The Royal Abduls

What an important and enjoyable book. It deals with the complexities of family relationships, gender discrimination, and racial stereotypes, but in such a gentle and nuanced manner. Never preachy or whiny. No answers, just issues laid out in a way that will make you rethink what you think you know. I found Amina to be a sympathetic character and just want to give Omar a huge hug and tell him it will all be OK. The ending leaves you to fill in the blanks as you'd like, which is a treat and in no way unsatisfying. The writing was simple yet powerful and I had a hard time putting this down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

5 shining stars!

Ummmmmmm wow. This book was so good. Like, stop reading this review and go mark this as "t0-read" right this second good.

I'LL WAIT.

Ok now that you've done that, let me tell you more about how amazing this book was.

This is the story about an American-Indian family living in America four years after 9/11. The main characters of this story are Amina, a brilliant and self-isolating scientist who is not close to her family, and her nephew, Omar, a 12 year old boy trying to understand his family history, and who he wants to be. They develop a special bond, yet both still feel so lost and alone.

This story is truly heartbreaking. There's a lot of really heavy stuff that happens throughout the book and you'll find yourself rooting so hard for the characters but also so unsure of what you want them to do. It's very raw and real.

This is a story about family, racism, loss, decision-making, isolation and so much more. You will fall for characters, yet be so angry with them at times. You will be totally engrossed in the story of the Abdul family and not want it to end.

I should know, I sat my butt on the couch for seven hours and couldn't put this book down. I loved it so much. I think you will too.

A big thanks to Forest Avenue Press and NetGalley for the ARC and wanting my honest opinion!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #ForestAvenuePress for the advanced readers copy!

The Royal Abduls centers around the bond between Amina, an overthinking self sabotaging botanical scientist, and her nephew Omar, an lonely middle schooler outcast. Each brief chapter is narrated in turn by one of these two loveable if frustrating characters as they struggle to figure out the family's Indian heritage, Islamophobia, divorce and death.

What I loved the most was the way Koya was able to successfully navigate an eleven year old's innocent way of accumulating knowledge, showing the reader how Omar grows throughout the piece. The startling similarity between his thought process and thirty something year old Amina's is slowly revealed.

While the plot progresses in a steady, measured rate, the ending broke my heart completely and almost felt unreal. Regardless, this is a book that will make you laugh and cherish your family a little bit more.

Thank you to the author, Forest Avenue Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read, and much more nuanced than I was expecting. Yes, the disconnect between cultural and racial stereotypes being applied to those that know no other culture than the one trying to set them apart, was a big topic. But the emotional cost of human relationships, the gender issues involved in taking a different path than the expectations of others would put upon you, the hope of belonging and being happy... all a part of this family saga, and all done so well. Both of the main characters, Amina and her nephew Omar, are complex and so well-drawn - this is not necessarily the case for secondary characters, but these two carry the book. There are no easy, pat answers given, and the ending leaves things open - but still manages to satisfy. Highly recommended!

A moving story of family of Amina an Indian American scientist and her relationship with her American born nephew Omar.Omar who is so fascinated by his Indian heritage that he adopts an Indian accent.A book about America after nine eleven,A story that immediately involved me and gave me a lot to think about race in America.Areally wonderful read will be recommending.#netgalley#TheRoyalAbduls

I loved this book about an American/East Indian professor, Amina, who grew up in the US with Indian parents. The main characters were so beautifully written., I especially loved Omar, Amina's nephew. The book addresses post 9-11 racism and prejudice that non-white people continue to encounter on a daily basis. The stories of the characters and their attempts to connect and heal were heartbreaking and beautiful.

I received this book as a free ARC from NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.

This book really was just like dropping in on a family and seeing all of their meaty parts.

And by that I mean the parts we keep hidden away from everyone. Even from ourselves sometimes.

This, this feeling of dropping in, this intense caring that forms, can only be accomplished with rich character development, thoughtful dialogue and rich writing. This book has all of that. Several times while reading I found myself saying “hmph!” and “whoa” and “wow, that’s good.” I have to admit that I was neither interested in nor excited about the scientific parts of Amina’s life. But the fact that I wanted to keep going, that I could overlook the stuffy parts about something in which I was so uninterested speaks loudly to the author’s ability to keep her reader engaged and keep simmering a desire to delve deeper into the dynamics of this family—where no one knew, truly, how to love.

I could’ve kept reading for chapters and chapters.

Excellent work.

A book about people ,their dreams and their realities.The journey and relationship of Amina and Omar is engaging.A bit slow for my liking but worth reading.

This was a great story that followed Omar, a young teen trying to figure out his identity as an Indian-American, and his aunt, Amina, who is also trying to find her identity but within her own life. They journey together as Amina assists Omar and is there for him when his own parents seem to be losing their way. It was such a nice look into the lives of others who may be struggling with something similar.

This book is told from Amina and Omar's point of view and alternates back and forth very well. I really enjoyed how Ramiza Koya was able to construct the two narratives to coincide with each other but differ in their child and adult ways. It showed the deeper needs and confusions of each character and situation.

There was lots of heartbreak and emotion poured into this story. Without giving away spoilers, Ramiza Koya was able to drive the wedge of separation amidst a family even deeper. I was not expecting the turn, and it really filled out the book as a whole. (When you read it, you will understand what turns I am talking about and why I can't give more details!)

What I really loved about this novel was the author's way of making the reader understand the need for understanding one's identity and trying to make sense of the world around them. The characters were confused about their culture, love, family, future, and past. My heart went out to all of them and I wanted more than anything for them to be happy.

This book ended without wrapping up some of my biggest questions! It was one of those beautifully constructed and intensely frustrating endings. But it did give me hope for the characters and a desire to define my own identity.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Beautiful prose and great character development. I truly enjoyed the perspectives of Amina and Omar. I think that she was able to capture the inquisitive lonely nature of a little boy who is trying to find his place in the world. Growing up in an Indian household in the United States, I could completely relate to the struggles of the characters who are trying to retain their culture but still fit in. The post 9/11 perspective from a Muslim family is a voice that needs to be heard more. I also loved Prakash's character. Very few people in the US even know the difference between Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs. We are all just considered different. I am so sorry to know that this author is ill. She has so much talent and clearly has a wonderful voice and talent and I really would have enjoyed reading more of her work.

Amazingly good from a debut author . Well told. Taunt and emotional. As a woman who is considered a minority because I am not white I really empathized with the characters who don't know where they belong, don't fit in and are not wanted. Read this riveting book by an author I absolutely want to read more from. A must read. Happy reading!

Loved this look at an Indian-American family’s experience in the United States. Great character development and wonderfully written. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

This book was an emotional one for sure. Books about life during and right after 9/11 are always difficult and emotional, but this is the first one that I have read from the perspective an Indian family, and I know that is even more difficult. I can never pretend to understand what it was like to be seen as a terrorist just for the color of my skin, but my step dad (who was born and raised in Pakistan) and my husband (who is 1st generation Iranian American) can so I have heard these stories and heartbreaks first hand. The Royal Abduls packs a lot of emotional punches and had some pretty heavy content so it is not for the faint of heart, but for a reader who likes to gain perspective on other people's experiences, this book is for you. I did feel the ending was a little anti climatic and open ended, but the author obviously intended it to be so, I just like my stories to be neatly tied up at the end so I know how things turned out, but overall this was a beautifully written book.

What will you do if you have found that you're not accepted in your society because of your colour, religion, race, ancestors or even you name? What will you do if every member of your family expects more than you can do and blame you for not doing anything? What will you do if you lost people you loved most? What will you choose your career or your family?
You will face all these questions and you experience the answers in a great realistic manner of narration.
I really liked this novel as it touched my heart deeply and I do recommend it.

This was more heartbreaking than I thought it would be. Ramiza Shamoun Koya's use of the dual narrative (alternating third-person POV between Amina and her nephew Omar) works really well and gives the reader more insight into not only these two characters, but also the world around them. It was upsetting to see that the main interfaith/intercultural relationship (that of Omar's parents Marcy and Mo) fell apart in such an intense way, but in a way it served to highlight Omar's struggle with his identity and culture.

The Rpyal Abduls bravely counters the situation of Immigrants trying to survive in America. After 9/11 things changes drastically for Muslims, in particular. The story follows a small Indian-American family, each individual fighting their own battles.

Omar is confused child, being born into a house of brown Muslim father and a white mother, Onar constantly finds himself in a conflict of identity. I felt the worst for him, he only wanted to explore his roots, know where he came from, why he looked the way he did, why everyone called him names based on his race even though his family wasn't a practicing Muslim family.

Then there is Amina, independent, successful, headstrong but also selfish, unable to walk an extra mile for loved ones. Amina's character proved that shortcomings in childhood does effect you in adulthood too. I think she was so tired of being constantly judged becaus eof her looks that she became determined to be successful in her field. Along the way, she also forgot to live a happy life.

Mohammad, or Mo, is Omar's father. He's an uncommunicative, closed-off father. Mo and Marcy, like many others were high school sweetheart. What irked me about them was that Marcy knew Mo from the beginning, she saw him change from a boy to a man, she knew what her husband was like yet she blamed everything on him, blamed him for not being talkative enough, expressive enough. Whereas Mo, who had endured identity crisis himself as a boy should have been there for his son. He should have tried to have a better relation with his as compared to the one he had with his father. He believed putting food on the table and paying the bills was enough.

The Royal Abduls is a heart-wrenching story about a striving family, It's about family, love, the wrong choices we make, and paying for them. Its about being there for our family and regrets, All in all, it left me feeling extremely sad but also hopeful.

'The Royal Abduls' is an absolutely superb book and one that left me feeling really sad that its author's debut book may well be her last. With writing of such high quality, I want more from Ramiza Shamoun Koya but this may well not be possible for her.

At the heart of the book is an unlikely heroine. Amina likes moths but isn't so crazy about people. She doesn't make friends easily, tries to avoid getting involved in romantic relationships, and gets involved with her own family rather reluctantly. I'm not particularly introverted myself, but I loved Amina's different way of approaching life and could relate to her preference to be out in the countryside looking for moths rather than dealing with the day to day politics of life in her research lab and her complicated family.

Every heroine needs a side-kick and Amina's is her 11-year-old nephew Omar. The book is pitched as (yet another) post-9/11 exposee of racism in modern America. From my point of view, race was a minor player in the prejudices faced by the characters. At 11 years old, Omar could have been picked on just as easily for a handful or other 'differences' - wearing glasses, having red hair, or being a bit geeky - just as easily as for being a bit 'brown'. As the child of a US-born American of Indian heritage and a white mother (surname Benoit - sounds French or French Canadian, I forget if it's mentioned) he is torn between wanting to know more about his heritage, and perhaps a bit of disappointment that his father and grandparents aren't Indian enough or Muslim enough. Yet somehow the kids at school want to call him a terrorist. Kids! Little sods.

Amina is a post-doc researcher for a prof who treats her (and most of his team) like trash and indulges in inappropriate relationships with female subordinates. Nasty. She's dealing with the multiple whammy of being brown, nominally Muslim (the whole family drink, eat whatever they want and Amina's father Abdul was known to all his white colleagues as 'Alan'), and a bit of a sociophobe. Omar chips away at Amina's reserve, introduces her to a potential boyfriend (a not very Sikh Sikh) and drags her into his problems with school and divorcing parents, giving her possibly the first non-dysfunctional relationship in her life.

If you want a book where lots happens, it's possibly not the one for you. But if you like a slow burn where people expand their horizons and realise important things about themselves and their lives, then I highly recommend The Royal Abduls.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review. It's my 6th book from Netgalley and the first one I've loved.

This novel is truly something special. Beautifully written and achingly real, as an Indian person I felt very seen by this story. I found this book thought-provoking and moving, and I loved the two main characters, Amina and her nephew Omar. A lovely, thoughtful look at race, culture and identity.

I was up until 3am finishing this book and then another hour to process it. As a teen librarian, I know that Omar's point of view will help me better understand what my teens are experiencing. The pacing was phenomenal right up to the final impact. The characters are unforgettable.

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.

A very interesting book to read, and at the same time was a very different experience for me.

I had a very weird experience with this book, I did enjoy the story, The characters were great, I was falling in love with Omar, Prakash, and Amina I felt like this was going to be a really good love story or that at one point Omar was going to get what he deserved, It really was good but here is where I get all confused as I really liked the book but still I kept feeling some emotions that were not pleasant.

The whole story was very sad, there were no feelings of happiness or love at any point. If you're looking for a love story this is not it. I always wanted someone to finally acknowledge Omar and I felt like everyone was so busy with their own problems that no one care how alone Omar felt, in his parent's mind, everything was ok with him, in his aunt's eyes he had to survive alone whatever life threw at him and with time he will feel better. I really never understood why they kept giving excuses not to talk to Omar and not to support him as he needed.

The Royal Abduls is a story about a family who is having a hard time to embrace their culture, they really don't want to acknowledge their roots, they make every excuse not to remember the past and not even to teach Omar what is the difference and the real traditions, he was so eager to understand who he was but nobody had the time to really help him grow, I felt like Omar was sad every single moment of his life and nobody seat with him to see what was going on.

The Royal Abduls talks about a family who is struggling to live in a country, where people don't understand their traditions and kept thinking they were terrorist, the typical stereotype the world assumes when they see someone wearing a Hijab, who looks Arab to assume he is a bad guy trying to destroy or to do something evil.

Amira kept putting so many walls even when she knew where her happiness was, I really never understood why she kept denied herself no matter if she knew, she was making a mistake, she was always trying to put walls around her and the people that love her. Amira was the character that I really like not only because she was the more mature and more easily approachable but also because she had always a small kind of gesture for Omar.

Mo and Marcy were also so closed off and so immersed in their problems and feelings that they never had the time for Omar. I felt like they were so selfish like many things would have happened if they had better communication in the first place.

After reading the Royal Abduls I found something similar to other books that I've read before about Indian culture, I'm not sure if is something cultural but every book I've read that speaks about Indian traditions the characters never talk, as in they never had a good communication, they're always very closed off, they don't like to speak, it is as if the culture is this way, that they don't acknowledge the emotions or feelings of a woman and children as if they dont have a voice. This is only MY perception in the books that I've read but in no way, I'm saying or suggesting this is the case in real life.

The Royal Abduls was a good read, even if it is not what I was expecting and was not really what I was looking for but the story is good.

4.5 stars- Loved this light in tone and easy to read book of substance. This is the story of Amina, a young Indian-American scientist who is figuring herself out. She has her work, her family, and a romantic interest but feels isolated. Saying more would spoil it, but this book is about family culture, growing up, and making life choices. This book could be for you if you liked the Netflix show Never Have I Ever (which is also great) or books like Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. This book is very readable and was perfect for me- engaging read but not too heavy, just the right amount of interesting characters and cultural identity.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

The Royal Abduls was a fantastic exploration of race in America. The author takes you on a true journey and exploration of characters like Amina and Omar who are dealing with their own identities as Americans of color. The characters of this novel truly resonated with me and gave me a deep insight on what being Muslim in a 9/11 world must have felt like.

The familial connections presented in The Royal Abduls emanated a heartbreaking yet hopeful view of issues of race, gender, and identity. The novel allows the reader to connect with the characters in such an immersive way that it weaved an interesting portrayal of secular Islam in America. However, I do like to remind myself that Islam is not a monolithic religion and there are various types of Islam that were not explored in the book.

While the novel was intriguing, its pacing became more contemplative and introspective than I had previously expected, but it truly pays off. The book left me wanting more, but it gave me the space to think about the existential questions posed by the author.

If you're looking for a multicultural book that enhances the voice of minorities in America, The Royal Abduls is the book for you.

This book is really unique as it came to me at the appropriate time, I was looking for something that realistic and that dramatic, however, I liked the happy end.
This novel is talking about an American/Indian family in the US after 9/11, about how it is difficult to be a woman, named a Muslim name and struggle to fit in you weird community.
Finally, I want to thank the gifted writer, Ramiza Koya, for the great writing quality.

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.

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.

This was a pretty nice and multicultural read. I think it lacked some "wow" factor, but it was enjoyable and a perspective we don't see very often.

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.

I have a weakness for family sagas. I love any book that looks at the evolution of the relationship of siblings in adulthood. The Royal Abduls is a beautifully written story of an Indian-American family in post 9/11 America.

Amina is a scientist who has recently moved to D.C. following a breakup. She moves closer to her brother and her sister-in-law whose marriage is in trouble. Her nephew, Omar is obsessed with their Indian heritage -- going as far as faking an accent while he is in school.

Amina, while dealing with the very relatable issues of misogyny in the workplace begins to bond with her nephew. He is struggling with who he is, and so is she. The novel alternates between Omar and Amina's points of view which is refreshing. Omar is only 11 and seeing the world through his eyes is fascinating. He's a young boy dealing with some very real issues. Watching the relationship of Amina and Omar develop was so satisfying.

I found the beginning a little slow but it picked up quickly and I found it was difficult to walk away from once I got going. The characters seemed fully realized and once I became attached to them, I was fully invested in their stories.

I was surprised by the ending but at the same time, I was left feeling hopeful..

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc.

First of all, I did go into the book expecting the characters to be Muslim. From the names, I did think that. However, discovering that Amina was an atheist was not actually a problem. The book was slightly all over the piece but perhaps that reflected the inner turmoil and confusion that the characters were going through. I found it very interesting that the narration switched between Amina and Omar. It made for interesting reading to read between Omar who is trying to find his way as a young boy caught between many different identities and Amina who is older and somewhat successful but is still having those struggles. I found Amina to be fascinating as she represents that struggle of wanting to live life on her own terms but still being bound by the same cultural restraints even if she doesn't recognise it.

I would have liked Mo's character to be given a little more nuance. It felt that only after the big event happened to me we find out more about it and his own struggles.

Overall, I felt like the book did a good job of explaining the struggles of being caught in a post 9/11 world as a person of colour and what that means.

Ramiza Shamoun Koya’s debut novel, The Royal Abduls is a family story about an Indian-American boy named Omar, his parents, his aunt, his grandparents, and his friends. At the same time, it tells a story of modern day America and the search for identity by 2nd and 3rd generation South East Asians when confronted with Islamophobia and racism four years after 9/11.

Koya does a remarkable job of developing the story line. She plays with the narrative structure and perspective successfully, of telling the story from the points of view of both Amina and Omar. In some ways they're far more similar than either realize. They are both lost and struggling to find their identities and way in the world.

An important read for fans of contemporary multicultural fiction.

Ramiza Shamoun Koya’s debut novel is an emotional portrayal of a Hyderabadi American Muslim family and the struggles they face in post-9/11 America. The characters are lovingly drawn, and the conflicts they deal with never felt inorganic. The story is primarily told from the perspectives of Amina and her nephew Omar.
Amina is a post-doc in Biology who has recently taken up a new post in Washington, D.C., the city where her brother lives. Through Amina, we get an insight into how insidious sexism in the workplace manifests itself. This is especially evident with Amina’s colleague Anjali and her too-friendly relationship with their boss Chris. Amina herself feels like she is in a rut, having just left a long-term relationship and not really in love with her new job. As someone looking to pursue biology at a Master’s level, I must say that Amina’s experience with her position was not encouraging to me. But I applaud the author for not sugarcoating anything, but still giving us a sense of how Amina first fell in love with biology and her continued love of field work.
Omar is the son of Amina’s brother Mo and his white wife Marcy. The family is fairly disconnected from their Hyderabadi roots, but because Omar is perceived by others to be Indian and/or Muslim depending on the situation, he naturally comes to have an identity crisis. I felt the author’s portrayal of Omar to really capture what it is like to feel lost at such a young age. With his parents caught up in their own problems and a huge gap in his knowledge of his family history, Omar begins to turn to Amina for guidance. But Amina’s own issues with commitment make her somewhat unreliable for him.
Throughout this, the realities of being Muslim in 2000s America, or really just having Muslim names, blows out of proportion situations that should have been brushed off. An incident with a knife ends up having undue consequences for Omar, and the author clearly shows the Islamophobia in the punishment and the bullying that led Omar to it. The author also did a great job of portraying how Omar’s disconnect with his Muslim and Indian heritage leads him to being more confused about how people treat him. He is trying to come to understand what it means to be perceived as Muslim even when he is not religious and has no one to guide him. The novel’s last section is set in India, and without going into too much detail, I was relieved that the author deftly portrayed the differences and similarities between the character’s life in India and the US. The threat of a majoritarian government has yet to come into fruition in India, but the author clearly shows how othering it is to be perceived as Muslim even there. India is not the homecoming the character may have thought it would be, but it still represents an important stage in the character’s development.
The author’s choices when it came to presenting the family’s culture and various elements of desi culture was thought provoking. For one thing, it is unusual to see a Hyderabadi Muslim family claim Hindi as their ancestral language. But I thought it was a bold choice to have the characters state misconceptions about different aspects of desi culture because they genuinely believed them. Omar, for example, believes initially that Hindus are more Indian than Muslims. Amina at one point gives a definition of desi to mean being of Indian heritage, when the term applies to some other South Asians as well. For a desi reader like myself it was easier to parse out the misconceptions from what was actually true, but it could lead to some non-desi readers believing these misconceptions.
Despite a somewhat unorganized start, I found that this novel built up emotion very well, so that by the end I was absolutely gripped by these characters’ stories. This portrait of a family struggling to stay together was incredibly moving. This is a book that skillfully balances heartwarming lighter moments with heartbreaking darker ones.

The Royal Abduls by Ramiza Shamoun Koya
4.5/5
I thought that this novel was so different than anything I have read before. I have read stories about people of other cultures trying to find a place in another country, but I have never read a story about an Indian-American like myself struggling to find their place in the world. There are many sentiments in this novel that I felt personally, especially with Amina and Omar both not having a huge connection to India and all the while trying to connect to their cultural heritage. I thought that this was a great novel that explored the ways that living as a brown person in America changed immensely in the post 9/11 world.

I really enjoyed seeing the aunt-nephew relationship of Amina and Omar develop. There were many tragic incidents that occurred throughout the novel and I felt a bit disappointed by the abrupt ending, but this only made the book feel more realistic. Overall, I thought this was a great and relatable portrayal of how it feels to be torn between two cultures and countries.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Forest Avenue Press for this e-book.

Amina, an American biologist of Indian descent, just moved to DC. In the middle of family and work issues, her nephew's curiosity about India, as well as her complicated romance, she has to make the best decisions. One of them is about a job opportunity in India.

My curiosity about how muslim live in America, with the Islamophobia, led me to choose this book. The blurb is very promising. After reading about half the book, the main character turns out to be an atheist. The only muslim in this book is a woman wearing burqa. Well, I was quite disappointed.

Although the plot is slow, the characters and world building are satisfying. The conflict is what kept me reading to the last page. But, I can't quite enjoy the 'hybrid moth' part.

Overall, 3 stars.
I received the free digital copy of this book via Netgalley.

The book reveals its story through the perspective of two characters - Omar and her chachi Amina. As the names suggest, they are Muslims, better to say their ancestors were Muslims coming from India. Now they live in America. The book shows a glimpse of life in America with the Muslim tag and brown skin.

Omar is an eleven year old boy. An adorable child asking questions about this and that. A child who wants the answer behind the color of his skin. Who doesn't have much friends like others and like to live in his imagination.

Amina is a scientist, a workaholic. Never bothered by emotional strings. Her work defines her. Both the stories got along as the pages turned.

I liked Omar's part more. Maybe because I loved this boy who also reminds me of some complexity I myself faced in my childhood. Many times, the words of the "adults" can't make sense to Omar. I liked how a child's head and imagination are sorted in this book. On the other hand, Amina's story reflected a person's dilemma who wants to be free from any attachment but never really feel free in her mind.

Few things confused me. When Amina was seeing the photo album of her family, her mother was wearing red powder on her hair part. Was she Hindu, or was this a flaw of writing... These things are very minor, but they disturb the reality of the fiction.

The notion of "hybrid zone" in this book amazed me. Behind the scientific researches on hybrid zone of moths, it reflects a greater hybrid zone where humanity gets along hand in hand with every caste and color.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me the e-book. It was a nice read for the last few days.

Thank you, Netgalley and Forest Avenue Press for providng me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Royal Abduls By Ramiza Shamoun Koya is a fantastic book that portrays the islamophobia, anti-muslim sentiment, and bigotry against people of color post 9/11 America in a realistic fashion. I had this book on my TBR for the longest time and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a very important book and deals with a lot of social and political issues prevalent to this day. My first impression on reading the synopsis was that it was going to be about a practicing Muslim woman's experience and her struggles in the post 9/11 climate. But reading on I realized that the family had a Muslim background but had forfeited their faith a long time ago. While the anti-muslim sentiment is what shapes the story and propels it forward in a lot of ways, the fact that they were not even practicing Islam was disconcerting. I want to reiterate the fact that this is not the story of Muslims or an Own Voices representation of Muslims. This is the story of the experiences and struggles faced by a second-generation Indian American family in the US. Going into the book knowing this will help you enjoy it and not be confused by the actions f the characters that contradict the faith. The story is told from the two main character's perspectives. One is an Evolutionary Biologist Amina and the other is her young nephew Omar. These perspectives help build the story and take us on a journey through their lives where they each grapple with family situations, racism, islamophobia, prejudice, and workplace tensions. While Omar strives to blend in and live a normal life a young boy with brown skin and a Muslim name, Amina deals with workplace tensions, love life problems, and family issues. I enjoyed reading this book and following Amina and Omar as they navigated the reality of being brown and having a Muslim name in the US. The wide array of topics that can be used for discussion from this book are so many and I am glad I was able to see the problems through Amina and Omar's viewpoint. If you enjoy literary fiction that talks about some of the more serious social topics and tackles subjects like anti-Muslim sentiment, cultural heritage, assimilation of people with ethnic backgrounds to avoid prejudice this will be a good read for you. I gave the book 4.5 stars and I highly recommend checking it out. Keep in mind this is not a story about Muslims, but people who came from a Muslim background who don't practice the faith and are living a secular lifestyle.

oh,you guys. this book. perfection. utmost perfection.
being an indian myself,reading about an indian muslim family in a post 9/11 america,it just hit close to heart. there were moments i just wanted to put down the book and weep.
the writing,the story,the FEELS...ahh guys just read it okay.
sorry for this mess of a review. i still need time to get over it.
this is why we should read more ownvoices. these books get us.

I thank NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this book with a tear or two in my eyes...  The story is compelling, quietly gripping.  An evolutionary biologist, Amina, studies hybrid moths.  This metaphor is found in her own identity as a nonreligious Muslim Indian American as well as her biracial nephew's identity. It's a tension from internal forces and from external ones, esp a post 9-11 America.

The book alternates between Amina's story and her nephew's. The tone for Omar is pitch perfect; he's eleven and struggling at school. He longs for answers to many questions. He's curious and smart but too young to navigate the world around him. He's aching for a foothold  For Amina, the tone is brusque and I would say stiff; she's struggling too...almost collapsing within herself. She's aching for an escape or a landing, but perhaps both. This book is a coming-of-age for both characters. 

I found their stories haunting and intimate. The third-person perspective didn't work as well for Amina. She was unreachable although understandable and perhaps forgivable.

The Royal Abduls is about a Indian family grappling with change in a post-9/11 world. This book presented many important issues, especially being "brown" in a post-9/11 world. The story begins with Amina moving to DC, escaping her long-term boyfriend and his unrequited expectations in the relationship. She accepts a research position which allows her to be closer to her brother, Mo, and his wife, Marcy. They have an 11 y/o son, Omar. He is a bit of an odd ball to begin with, but the political climate certainly does not make his life any easier. People (including adults) struggle with separating him from the radical Muslims in the Middle East. He definitely struggles throughout the course of the book, including with his identity/heritage, fitting in, death - the kid did not have it easy. And then there is Amina, who has her own share of struggles. She has trouble making lasting connections, her family, her career, and her new boyfriend, Prakash.

My biggest issue of the book was with the sections written from Omar's point of view. I expected to pick up a book of literary fiction / contemporary fiction, and these felt like they were intended for more of a YA audience. I found myself speeding through the Omar sections, as they seemed a bit juvenile and more childish language. I understand was likely the intent to make the perspective seem more authentic, but I just did not really enjoy it. I much preferred reading in Amina's perspective. For me, this is why I knocked it down one stars.

I also thought the book might have been more impactful if it focused on one or two main issues instead of dabbling in so many separate issues. It seemed like most of the issues that are introduced were a bit surface-level, and the effort to include those could have been redirected into really rounding out one or two main issues instead.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review this book. All in all, I would say this is a promising debut novel.