This was a really funny, compelling and interesting read. It is the story of two immigrant families in the US. Both move to make a better lives for themselves but the impetus is different. One moves, whole family intact as legal immigrants to have better chances. The other, daughter and Father, flee drone strikes in Iraq and are forced to make their way across the border illegally. It’s not a spoiler to say that people from the families become entwined and a fabulous, though in parts sad, story emerges. This book focuses on Islam, and the orthodoxy that sometimes exists for some Muslims. It examines the push and pull between what is reasonable to expect of people in terms of adherence to religious beliefs, hypocrisy, paranoia, bigotry, profiling, and the leveraging of faith to justify nefarious means. I would argue that most of these themes could apply to any religious organization that has a more extreme subset of individuals within it (so, all religions then). However, it was really interesting to read about them through the lens of Islam and to learn more about it. Anvar is a complicated and darkly comic narrator (I actually found him to be slightly annoying but all the characters in the book did too, so perhaps very compelling writing!), and I loved Azza and Zuha’s perspectives too. The choice to have young narrators and main characters, and to place them and their choices against the ways that older generations think about religion, was very interesting. It naturally called into question how religion should fit within life in the here and now and also the future, about what messages we should and should not take from it, and how it can unite but also divide at the both the individual and societal level.

A humorous, earnest story about what it is to be Muslim in America - the struggles Muslim individuals in the US face due to misconceptions and stereotypes and racism from outside their community, but also the pain that comes with never fully fitting the expectations within the community. Romantic and poetic, Syed Masood shows great promise as a storyteller.

**Please fix the marketing for this book. It is NOT hilarious***

This book was nothing like I expected. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though.

From the description (“Bad Muslim Discount is a hilarious, timely, and provocative comic novel about being Muslim immigrants in modern America”), I expected a light and funny book somewhat like the show “Fresh Off the Boat,” but for Muslim immigrants. You know, culture clash, a son who loves gansta rap, a mom who won’t let go of the old ways. Cue the hilarity.

However, what we actually get is a deeply insightful, often painful look into the experience of two Muslim families, one from Iraq and one from Pakistan, who came to America via two very different paths to create new lives for themselves. When their paths cross, a series of events is set off that ends with deadly and devastating consequences.

The book was actually quite good. The writing is sharp and observant, and often quite witty, but I wouldn’t describe this book as hilarious. Provocative, yes. Often skewering, yes. Comic, no. There is a ton to unpack here (religion, immigration, politics, old versus new), which would make it a great book club pick. I just wish the content had been better described so I didn’t spend the first third of the book wondering what I was missing.

The characters weren't always likeable and the book didn’t end how I wanted it to. Still, a great and timely read.

Also, can we take a moment to admire that fabulous cover? Gorgeous!

The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood is an #ownvoices novel needed in 2021. It's a story that shows the diversity of the Muslim community and the immigrant experience in America. It challenges the narrow categories of "good" or "bad" and aims for a deeper understanding of the humanity of the characters.

While the synopsis calls the book a "comic novel," the moments of humor are of the darker variety, so I would note that for readers. Still, it's one that would be well-placed on 2021 reading lists.

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

In my search for more Muslim stories I came across this book, the cover first caught my eye. When I looked it up it did not release yet and I couldn’t wait so I headed over to NetGally to see if I could get ARC. I really enjoyed the book at first I thought it will be stereotypical Muslim story but it wasn’t (except for Azza father.) I really enjoyed the humor, there were moments I laughed out loud. There were moments I connected with the story especially Anvar’s parents “parenting style” it reminded me of my parents. I definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait to get hard copy when it releases next month.

When I am looking for a debut novel, I always look for stories that will help me gain perspective on different types of people. I grew up in a household from the time I was a toddler with a Pakistani Muslim step dad, so sometimes I can relate maybe on a higher level to these types of stories than most white people can, but I also don't pretend that I know exactly how they feel, especially actual first generation immigrants so there is always something new I can learn, even in a culture I am familiar with. I absolutely loved this book. Parts of it were incredibly difficult to get through, not because it wasn't well written, because it was, but because of the content, but it was necessary to the story. We can't just brush over the challenges in life for the sake of a pretty novel wrapped up with a neat bow (I say this because I saw a review about this same novel being too difficult to read for sensitive readers. It is a story that needs to be told none the less). The main characters were all relatable, they were all fallible humans, struggling with living their lives, and that is something I think most adult people can relate to, even if not on the same drastic level as these characters. Anvar keep's the story moving as the character that ties everyone together and lightens things up with his humor which was much appreciated. I like that the story begins with Anvar in Pakistan and Safwa in Iraq during their earlier years. It really helps depict why the characters are the way they are. I thought this an excellent debut, and I look forward to more stories from the author in the future.

4 stars

This is a great - if necessarily dark - read.

I received and loved the arc for Masood's YA novel, _More Than Just a Pretty Face_, last year, and was thrilled to receive this arc shortly thereafter. Like its predecessor, this takes some very serious turns and highlights aspects of parent/child, religion/culture, and romantic relationships that feel real and intimate.

The juxtaposition between growing up in the U.S. and immigrating to the U.S. later in life is well displayed here, especially through Anvar's and Safwa's perspectives. For me, Anvar is particularly well drawn as a character who passively accepts, runs, etc. in the face of so much opportunity to choose differently. There is also a regular play between agency and fate throughout the novel that comes through in thought provoking ways.

It is particularly chilling to read about these characters' experiences in a fictionalized version of the horrifying "leadership" of the past four years, and I think this would have depressed me too much to read before knowing the results of the most recent election. What a dark time and a perfect encapsulation of just some of its fallout. Recommended -

The debut author that floored me in 2020 was Brit Bennett with her marvelous "The Vanishing Half." I suspect Syed Masood might fill that spot for me in 2021. This compelling story pulls in the reader through the fascinating and complicated lives of two immigrant families. Anvar is a young man transplanted as a teenager from Pakistan to San Francisco. His career as an attorney is floundering, as is his love life, when he meets Safwa, an arrival from Iraq. Her tormented life mostly consists of trying to find a way out of an impending forced marriage to a sadistic abuser. Both are fully realized characters, complex and flawed, as are the peripheral characters in the novel. Masood is a writer to watch, with fluid prose, realistic storytelling, and just the right balance of tragedy and comedy. Take a break from our culture's onslaught of stereotypes surrounding Muslims and dive into this masterful debut.

I was really excited to review this book because I really enjoyed Syed Masood's first book, More Than Just a Pretty Face. However, after a simple google search, I saw many Muslim reviewers express disappointment in that book. After reading those responses, I was hoping to not see the same stereotypes repeated and emphasized in this book, especially because this is Masood's adult debut. Unfortunately, I was really confused about the premise of this book from the very beginning. In More Than Just a Pretty Face, the plot is relatively easy to follow and the characters are really relatable, however, in this book, there are alternating points of view. I was really lost at which character was which, especially because there are few distinctions between each of their families. There is the trope of forbidden romance, but I'm honestly tired of seeing the forbidden romance trope in South Asian novels. There are also mentions of an overprotective, overbearing family, an abusive and controlling father, a cowardly and weak mother, and the golden child of a sibling. I can name five South Asian books off the top of my head that have these same tropes that re enforce harmful stereotypes about brown people and make it harder for brown people to escape these stereotypes. I understand that sometimes these stereotypes are derived from cultural practices and were also re enforced by colonialization, but it was bothersome to see the characters placed into their socially prescribed roles of conversative father and submissive mother. As a South Asian woman, I am not in need of saving; I am not oppressed; my religion is not a barrier to my freedom or success; and this book kind of felt like it was telling me the opposite. Again, as a South Asian reviewer, I would really like to see more books that don't play into stereotypes. I did not end up finishing this book because I could not follow the plot and a new point of view was introduced halfway through but there was no backstory or introduction of that point of view. Overall, I was just really confused not only at the book, but also at why the author felt compelled to tell this story, why the characters played into stereotypes, why there was no plot, and what the title even means. Also, I think this book was especially disappointing because it was by a South Asian and it is #ownvoices.

I will start by saying that I am not a Muslim, a Pakistani, or an Iraqi; I found this to be a challenging read because of that. This may also be a better book for those who aren't right-wing Republicans!
I found that there was absolutely nothing at all humorous about this book and the synopsis was very misleading.

This book deals with many issues that Muslims deal with in their own countries -then it speaks of how certain Muslims are dealt with in the USA.

I honestly did not like any of the characters except for perhaps a few of the secondary characters.
I tried to feel empathy or sympathy, especially with Azz/Safwa, but I just couldn't. Then I found this quote:
Azza/Safwa- "But you Americans never think much about who may get hurt, as long as you get what you want." and found myself liking her even less since that is what she had been doing throughout this whole book.

I did learn a lot from this book, and I was curious enough to see how it ended, so that is what kept me from giving it a two-star review.

*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.

Syed Mansoor should quit his day job as a lawyer to keep turning out books like The Bad Muslim Discount. I am not a fan of comic novels, but this irreverent story of two families, one religious and one more secular, is a tragic story with hilarious moments, usually in the dialogue from the disappointing son, Anvar.

Anvar is from a family in Pakistan who decide to pack it up and move to America, where every man is created equal. Anvar is less than a serious student who becomes a lawyer but doesn't practice. Anvar's mother is deeply disappointed in him, and he avoids every opportunity she might have to verbalize her grievances with his life choices. Even as a result of doing something when his father must step in and have a harsh word with him, the punishment consists of eating a bubble gum ice cream cone, the flavor Anvar hates the most.



Anvar's best friend in school was a girl named Zuha, and though they drift apart in college, his heart is always holding out for her, the one who makes his life come alive with possibilities. When Zuha begins taking the Muslim religion a bit more seriously, the couple's path diverges, and Anvar's life is out of whack for ten years.



Azaa and her father, Abu Fahd, arrive in San Francisco from Iraq via Afghanistan. This family's story is a tragic one. Abu is an angry, violent man who takes out his anger on Azaa. They get involved with a neighbor, Qais Badami, who makes an evil deal involving Azaa to help get them to the US. Azaa becomes trapped between two men who are angry with the world, hate the Americans, and take it out on her. Thankfully, she meets Anvar, and the plot becomes interesting.



This comic novel quickly became a suspenseful page-turner, and I loved reading it. All the quirky characters livened up a story that included tragic events. The plot is entirely believable in our contemporary situation in the USA. I am grateful for the spin SMS gave the story. I hope he writes more about the immigrant experience, and I would love for this novel to have a screenplay adaptation.



Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of the book to be published in February.

A great escape into a different life book for anyone who isn't Muslim, or an immigrant. There are so many basic human feelings explored in this book that it is hard to separate yourself from the character at times. The family relationships will have you thinking about your own family dynamics. Defiantly worth reading.

This was a very enjoyable and humorous story about the immigrant Muslim community. Very well-written story with a wonderful cast of characters. I especially liked Naani Jaan, a very wise woman. I’m quite interested in reading Syed Masood first book as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

This is far more than a story about a young man who continually disappoints his parents. It is about how finding your way in a closely knit community when your views differ. It’s a book to make the reader think about religious expectations and the immigrant community. Anvar came with his family to America as a young teen from Pakistan. Not only does he struggle with normal acculturation, but his older brother seems to be perfect in the eyes of his Muslim parents. Anvar questions everything, including the Iman at the mosque. Another thread in the book introduces the reader to Safwa, a young Muslim woman from Afghanistan, who with her father illegally immigrates to the US. Two young Muslims raised in two different family and cultural settings eventually find their lives entwined as Safwa finds she can longer live the fearful shadow life her father and fiancé have planned for her. Insightful and humorous, Masood has written a book showing that when we stereotype a religion, we are doing a disservice to the faith and to individuals. Read slowly through the last quarter of the book, there’s much reflection on the Muslim culture and how to find your own voice.

This is a funny, warm, perceptive, edgy, and ultimately redemptive look at two very different characters and the community that shaped, and shapes, them. The voices are fresh and vital, and there is a thoughtful, insightful, or witty and clever, line on every page. Even passing characters will capture your attention, and the underlying sense of melancholy and wistfulness will only enhance your appreciation of this marvelous work. That said, there is edge and bitterness and sharply observed commentary here as well; this is a mature and unblinking piece of work. A seriously wonderful find in every way.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

I was fortunate enough to get a free advanced copy from Net Galley. I've had it sitting on my device for MONTHS but life has been just too crazy to allow me the time to read it. I finally started it this morning and was immediately drawn in. Masood's writing is effortlessly smooth. There is serious stuff written about with such a turn of phrase as to make it seem light. I'm nowhere near finished with it yet, but I was so relieved to have something (A) well-written, and (B) interesting to read I just had to share. I don't feel like I know the characters yet, but I feel like they are characters I really, want to get to know better.

The cover implies more a light read, but I’m grateful for that surprise. The Bad Muslim Discount shifts between two narrators, Azza and Anvar, navigating their lives in traditional Muslim families. The representation in this book is wonderfully done, showing a spectrum of characters with different relationships to faith and family. With Anvar, Masood presents the black sheep of a family, held in regard only for a single law case defending a Muslim man of he community. With Azza, the story of immigration to America is deepened by the promise of her free will to an abusive man. Most beautiful about this story is the way Masood carefully unfurls each protagonists journey closer and closer to their own personal freedoms, inside and outside of their cultural expectations. Definitely a book to add to the library.

I requested this book because it was touted as a "comic novel" and the cartoony-y cover drew me in... but as like they say, you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

I enjoy #ownvoices stories and I thought it would be nice to read a comedic Muslim story, versus some of the more serious stories I’ve read (and also enjoyed). This book was quite surprising. Yes, there was some comedy (mainly from Anvar's character), but it's more of a generational saga and exploration of characters kind of story.

The story is told from the alternating points of view of Anvar, our male protagonist and Safwa/Azza, our female protagonist.. For the the first half of the book. their stories run parallel to each other until they meet in San Francisco when they rent rooms from an awesomely astute landlord who gives discounts to Bad Muslims (and other "broken" people). Their stories span from the early 1990’s to November 2016 presidential election and its aftermath. Anvar is great –his sardonic wit, self-deprecating humor, and relationship with the wise Zuha Shah (his childhood sweetheart) offers good insight into the "modern" Muslim in America. In contrast, Azza's back story will make you cry. Masood takes great care not reduce these characters to stereotypes, however, and I love he develops each and every character and their interaction with one another.

Let’s talk about the writing: at first, I did not appreciate some of the history lessons injected into the early chapters of the story as it didn’t feel organic. It was akin to a character breaking the 4th wall and telling you as an aside, of the political goings-on in Iraq, the US, Pakistan, and the Soviet Union. BUT, I got used to it and it did fit the overall tone of the book. After that, I absolutely enjoyed the witty writing and the memorable quotes from the characters. Masood does a great job of conveying the saga of these two families without being maudlin, and a great job of conveying the different facets of the Muslim immigrant experience.

The Bad Muslim Discount is also a treatment on the Muslim faith and how it is internalized and interpreted by the various characters. Anvar – who can be described as a “lapsed Muslim and former lawyer” often questions his faith, and makes derisive comments to his family and Zuha. Zuha tries to develop her own relationship to the religion, and Azza wants to break from it all.

After marinating on it in a bit, I decided I really enjoyed this story. I loved how it all came together and I really enjoyed the author's writing style. And while the focus was on being Muslim in America, the real meat and potatoes of this story is personal relationships. I absolutely loved the landlord and his astute way of assessing a situation, I loved Zuha (booknerds unite!), Anvar's grandmother, and the notoble quotes. This book is great. and I recommend it. It's such a unique and memorable story.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for the ARC.

Writing: 4.5/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 4/5
An utterly engaging novel combining a coming-of-age story, a love story, and a story about the relationship one American Muslim has with his religion and community.

Anvar Faris is a sharp, wise-cracking, Pakistani immigrant who uses humor as a shield to protect his vulnerabilities and confusions. He questions his religion — his belief in God, the rigorous requirements of being a “good” Muslim, and most definitely the wrath of his mother who prefers moral to rational arguments. At heart, despite his apparent irreverence, he struggles to do the right thing in the messy human situations that pervade life.

I love the characters in this book — Anvar, the morality-wielding mother, the brother who always colors insides the lines, the fairy-godfather-like Hafeez who reserves his dilapidated apartments for “good Muslims” and has his own means of judging what is good, and Zuha — the woman Anvar has been in love with since childhood who struggles to get Anvar to see that she is living her own coming-of-age story that isn’t completely linked to his.

A separate thread follows Azza — a young woman growing up in war-torn Iraq who eventually makes her way to the U.S. and serves as a kind of catalyst for Anvar’s growth in self-knowledge. Azza is more of an exemplar of a situation than a nuanced individual but the moral choices she makes and the way she questions God about her fate as compared to the Americans she sees are pointed in addition to the part she plays in Anvar’s story.

Spanning 9/11 and the Trump election, the narrative explores multiple aspects of Islam on the global stage — from the radicalizing of the religion in response to “Allah’s punishment” for moral failures to the US execution (without trial) of an American citizen of Yemeni descent suspected of being a terrorist in Syria and beyond. I enjoyed the writing and have included several quotes below. Great character depth and another window into the lives of a community I know little about. As always, I appreciated the focus on individuals rather than stereotypes.

Quotes:
“As usual, Karachi was screaming at its inhabitants and they were screaming right back.”

“My mother preferred morality to rationality because it put God on her side.

“Aamir Faris, in short, uses dull crayons but he is relentlessly fastidious about coloring inside the lines.”

“Checkers is the game of life. Idiots will tell you that chess is, but it isn’t. That’s a game of war, Real life is like checkers. You try to make your way to where you need to go and to do it you’ve got to jump over people while they’re trying to jump over you and everyone is in each other’s way.”

“Muslims — our generation, in the West — are like the Frankenstein monster. We’re stapled and glued together, part West, part East. A little bit of Muslim here, a little bit of skeptic there. We put ourselves together as best we can and that makes us, not pretty, of course, but unique. Then we spend the rest of our lives looking for a mate. Someone who is like us. Except there is no one like us and we did that to ourselves.”

“My husband says that I’m the YouTube of tears. Always streaming, you know.”

“The moment that I took God out of the equation, the world became too large, too cruel and too indifferent for me to live in. I decided then that there was a God. There had to be. I needed Him.”

“Aamir’s chunky laptop hissed, shrieked and beeper its mechanical anxiety as the dial-up connection attempts to link it to the internet. The panicked sound a computer made in the early days of the internet, before cable and before wi-fi, was the swan song of solitude.”

Hurrah and at last, a story about relationships and family, culture and religion, community and the individual which is also set in the complex setting that is Muslim in America. This book is well written and filled with interesting and diverse characters. You care about what happens to these folks, worry about them, and strive to understand their worlds. Even as the reader should already perceive that sharing a religion is just one of the things that they all share in common, it feels that the author is taking not only the reader but also the characters to school to learn more about themselves, their motivations, their place in the wider world. I just wanted to continue to follow them (especially some of the secondary characters!)

I eagerly look forward to more from this author.