This book was NOT what I expected from the description or cover. With phrases like “comic novel” and “hysterically funny,” I thought I was in for something akin to Crazy Rich Asians. Instead, I got a gut-punching story of unwilling escapes, unlikely connections, and unearned forgiveness. There was indeed humor, but not hilarity; the jokes were self-conscious and sarcastic. And I would have liked to know that there were scenes of great violence and horrific abuse. That’s not to say I didn’t like the book, with its alternating first-person narrators and compelling plot. The dialogue is particularly good. (“‘You try to understand one other person and you learn to love. You try to understand many people and you become wise.’ ‘And if you try to understand everybody?’ ‘Then you become a poet, of course.’”). But the harrowing reading experience reminded me not to put too much stock in marketing descriptions.

Sometimes a book comes through your Netgalley feed that feels handpicked just for you. Syed Masood's The Bad Muslim Discount is just such a book for me. The story is told from the perspective of two Muslim immigrants, one who comes to America legitimately, and the other as an undocumented citizen.

Aanvar is a bad Muslim in his mind. He is a non-believer, surrounded by an over-zealous Mother and brother who adhere to Muslim faith and traditions without question.

Azza is a Muslim refugee, who has escaped death, and destruction in her country only to realize she has made a promise that will keep her as imprisoned in America as she was at home.

Told from both perspectives and beginning in their home countries before their journey to America, this riveting account shines a light on Muslim life in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a native of Fremont and former resident of San Francisco, I enjoyed the cultural and apt descriptions of my home town and it's populace.

Although there are many hard passages in this novel, it is told with a bit of detachment and includes enough humor that it balances the harsh facts of what many Muslim immigrants have experienced before setting foot in America. Strong female characters that will have you cheer each time they succeed as they rebel against the forced circumstances they find themselves in.

This book will no doubt fly off the shelves in November, and is a good choice for book groups.

Well written and engaging story about two Muslim young people, their families and experiences as immigrants / refugees in the USA. I was a bit hesitant when I requested access to read and review this book. I am 100% glad I did as it was very good. The multiple different story lines and themes were well integrated and played out. All of the characters were engaging, if not all fully likable. I learned a lot about Islam and the different Islamic cultures, since the story took place in multiple countries and cultures. I found the different views expressed by the different characters and their observance enlighten. Of most interest was the difference in views and living of Islam between the more secular, the observant and those desiring to take Islam back to what believe it was like in the early days. Very parallel to the differences in mainstream Christians and fundamentalist who what to do the same things. Parallels between what the characters experienced and what is happening in the USA today were well laid out. I would strongly recommend this book to all to understand a broader view of Islam than we get from some media and our present administration. This story is very translatable to the experiences immigrants and refugees form other countries and experiencing.

Anvar Faris and his family relocate to California from Pakistan when the government becomes increasingly fundamentalist in search of the American dream and a freedom to exist that his father read in the Declaration of Independence. In worn-torn Baghdad, Safwa is living with her conservative father who is becoming more and more fanatic and increasingly abusive. As their stories unfold they eventually lead to same apartment complex in San Francisco. Told with humor, sarcasm, and a critical look at religious identity this story is simultaneously humorous and intense.

Anvar and Safwa might be from different parts of the world, their outlooks shaped by different worldviews, but their paths intersect in California when Safwa’s fractured past begins to catch up with her. The smartass lawyer Anvar, who veers dangerously close to being just plain cocky, must figure out how American ideals apply in his client’s most trying circumstances. Sprinkled with plenty of masala, and a voice-y attitude in Anvar, this is a rollicking tale that is both entertaining and wise. Pot-bellied uncles, hysterical moms, jazz-loving Dads, the story has all the ingredients for a heartwarming if formulaic Bollywood-style blockbuster.

This was an excellent story that really depicted the various paths that people may take in coming to America, as well as what happens when they arrive. Really enjoyed the characters and the rich storytelling.

Admittedly, I was one of the many readers who went into this expecting something more light and humorous. This assumption was purely based on the cover (didn't listen to the old adage, apparently).

While there's funny moments scattered throughout the book (particularly from Anvar, a former lawyer and one of the protagonists), Masood has crafted a deep, compelling, and often devastating story featuring voices that are not traditionally heard. My heart broke repeatedly for Azza, who came to the US from Afghanistan with her abusive father and ill-intentioned "fiance." While Azza's strength is apparent in how she deals with the tragedies that are lobbed at her, it was hard not to compare her struggles to the lesser ones of Anvar, who came to the US from Pakistan when he was younger.

All of this is a testament to a strong piece of #ownvoices writing in which Masood skillfully portrays the uniqueness within the Muslim community, highlighting bad Muslims, pious Muslims, and those in the middle. Without giving anything away, it's a fast-paced ride of a book toward the end.

I really enjoyed this novel about modern Muslin life, mostly in the US. Anvar's Pakistani family emigrates to the US when he's a child, and he grows up in the shadow of his pious, seemingly-perfect older brother. Smart, cynical, and realistic, Anvar tries to avoid anything that might cause him to feel too deeply, but when he's drawn into the lives of two women of very different backgrounds and temperaments, he suddenly finds himself developing an emotional repertoire far larger than he had ever suspected he had. Zaha,Anvar's first love, is a smart woman with wide-ranging interests and tastes; Safwa, who grew up in misery in Pakistan and has arrived in the US on false pretenses. Safwa is tough and determined, and Anvar' must learn to understand and advocate for his own desires as he seeks to help her survive the brutality of her father and the man who brought them to the States,

Wonderfully written, with clarity and depth, this is a perfect book for book clubs and groups, and anyone interested in glimpsing a slice of Muslim life in the US, understanding the results of unjust wars and violence, and reading a book that offers humor and pathos and beauty and horror as part of the wide world.

Thank you to @doubledaybooks via @netgalley for a copy of this book that will be out November 17, 2020. It was amazing! The cover alludes to the humor and witty writing that is in this novel and completely lives up to it. It follows Anvar and his family leaving Pakistan and moving and then living in America and at the same time you read about Safwa’s same journey leaving Baghdad and coming to America. You see the stark differences in regards to their lives and then how they intertwine. If dives into family dynamics, community affairs, religion (who is a “bad” vs “good” Muslim), man vs. woman expectations, love, immigration, and really just finding yourself and being the authentic you. This was a heart breaking as well as heart warming debut novel where laughter and skillful writing brings you into this world that you cannot wait to see what happens next. I so look forward to the author’s next novel as this was just fabulous. Posted on Instagram @carolinehoppereads and Goodreads.

Syed M. Masood's 'The Bad Muslim Discount' is like a really good expensive, single-origin piece of chocolate. Brightly layered notes of sweetness are tempered with deep, melancholy tones that are just the right balance of bitter and delightfully surprising. It left me with a pleasantly nuanced, lingering aftertaste and it's easily the best book I have read all year, if not this decade! This brilliant #ownvoices book follows two Muslim immigrant families, whose lives intersect in California and are forever changed by this encounter.

As a Pakistani-American Muslim myself, I love seeing the variety of character representation TBMD is bringing to Muslim #ownvoices. Within the same story, Masood portrays a vibrant array of characters, from "bad" Muslims, to devout Muslims and several who fall in-between. It's the story of love, and loss, and learning to find one's place in the world and honestly, the author's artfully crafted prose and hilarious, and heart-wrenching, dialogue makes me wish I could give this book 10 stars! It's a win for diverse books, but it's also just a REALLY good contemporary fiction that delivers a fierce, unapologetic mirror to all of humanity, Muslim or not.

Cancel your plans this weekend (not that you had any plans, because quarantine, right?), and read this book now. Netgalley has it, or you can (impatiently) wait till it's out in November this year (which I obviously couldn't do).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3458966273?book_show_action=false

"I wasn't attacked because I was Muslim, I was attacked because I wasn't Muslim enough."
With The Bad Muslim Discount, Masood brings up the pressures Muslim-Americans face within their own community when they don't live up to arbitrarily enforced standards. Although a similar theme to his genius YA rom-com More Than Just a Pretty Face, The Bad Muslim Discount reflects a more serious and stark Muslim society.
I continued to read the novel because of the female protagonist AZZA and I hope to read more unique and essential voices like hers in future stories.

Thank you for the ARC.

I like the idea of historical fiction set in the 90' Plot is quite complicated but still easy to follow. I didn't like all the characters and their backstory but they've added more layers to the story. I admired the writing and the plotline.

This book follows the stories of Anvar and Safwa, both immigrants to the United States but in very different ways. How these two stories intertwine is the basis of the book.
I can't say much more without giving away anything, I will say though, from the synopsis of the book, I was expecting a fairly light-hearted, fun read. This was definitely not that. There were some light-hearted parts, but overall, it dealt with serious issues.
I loved all the characters, I felt they were well developed had such depth. There were times when I felt bad for them, and times when I wanted to scream at them for their behavior and choices.
After several slow paced books, it was nice to have something I couldn't put down. The story kept me wanting more and the end, I feel, was nicely done. There were several quotes from the book that I highlighted, but this was probably my favorite, especially considering the current times:
" America is still the most powerful nation in the world. So why are it's people so terrified all the time?"....
" We live on stolen land," I finally said, "in a country built on slavery and reliant on the continued economic exploitation of other people. The oppressor always lives in fear of the oppressed. Americans have always been afraid, first of people native to this continent, then of black men, and of the innocent Japanese citizens they interned and now of Muslims and immigrants. So the real question, I think, is who is next?"

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I think I loved the story. It was hilarious and relatable. I happened to read during the Eid festival and totally made sense. I haven’t read many Muslim culture related books and therefore have only vague idea about what it is to belong to a Muslim family in a non- Muslim country. This is the first time am reading something written by this author and am looking forward to reading more from him.

I was surprised to have enjoyed this book as much as I did. It seemed like it would be fairly straightforward, yet it actually revealed a lot of depth and exploration of difficult issues around faith, belonging, justice, and more. The characters were endearing without being caricatures, with the exception of Safwa, who seemed unreachable in a purposeful way. The Bad Muslim Discount contained all the elements of a damn good story and delivered them in a highly readable way.

I loved this book!

I always have enjoyed reading books about other cultures. I feel like it broadens my perspective as a reader and opens my mind up to other parts of the world.

In Bad Muslim Discount, Masood details the experience of Muslim immigrants in America. The Bad Muslim Discount is keenly funny,astute, and observant.

Highly recommended!

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.
In this case, what drew me to the novel at first was the title. I don’t think I’ve read a novel before that dealt with the idea of being a “Bad Muslim” reminiscent of Roxane Gay’s Bad Feminist. I think the opening scene conveys the tenderness of Halaal without being heavy-handed. Our narrator tells us the story of killing his goat Mikey.
“I ran. I showered. I wept.”
Then his father explained that the real sacrifice people made when they ate animals wasn’t the money they paid for them, or the life of the animal, but the way they felt after killing something.
I felt like this scene conveyed an idea I hadn’t thought of before, and that to me, is what is most exciting about fiction.

The Bad Muslim Discount was a book I didn't know I had been waiting for. Following Anvar, whose family leaves Pakistan for California when he is a child, and Azza, who flees Iraq for Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and then enters America illegally as a young woman, this novel deftly examines two sides of the Muslim faith. Centered around the metaphor of life as a checkers game, both protagonists learn that there is no move without a counter-move, and no decision without repercussions. Written with almost lyrical prose, this novel kept me engaged and engrossed from the first moment. Author Masood focuses tightly on the character development of Anvar and Azza, but includes enough other supporting cast members to round out the storyline and help the reader empathize with the protagonists.