I thought this would be an interesting coming-of-age story. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough character development for me. And Islam did not play as much of a part in the story as I would have thought. Otherwise, interesting setting & premise.

Amir’s carefully ordered world is falling apart. He’s about to be outed at high-school graduation. His Iranian parents are going to find out about his football player boyfriend.

So Amir runs — all the way to Rome.

Affecting, funny and full of heart, “How It All Blew Up” (Viking/Penguin, $17.99) is Arvin Ahmadi’s third novel for young adults. His previous books were “Down and Across” and “Girl Gone Viral.”

All his books have incorporated elements from his life, but this one is his most personal, Ahmadi explained in a phone interview. He’ll talk about the book Thursday at a virtual BookPeople event.

“I was working on a totally different project when I went on this trip,” Ahmadi said of his summer in Rome, where he became friends with a close-knit group of fellow gay men. “It wasn’t until meeting this group that became a found family for me, and specifically this Iranian friend of mine, that I realized I had been keeping all these parts of my life separate. I didn’t have to wedge this wall between the different parts of myself. I could come out with all of them.”

In “How It All Blew Up,” Ahmadi creates that revelatory friend group for 18-year-old Amir. The teen meets his own found family in Rome through Jahan, the kind Iranian bartender and poet who befriends him.

“Was this man messing with me?” Amir thinks as Jahan greets him. “I don’t know how else to say it, but this man did not look like any other Iranian person I had ever met in my life. I mean, his name was more Iranian than kabob and Persepolis. But his skin was covered in tattoos. And quite a few shades darker than mine.” Most of all, Jahan is both proudly Iranian and proudly out.

Amir loves his life in Rome, but he’s acutely conscious that it’s an escape. Back home, his parents and sister are texting and calling, desperate to know why he’s disappeared.

We know from the beginning that they eventually reunite, but that presents its own hurdles. When we first meet Amir and his parents, they are separated once more — this time in rooms being questioned by airport officials.

“Telling a coming-out story, telling a Muslim story in an interrogation room, those are narratives we see over and over again,” Ahmadi said. “That was the trick of the novel. You’re really getting all this depth and learning about the gay community and then at the same time you’re seeing the different ways to be Muslim and Middle Eastern.”

Ahmadi wanted to invert expectations about parental judgments while also acknowledging Amir’s fears about revealing his identity to his parents. Amir keeps a running tally in his head of how they might react to the news:

″+1: Mom watches Ellen DeGeneres and doesn’t bat an eyelash whenever Ellen talks about her wife, Portia. ...

″-20: The trailer for a gay rom-com comes on while we’re at the movie theater, and Dad calls it propaganda. ...

“Pluses and minuses aside, I had bought into the same idea as everyone else, that Muslims and gay people are about as incompatible as Amish people and Apple products. I wish I could say I was better than that, that I ignored the stereotype. But when your safety hinges on a stereotype being true or not, you don’t get to be brave. I wasn’t going to bet my happiness on the fact that my mom watched a talk show hosted by a lesbian.”

“By the end he learns a lot about his family,” Ahmadi said of Amir. “I still don’t fault him for not having the faith in the beginning.”

Above all, Ahmadi said, “How It All Blew Up” is about honesty.

“Our only agenda is to pour honesty on the page, specifically our own honest truths,” Ahmadi said of writers for young adults. “Teens crave honesty and authenticity. When you’re that age, what you want most is to find your place in the world. I think these windows into characters and experiences can help you discover a part of yourself.”

How It All Blew Up is a coming-of-age story of sorts that is very original in style and structure. It follows 18-year-old Amir who runs away and spends a month in Italy after he botches coming out as gay to his parents. The book alternates between Amir's month in Italy and transcripts of interviews with U.S. Customs officers from himself, his parents, and his younger sister Soraya after the fact, which made it bingeable and added an interesting layer to the story. I especially liked reading the perspective of Soraya, because she's young enough for her perspective to not be taken seriously, but clearly she knew and understood a lot more than she initially let on. I also appreciate Amir's maturity in his interviews with the officers--he acknowledges that he screwed up, that he caused his parents and sister a lot of emotional pain and heartache, and doesn't spend a lot of time trying to justify his actions. Amir could easily have been portrayed as a rebellious, angsty teen, but Ahmadi does a great job at avoiding that and simply depicting him as misunderstood yet remorseful.

Amir is an Iranian-American Muslim, and there is a lot of great discussion in How It All Blew Up about the intersection of identity, religion, and culture. Amir talks about how he was hesitant to come out to his parents because their religion has not historically treated gay people kindly, and also about how coming out, for him as an Iranian-American, also means coming out as a sexual being which makes it even more nerve-wracking. There is a lot to unpack here that I can never fully understand, but I think that it was handled sensitively.

As an Italian-American, I loved that Ahmadi looked at Italy through both a historic and modern lens, and painted a realistic picture of my motherland. There are not only great descriptions of the food, artwork, and rich history of the country, but an objective look at modern Italy, including the poor job market and the aging population. Overall, this was a unique, fun yet also heartfelt story about finding oneself.

This is a coming-of-age tale about a gay 18 year-old Iranian-American (the Muslim faith plays a role only as reasoning for his parents being unable to accept that their son is gay) who runs away from home--after being blackmailed by a classmate who threatens to out him--to gorgeous Rome, Italy where he experiences independence and is enfolded into a "found" family. Representation is super important, especially in YA. I liked that there were different POV to provide insight beyond that of the main character, Amir.
Unfortunately, I found it really difficult to get into. The characters were underdeveloped and blended together to a point where I had to double back and confirm who was in the "scene" I was reading. Some of the major issues I felt were in the stereotyping of the different characters, the conflict between Amir and a couple he meets in Rome was problematic, there was a lot of summary that took me out of the setting and quickened the pace, and the whole story arc was anti-climactic. This felt like a narrative of Amir's exploration into hedonism and debauchery where there could have been more emphasis on him trying to figure out who he truly is--instead we get a graphic, traumatizing, gag-inducing "nipple story." The ending felt rushed with 2-3 sentence chapters and super abrupt.

What happens when you get profiled at the airport because you are Arab American and your family has to share what they would prefer to keep quiet?

Arvin Ahmadi writes a novel that explores family dynamics, navigates what it means to come out as gay to a family you aren't sure will accept you and an indictment on how our society treats those who aren't white having a normal family disagreement. The story moves back and forth between interviews with each family member with TSA and the story of how Amir Azadi ended up here instead of walking on stage at graduation.

How It All Blew Up centers the story of Amir Azadi, who due to blackmail, runs away from home and hitches an airplane ride to Rome. We get to become part of Amir's world as he creates a new family in Rome, explores what it means to be independent and out and proud. But, he can't stay in Rome forever. Or, can he?

After a heated argument on an international flight from Rome to the United States, Amir Azadi and his family are detained by customs due to their “suspicious” behavior. In the course of the interrogation, Amir, his parents, and his younger sister detail the events leading up to the mile-high clash.

Amir, son of Iranian immigrants, feared coming out to his parents and spent most of his senior year in high school in a secret relationship, but when bullies threatened to blackmail him, Amir flees to Rome. He plans to stay only a short time, but becomes enmeshed in a community of gay men who help him navigate his multiple identities—however, he’s lied to them about his reason for being in Rome. With his unresolved relationships at home and his new community based on lies, it’s only a matter of time until Amir’s ideal Italian sanctuary blows up in his face. And since he and his family are Muslim, those around them assume the blow up relates to terrorism.

Having a Muslim, gay protagonist is important in YA literature, and the book offers a heart-wrenching picture of the feeling of rejection at the hands of one’s family but ultimately provides a message of self- and community- acceptance. In particular, I enjoyed Amir’s little sister, Soraya, a funny and compassionate character. Other aspects of the book, however, range from unrealistic to problematic. For example, it seems unlikely Amir could support himself for weeks in Rome. What bothered me more was his group of friends in Italy. While they were undoubtedly helpful to Amir in navigating his post-coming out identity, I wondered about the ethics of a group of thirtysomething men embracing an eighteen-year-old. Finally, although the interviews in customs were an interesting framing device, I thought the experience would have more significance.

Still, this is an anthem to understanding and celebrating the fullness of one’s entire identity, and it is hard not to feel hopeful at the conclusion of the book.

This was a wonderful read. The author made me feel the main characters struggles in this coming of age story. It was written with humor while also addressing tough topics. Would be a great boon to add in any high school library.

It's certainly possible that this book simply didn't connect with me, but I think there are certainly areas related to quality which could have been fairly drastically improved even within the context of the story. The writing and dialogue did not strike me as overly engaging, and the pacing was very strange, seeming to race through the opening in order to get to Amir to Italy, but even once there didn't seem to slow much. (I also found it somewhat strange that there seemed to be a sense of eagerness to bypass giving much depth to Amir's relationship with Jackson in order to focus on the friends Amir meets in Italy when the latter didn't seem to be significantly more interesting! The two standout relationships for me were with Soraya and Jahan, and only one of those was even tied to the Italy story.) The framing device of the family being interrogated came off a bit oddly to me: it seemed to treat the situation more casually than I would have expected - who just sits around in detainment telling a CBP agent all about their Relationship Drama? - and finally reaching the inciting incident didn't add much significance.

Honestly, there were a lot of pretty wild elements to this story and I'm baffled as to the opening note that it is a story based on true events.

Perhaps recommend to readers looking for a lighter alternative to Darius the Great Is Not Okay, or something along the lines of teen Call Me By Your Name?

"But when you’re gay— your family isn’t different like you anymore. They don’t understand. And worst of all, they might hate you for it."

Between the humor and the unthinkable sits a story based on self revelation and family acceptance. I laughed... I legit cried... I gagged (nipple story) and I wondered a multitude of times what Amir was thinking.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs (especially the sister's) during the interrogation scenes. Seeing the sides of each of the family members was a unique perspective. I can understand what it's like to feel your family won't support your life choices and can only imagine culture and beliefs amplifying that weight like it did for Amir in this story. However, I was a bit disappointed that this is considered a Muslim YA read but the characters mention they are not practicing Muslims. It was more the conservatism of the culture that came into play over any devout religious aspects.

This is based on true events, how close or far from the truth I am not sure. I struggled with the idea of an 18 year old kid allowing themselves to be blackmailed to the point they leave the country instead of reporting it. I would've expected that from a younger more immature character. Putting that aside it was still fun to watch Amir grow into himself surrounded by individuals who embrace the lifestyle he chooses. I do think a lot of the messages the author is trying to convey were lost or could be misconstrued; especially the topic surrounding monogamy and cheating. Readers may struggle to find a connection with Amir due to his flaws and light character development. Honestly, I built more of a connection with his sister and mother which could be due to my own personal experiences.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this book and  thank Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read and review it for an honest opinion. True rating 3.5, rounded up for NetGalley.

I had very mixed feelings about this book. It was a very quick and easy read for me, but it just felt very flat and undeveloped by the time I finished. The overarching story was interesting and I feel like many could connect to what Amir was feeling and going through (maybe not fleeing to another country per se). In general, the story is about love, family, accepting yourself for who you are, and of course overcoming prejudice/bullying.

One of the most interesting things about this novel though is that it constantly switches from past to present, and while in the present it switches between Amir's perspective and his families while they are undergoing an interrogation in the airport. I think having the different family perspectives helped tie the story together and give further background, so I enjoyed that aspect.

Overall, I think my main issue with the storyline, was that it just didn't feel like it was brought to it's full potential. There were so many missed opportunities, and the characters could have been developed a bit further to where the reader was able to connect a bit more.

I definitely think many will enjoy this book and I recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary YA or LGBTQIA books!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Teen for providing me this opportunity!

This book did not deliver on its premise and eventually I had to put it down.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I wish it were different.

3.5/5
Amir has been planning his coming out for a long time, but when someone at school blackmails Amir with a photo of him kissing another boy, his plans are spoiled. The perpetrator gives him until graduation to give him the money he wants. When Amir can’t manage to get the money together in time, he makes a break for it and, after a hasty decision, ends up in Rome. While finding his way in Rome, Amir has the summer of his life and discovers more about himself than he ever thought possible along the way.

The main character we follow in this book is Amir Azadi. He’s smart, funny, and also a little awkward at times. He was definitely likeable from the very beginning, and grew on me throughout the book. I loved seeing him grow and become himself as the book progressed. I will say there were some pretty questionable choices Amir made toward the end of the book. I wouldn’t mind this since everyone makes mistakes, however he never really faced them. That kind of ruined his image in my opinion, so that was pretty disappointing.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. It was a really quick and entertaining read, but it didn’t have as much depth as I would have wanted. I also feel like a lot of things were left unresolved, but that could be how the story is intended to be told.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

In this new release, we see Amir coming to terms with his sexuality. Raised in a conservative home that identifies as culturally Muslim, Amir has kept his sexual identify of being gay a secret. In his new town, he begins a relationship with a boy from school who is also keeping his sexual identity secret. Amir is already teased and picked on for his ethnic identify, so when the school bully realizes that Amir is gay, he sets out to blackmail him.

Amir quickly becomes depressed and desperate for a solution. Rather than coming out to his parents, he decides to skip graduation and literally run away from his problems. Amir lands in Italy and finds himself in a group of gay young men, who not only accept his identity but cheer him on and support him. Amir is able to live openly gay for the first time, but even then, he isn't completely honest about his situation at home.

This novel explores the tensions, fears and stress that teens with multiple identities that are the white, cis-gender narrative experience. While blackmail and escaping to Italy may not be happen to everyone in Amir's situation - this novel really explores the real fear that many teens face in coming out to their families and communities, as well as the tension of not fitting in fully in either community.

I appreciated the authors exploration of the multiple identities Amir struggles with and accepting your own identity. Since I am not Persian, Italian or Gay - I am not sure how accurate these portrayals are and would be interested in some own voice reviews. At minimum, I was grateful to see some representation of a Muslim gay teen even though I don't think the religious aspect of Amir's identity was explored much. It reminded me of being raised in a nominal religious home, where a religion is identified but for the teen is is really just cultural and not a personal faith perspective.

Additionally, this novel is set with the Muslim family being in separate interrogation rooms due to an altercation that they had on the plane ride home from Europe - addressing the very real racism in our country towards those who identify as Middle Eastern in a post-9/11 society. Again, this isn't my identity so not sure how accurate this was versus a stereotype.

I would have liked to explore more around one of the older characters sexually exploiting Amir as I think this was thrown in but not explored as much as it could have been, especially given Amir's young age.

Lots of great issues presented, but I would have liked a little more depth to this novel.

Nobody is at their best on an airplane - it’s tight quarters, the temperature is never quite right, and you’ve had to deal with the hassle of the airport for at least an hour or two before you even get on the plane. Add in an overseas flight and family tension, it’s a recipe for disaster, particularly if the family is Iranian on a flight to the United States. Amir Azadi and his family were on the plane back to the United States from Italy when their family drama became the plane’s drama, and now the only way out is for Amir to explain the past month to the US Customs officer. Amir was blackmailed by a classmate who threatened to out him at graduation, and he couldn’t get all the money his classmate demanded in time. Instead of going to graduation, Amir gets on a plane to New York City, and then from New York City to Rome. In Rome, he finds new friends and a new understanding of what it means to be himself.

This is a fast, fun read, though it does occasionally feel rushed. Amir is a likeable, genuine character, even when I didn’t agree with some of his decisions. The story of Amir’s time in Italy is punctuated with his family’s statements to customs officers at the airport, providing additional perspective. The family is divided up for questioning, with Amir and his father in their own rooms, and his mother and sister together, and each member of the family has a very different reaction to the process as well as the story.

I’d recommend this for realistic fiction YA fans, especially those looking for a story where the coming-of-age narrative isn’t about the beginning or devastating end of a first love. Amir’s sexuality is at the center of this story, but so is his identity as an Iranian-American. There’s romance and fun, but it’s more about Amir and his relationship with his own identity.

*I received an e-ARC from Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an honest review.*

How It All Blew Up follows Amir Azadi as he runs away to Rome to avoid dealing with the backlash of coming out to his traditional Muslim parents. Once in Rome he makes new friends that help him become the person he’s always wanted to be. To be free and live his life openly. Of course his past catches up with him and it ends with him and his family being interrogated by US Customs officials.

This book is interesting in that it starts at the end and works its way around full circle. You learn why Amir ended up in Rome and the adventures he has there. Finally ending with what happened to bring his family to the interrogation rooms.

I really enjoyed Amir as a character. You could feel his pain and revel in his joy. The author did a wonderful job bringing him to life and allowing you to take this journey with him. Plus Rome as a setting was fantastic.

My only complaint is the book ended so abruptly. I would have liked a more fleshed out ending, but maybe it was a set up for a sequel. Either way it’s a quick read that is at times both hilarious and sad.
How It All Blew Up is available now wherever books are sold.

Amir's voice is unique and strong throughout the novel. I loved reading this book so much, the growth that happens and the conversations that take place are very important. I liked the back and forth between the current time and when Amir was in Rome.

"It's hard enough living one life; no one should have to go through the trouble of living two."

How It All Blew Up is a great coming of age story by Arvin Ahmadi about high school senior, Amir.  Amir is gay and Muslim, but his family doesn't know.  To keep them from finding out, he runs away on graduation day...to Rome. On the journey of a lifetime, Amir ends up finding himself, friends he can call family and a new outlook. Told in first person in an interrogation room, with some short alternating viewpoints from his parents and sister, this story unfurls in an extremely readable fashion. Throw in some amazing references to Nina Simone and Mean Girls, and I couldn't put this book down, reading it in its entirety in a few hours.  I could picture this becoming a Netflix movie or series one day.

Disclaimer: The quoted text is from an uncorrected proof of this book that I received from Penguin Teen and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi // ⭐️⭐️⭐️

CW: LGBTQ+ character outed by others, homophobia

How It All Blew Up tells the story of Amir Azadi, an Iranian-American teen who, due to fear of being outed to his traditional family by his classmate, skips his high school graduate and flees on an impromptu trip to Rome. From there, Amir stumbles into a group of gay men who take him under his wing as he tries to figure out where his life is headed and how to truly be himself.

❤️ Likes:
* #ownvoices storytelling
* Diverse main character
* LGBTQ+ story
* Setting the story in Rome
* Amir’s personal journey of self-acceptance
* Amir’s hilarious little sister, Soraya, and the family dynamics in general
* Interesting storytelling structure and narrative framing

💔 Dislikes:
* A lot of plot conveniences
* Some unrealistic plot elements
* Some of the characters in Rome lacked depth or were a bit cliché

Overall, it wasn’t one of my favorites but an enjoyable read for fans of LGBTQ+ YA fiction.

18 year old Amir Azadi always knew coming out to his Muslim family would be messy - he just didn't think it would end in an airport interrogation room. But when faced with a failed relationship, bullies, and blackmail, running away to Rome is his only option. Right?

A thing: as someone in the queer community, this book desperately made me want to run away to Rome to make my own queer found-family. If only...

How It All Blew Up made me sob at 2 in the morning when no one was even awake to rant to. It is so brutally honest and raw and heart-wrenching; it touches on so many important topics -- homophobia, coming out, prejudice, Islamophobia, the fact that not everything is black and white. That last chapter in particular really just took me out to the backyard and slammed me over the head with a brick.

But, of course, among the tears were bucketfuls of joy. The humor is impeccable and had me laughing obscenely at all hours of the night. All the quips and one-liners had me grinning like a fool. And guys... the nipple story. Oh, my God. No spoilers, of course, but... I cannot stop thinking about the nipple story.

I adored Amir as a main character, and I was utterly impressed with how Ahmadi presents him. In YA fiction, it often happens that our protagonists sound like they're in their mid-30s rather than late teens. That is not the case here: Amir is 18, and his thoughts and dialogue and actions reflect that, and I loved it. All of the characters were wonderfully distinct and unique and fun. I honestly loved all of them.

How It All Blew Up is a necessary edition to your shelf; you'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll spend an hour convincing yourself that purchasing a plane ticket to Rome just to feel closer to the character is not worth it... (but what if it is?)

How It All Blew Up follows a young gay man, Amir, who "runs away" to avoid having his sexuality outted to his Muslim family by a blackmailing peer. This novel was a huge disappointment. I believe the intention was a "feel-good" story about accepting yourself and being proud of you who are when others may not approve. What we are left with is a rushed story with plot holes, undeveloped characters, and stereotypes galore! Italians have far more culture than pasta eating and Vespa driving. Every character seems to have deeply flawed relationships, which is not only unrealistic, it's deeply unsettling. We are led to believe that Amir is scared of having his parents know his sexuality because they are Muslim, but there is little to no representation of the practicing Muslim family and it's left to be very ambiguous.
I feel like I have read better LGBTQ+ books out there that support the same idea of acceptance with a complete story. This one just did not do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.