have the last name they do, the history and heritage they do, to worry about their safety and the things others assume about them. More than that though, I don’t think I’ve ever read or even seen a book focused on a secular Muslim family so it was really great to see.

I’m extremely grateful to have read this book and deeply saddened to know the author has terminal cancer. I would’ve loved to have seen what else Ramiza writes but I hope she is so proud to see her debut novel published and to know she’s given a voice to so many complex subjects not seen in literature. This book would be an incredible book club pick, given all the facets and things to discuss. It’s definitely a novel I’ll never forget.