i really wanted to adore this book but it kinda fell flat :( i don’t know where it went wrong; as a muslim myself i just didn’t really resonate with it sadly. still really liked the prose though.

I really wanted to get into this book, even setting it down several times to get in the right headspace, because I know it's a very important read. However, I just wasn't clicking with it for some reason, it just wasn't leaving me hooked like I hoped it would.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Sarah Mughal Rana for the opportunity to read Hope Ablaze in exchange for an honest review.

Hope Ablaze follows Nida, a Muslim-American in her senior year of high school looking to go to a great college. She cares about her heritage and religion, and she has a gift for poetry, where her voice shines. Her uncle is in prison for terrorism crimes, though they are false accusations, a misinterpretation of meaning in his own poetry that people who are not of Muslim faith may never be able to understand. Nida uses her poetry to share her views, while also working with a local law group to try and exonerate her uncle (it very much reminds me of the Exonerated Five, as they are referenced as the Jihad Six and are likely all being wrongly accused.)

In Nida's city, and a post 9/11 world, Islamophobia is present, and people in the Muslim community must be very careful. With a new Democrat running for Senator, there might be some hope. That is, until Nida opens her prayer rug in a park and the police say she is "suspicious," frisking her and even removing her hijab. This causes an uproar in her community, as well as going to her journal to write a poem about the experience. When said poem is makes national news for a contest that someone entered her in without her knowledge, it causes even more turmoil for Nida, her family, and her community, especially with the running Senator aiming to sue and slander.

This novel is truly powerful. Right now I teach Punching the Air in my English 10 class, and it is a huge success, but as I read Hope Ablaze, my mind jumps to these possible discussions that I think my student population would also enjoy. There needs to be more books available to students about the Muslim-American experience, especially because of the very reasons that Nida shows through her perspective. Post 9/11, a lot of people will look at someone in a hijab and immediately judge, as if an entire group of people could be lumped together as one. This is, of course, not the case. Reading about a perspective different than one's own helps open the mind and offer new insights into the world we live in.

Hope Ablaze is such an amazing, well-written novel with a blend of eloquent prose and thoughtful poetry that addresses family, friendship, religion, and politics. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to get some insight into the Muslim-American experience and see what life is like for a teenager who lives in an Islamic community within the United States.

Spoilers below!!

Living in a post-9/11 and post-Muslim ban in America, Muslim teen Nida is the niece of a local, well-known poet wrongly detained for his critical poetry. Nida pens her own epistolary poems about the injustice she goes through after she’s illegally frisked by the police guarding a politician on his campaign, who only cares about getting the Muslim vote and not the anti-Islam sentiment he and his opponent both favors. Until someone publicizes her poetry and her life spirals in ways she never thought possible.

As a South Asian Muslim, I felt seen and heard through this story and Nida’s poetry, and I wish books like these existed over two decades ago. And we’re long overdue when it comes to positive portrayals of Muslims in media, especially books. I loved how unapologetic this book is, including the main character. For trigger/content warnings: swearing and foul language (could’ve been left out), Islamophobia/anti-Islam, mentions of rape and violence in the context of history experienced by South Asians during the British Partition of the subcontinent.

Unfortunately, I thought this book would be a novel-in-verse, as "The Poet X" is a comp, but "Hope Ablaze" is not. Because many of the characters, setting, and plot were underdeveloped while trying to tackle many things at once, I think this book would’ve been better had it been a novel-in-verse, with Muslim editors familiar with poetry (or at least a Muslim sensitivity reader familiar with developmental editing). There were also some practices mentioned that are not Islamic but cultural (such as Eid-Milad-un-Nabi, which is not a holiday in Islam and the touching of goats to remove evil eye) that could’ve been clarified in the text but wasn’t, including the free-mixing of genders in the masjid, and how her close friend is a Muslim boy (for someone who practices Islam and knows a lot about ahadith, this seemed out of character for Nida, and it would’ve been better had this friend been a girl, who also shares her poetry passion, which was disappointing since she didn’t have anyone outside her family who knew of her poetry—and since there is no romance in this novel, it also didn’t make sense to have her close friend be a boy).

If sticking with the novel form, then the poems also could’ve been more polished (unless the intention was to show how this is her poetry in its raw, first draft form?). There are parts that felt repeated, things we already knew as the reader, so they didn’t need to be brought back up, which dragged the story. The mentions of real-world brands like Nike and McDonalds (as Nida is a consumer of these brands), which support the current apartheid and holocaust of Palestine, left a disgusting aftertaste, especially since McDonalds is not halal in the west (also this book came out AFTER the ongoing atrocities in Palestine, yet none of it was mentioned in the story, which is extremely suspicious for a story calling out the injustices of Muslims since the majority of Palestinians are Muslims). Also, I didn't like the message of voting for the "lesser of two evils" which implies Nida voted for the VERY MAN who had her illegally frisked and publicly humiliated and should've noted there are other options, like not voting for non-Muslims (as some scholars say it's not allowed in Islam) or voting for a third candidate.

One aspect of the story many readers will find jarring is the "magical realism" part of the plot, which felt out of place given the contemporary nature and context of the story. This could’ve been handled better if the story established Nida as having vivid hallucinations manifesting as a child when her uncle was arrested, which would make that aspect of the story more understandable, similar to the way it was handled in "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow," as well as the dream state she enters, which, given how it was written, blurs the line between metaphor and reality as experienced by Nida.

I really liked the relationship she has with her uncle, as well as the tenuous bond with her mother, as they were the strongest points of the story, and many Asian daughters will relate.

Overall, I think this book does well to bring awareness to the injustices and hate Muslims currently face not only in the west but around the world, and we as conscious, moral human beings should raise our voices and our pens against them.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC of this book.

I started reading this ebook about a year ago, but at 22% I had to DNF because I just couldn’t finish it. I was having a hard time getting into it, I never wanted to pick it up. It was rough.

The library recently got the audio, so I decided to give that a try. The narrator did their best with the content that they had and while it helped, and I did finish it, it was the longest 10 hours sped up to 2.5x.

The issue is the writing just isn’t great. The story is slow, it drags, it’s unnecessarily repetitive. The focus is on the main characters poetry and her writing and she’s supposed to be a fantastic poet, winning awards. But if that’s the case…the poetry written for the novel needs to be at the highest level. And it just continuously falls flat. The Poet X this is very much not.

Many of the characters feel like faceless people, just saying dialogue that also was not well written. Every adult in this was horrible. The story is sluggish. Our main character doesn’t really grow. There was a random magical realism aspect near the end that I tuned out of.

I think there was a lot of possibility here, but without strong writing and editing, it just didn’t make the impact it was trying to, which is unfortunate.

Thank you @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This review was previously withheld in line with the Speak Up SMP boycott.

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana is about Nida, a Muslim teen in a post-9/11 America, struggling to find her voice while navigating pressure from her family, neighbors, friends, and community. She ties herself in knots trying to figure out who she is instead of who her mom wants her to be or who her uncle says she is.

It’s an incredibly relevant story to today’s societal & political landscape as it deals with Islamophobia, xenophobia, censorship, religious extremism, and the illusion of choice in our two-party system. Not to mention how it handles generational trauma and the pressure of living up to a legacy.

It was a hard read at times but it really made me sit with my emotions & white privilege because even though I am reading a fictional story, the events that occur are events that happen to real people in real life, and they are things that I will never have to experience. Calling yourself an ally and being an ally are two different things and unless you’re listening to the affected community, you can’t call yourself an ally. (A lesson hard learned by one of Nida’s white friends)

Hope Ablaze is a stunning debut that puts you through a roller coaster of emotions. An absolute must-read.

Nida is a poet and activist in her community, but when her poetry wins a contest, she is unexpectedly thrust onto the national stage. She is the victim of hateful rhetoric and worries about how it will affect her family and community. She finds herself doubting her voice and her ability to write her poetry.

I thought this story was so well written and the poetry throughout very moving. I love that Nida found her way back to poetry and her voice again as she continued to fight against those trying to bring her down.

Love Sarah's writing, it's witty and fun while dealing with important, sensitive topics and damn is the politics sooo good and quite frankly helped me understand how Nida felt. I like books that make me think and also look at our world. I like learning from a book. I really enjoyed this book. I cracked up so much in the beginning with the evil eye and goat scene and the wit carries on. Also, Sarah's writing is accessible and easy to read.

Hope Ablaze is a strong and emotional story about standing up for what is right. The characters feel real, and the writing is beautiful. I recommend this book to anyone.

This was a strong, fierce, and heart wrenching. I really enjoyed the characters, the parallels with poetry, and the advocacy the main character engaged in throughout the book. This provided an accurate portrayal of how Islamophobia infiltrateseven liberal spaces.

This was a truly fantastic debut! I am so glad I got a chance to reed it this year! I wasn't really sure what to expect, not having read the synopsis, but I was truly blown away by the writing and the story. Nida is a teenage girl living in a post 9-11 world. She is also a poet and an activist in her community. When her poetry is submitted to a national competition and goes viral, Nida is thrust into an uncertain world in which she is faced with Islamophobia at every turn. Her new visibility brings the government and the media to her door and a new narrative is being formed around her and her family. I truly loved that her community stands by her through everything and she has such a strong bond with those around her that she can lean on. I love how her relationship with her family develops as she learns more about her mother and her hopes and fears for her children. The poetry in this book is a true standout. It is so well written and along with the overall prose, the lyrical quality to the writing adds so much to the story. I really loved reading Nida's story and I loved the way her character is developed throughout. This book is extremely topical and I this everyone should read it. I cannot wait to read more from Sarah Mughal Rana.

I didn’t think I was going to love this book, but I really did. It’s not my typical type of read, but it was a really good one! I would recommend!

Hope Ablaze is a powerful and uplifting story of resilience and courage, with compelling characters and vivid storytelling that keeps you invested. A beautifully written journey of hope and triumph!

I was really excited to read this book when I first heard about it. I still think it's important that this book exists to challenge Islamophobia, and to give voice to so many Muslim teens out there, who feel voiceless and powerless. I appreciated the Muslim representation, specifically Nida's attachment to her hijab.

But this book has a lot of issues as well.

Look, I'm a fairly logical reader. It's not that I set out to poke holes into every story, but sometimes they're so blatant that I can't not notice them, and that was sadly the case here. Throughout the book, regular chapters are interspersed with some of Nida's poetry about the things that are happening to her. I thought it was too much poetry, but that's my personal preference, and not something I count against the book. A big part of the plot is how Nida loses the ability to write poetry, and thereby loses her voice. But the poetry continues. And it's not old poems, because they're all relevant to where the plot is at that point. But Nida can't write them.

There's also a kind of weird magical realism element, which honestly wasn't necessary, but also not really an issue, until the author uses it to conveniently allow Nida to see the past, give us a history lesson, show her exactly what happened to her family before she was born, so she could then use this information to talk to her mother.

I think the part that annoyed me the most was how the author chose to wrap this up, and the message that they will still vote for the Islamophobic politician, because the other choice is worse! And I don't think that's the lesson I want teenagers to learn, because there are other options. I am not American, but I asked an American friend a few questions about how elections work, and granted, it's a complicated system. I don't remember what state this takes place in, and even if I did, I wouldn't know what laws apply in this state. But there could have been an independent candidate as a third option. There could have been a write-in campaign as a show of protest. There could have literally been any other message to teenagers, in 2024, when we are seeing a live genocide, than "vote for the bad guy anyway because the other guy is worse".

A very eye opening look into post 9/11 America from a Muslim point of view. The author approached the event with care and her storytelling for a debut novel was phenomenal. I felt a visceral reaction to what the FMC and her family had to endure. It forced me to reflect on what I’m seeing in the news. Overall I want to read it again and take notes.

Hope Ablaze is a bold, heartfelt debut that tackles weighty themes of racism, Islamophobia, and the brokenness of political systems, woven into a coming-of-age story steeped in Pakistani culture and Islamic faith. Sarah Mughal Rana’s voice is genuine and determined, delivering a narrative that resonates with the current social climate while addressing deep, systemic issues.

The story centers on Nida, a young poet living in the shadow of her celebrated uncle, whose wrongful incarceration looms large over her family and community. When an unjust incident at a political rally leads her to write a fiery poem, Nida’s quiet life is upended as her words go viral and thrust her into the public eye. As she grapples with her unexpected fame, Nida finds herself at a crossroads between family expectations, cultural identity, and her own evolving sense of self.

Rana shines in her portrayal of Nida’s home life, filled with the richness of culture, family, and food. The inclusion of poetry throughout the narrative adds depth and emotion, reflecting Nida’s growth and her struggle to reclaim her voice.

While the novel doesn’t fully succeed in balancing its ambitious themes, it deserves praise for its courage in confronting racism and Islamophobia with unflinching honesty. Some moments, like the assault Nida experiences early in the book, are powerful and visceral, but the story doesn’t always maintain that momentum. The pacing feels uneven at times, with some sections dragging despite the weight of the narrative’s topics.

Nevertheless, Hope Ablaze is an important and timely novel. It celebrates the strength of community and culture while highlighting the resilience of a young woman learning to find her place in the world. Rana’s ability to weave social commentary with deeply personal storytelling marks her as a promising voice in young adult literature.

Hope Abalze tells the story of Nida who uses her poetry to express her feelings about what she is going through and the things happening around her. She comes from a long line of poets, but her family members have stopped sharing or even writing poetry because it can be dangerous and they want to protect the people they love. Nida uses her poetry though and when it is shared without her knowing it leads to trouble with an elected official's campaign and has many more repercussions that come with it. She struggles to deal with these repercussions and we see that through the story from the hardships she goes through and what her family and community go through as well. This book was eye-opening and made me think more outside of my community and how just one little thing can get blown out of proportion in the media. We've been seeing a lot recently with how one little thing becomes a week-long story in the news. It's a lot and it is a good reminder to take a step back and look at what really matters and the people that are being potentially harmed because of these stories.

- Friendship and Family
- Poetry
- Faith
-Misunderstanding

3.5 stars

I was expecting a heart-breaking, tear-jerking book and while it made me tear up a little it didn't deliver like I hoped. I chose to read Hope Ablaze because of the comparison with The Poet X, and while it came close to it, and had some poems that were so thought-provoking, I didn't enjoyed it as much.

Following the aftermath of 9/11 and the rise of islamophobia this book made me so angry for both the protagonist and her family, especially with the political climate nowadays this book feels so relevant, my issues come with the magical realism, and the rituals that were in the story, in my opinion it took some of the seriousness of what was happening, the story was already giving so this just felt unnecessary and disrupted the flow of the story.

Still, I think this is a book that while it is not one of my favorites I would still recommend.

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange of a honest review.

This book was heart wrenching and such an accurate portrayal of being Muslim in the western world. Having your words used against you, being the victim of profiling and having to vote for the "lesser evil" are all aspects Muslims can relate to. Sarah's debut was fantastic and I can't wait to see what she puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

This was an enchanting and an eye opening read. The writing was so beautiful.