by Ayad Akhtar
First published 2013
Zarina sits at her desk in Atlanta, putting the finishing touches on a manuscript that challenges how women are portrayed in Islamic tradition. Her book reimagines the Prophet Muhammad's story through a female perspective, questioning doctrines she believes diminish women's worth. When her devout father discovers the pages, his shock turns to outrage. Her conservative sister joins his condemnation. The manuscript becomes a battleground that splits the household along generational and ideological lines. Zarina refuses to back down from her artistic vision, even as family loyalty wars with her need for creative expression. Her father sees blasphemy where she sees truth telling. The conflict escalates as each side digs deeper into their convictions. What began as a daughter's literary project becomes a test of whether love can survive fundamental disagreements about faith, tradition, and a woman's right to speak her mind.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-conflict, generational-divide
Setting: Atlanta
Period: 21st-century
116 pages · Kindle Edition · Back Bay Books
Content warnings: sexism