Review by Sekhautet -- Salt and Pepper by Maria Akhanji
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Review by Sekhautet -- Salt and Pepper by Maria Akhanji
[Following is a volunteer review of "Salt and Pepper" by Maria Akhanji.]
<I>Salt and Pepper</I> by Maria Akhanji is the story of Ranya, a Bangladeshi girl. The story follows Ranya from age six living in Dubai to being a young woman living in London with her brother’s family. Ranya desperately wants to be loved and included by her classmates and her family, but she struggles to find her place both at home and at school. Her older sister describes her as the “salt and pepper,” of the family, which is a theme carried throughout the book. She is the salt and pepper to the main dish, but never the main dish. Ranya competes for attention with everyone in her life. Her story is hard to read. There are instances of abuse from many people in her family expected to nurture a young girl as she grows into womanhood, but while it is difficult to read, the book is well written. Ranya’s story illustrates the struggle between a family of old Muslim traditions and the clashing culture of the West and what it is like for a young Muslim girl to come of age.
I enjoyed learning more about the daily struggle of women in Muslim families, particularly because I did take a course in Islam while earning my college degree. At the same time, this was something I also disliked, as an independent Western woman. I find it very hard to understand how any woman would want to adhere to such strict rules taking away her ability to gain an education and earn an income. It left a bitter taste in my mouth that women are meant to stay home and have lots of babies and obey their husbands’ wishes. I did especially like the interactions between Ranya and her girlfriends in school, though, because it was an amusing and very realistic portrayal of teenagers.
I give <I>Salt and Pepper</I> <b>four out of four stars</b>. This novel tackles the issues of abuse, cultural clashes, and becoming a young woman with dignity and grace. It is a joy to read a story when it reads as if the writer were talking to me, the reader. Ranya’s character broke my heart, which is another sign of a good writer. Akhanji makes me, the reader, feel connected to Ranya, so when something terrible happens in her life, I empathize with her pain and want her to triumph over her challenges. The formatting of this book is excellent as well and it clearly has been well edited; there were not many mistakes, which can be distracting from a good story.
I would recommend this novel to young adults and adults. While the subject matter at times is mature, I believe young people would relate to this coming of age story. Adults will relate to this story because of the struggle between the older and younger generations. I also would suggest this book for an Islamic studies course and a feminist literature course because it does such a good job illustrating some of the daily struggles young Muslim women face between following the traditional wishes of their family and seeking their own independence as Western women; this is also why I believe the book would appeal to a Muslim audience, especially, teenage girls and Muslim mothers. Lastly, I believe it would make an excellent book club selection. There is so much to talk about in this book. I highly recommend you read it today.
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Salt and Pepper
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
<I>Salt and Pepper</I> by Maria Akhanji is the story of Ranya, a Bangladeshi girl. The story follows Ranya from age six living in Dubai to being a young woman living in London with her brother’s family. Ranya desperately wants to be loved and included by her classmates and her family, but she struggles to find her place both at home and at school. Her older sister describes her as the “salt and pepper,” of the family, which is a theme carried throughout the book. She is the salt and pepper to the main dish, but never the main dish. Ranya competes for attention with everyone in her life. Her story is hard to read. There are instances of abuse from many people in her family expected to nurture a young girl as she grows into womanhood, but while it is difficult to read, the book is well written. Ranya’s story illustrates the struggle between a family of old Muslim traditions and the clashing culture of the West and what it is like for a young Muslim girl to come of age.
I enjoyed learning more about the daily struggle of women in Muslim families, particularly because I did take a course in Islam while earning my college degree. At the same time, this was something I also disliked, as an independent Western woman. I find it very hard to understand how any woman would want to adhere to such strict rules taking away her ability to gain an education and earn an income. It left a bitter taste in my mouth that women are meant to stay home and have lots of babies and obey their husbands’ wishes. I did especially like the interactions between Ranya and her girlfriends in school, though, because it was an amusing and very realistic portrayal of teenagers.
I give <I>Salt and Pepper</I> <b>four out of four stars</b>. This novel tackles the issues of abuse, cultural clashes, and becoming a young woman with dignity and grace. It is a joy to read a story when it reads as if the writer were talking to me, the reader. Ranya’s character broke my heart, which is another sign of a good writer. Akhanji makes me, the reader, feel connected to Ranya, so when something terrible happens in her life, I empathize with her pain and want her to triumph over her challenges. The formatting of this book is excellent as well and it clearly has been well edited; there were not many mistakes, which can be distracting from a good story.
I would recommend this novel to young adults and adults. While the subject matter at times is mature, I believe young people would relate to this coming of age story. Adults will relate to this story because of the struggle between the older and younger generations. I also would suggest this book for an Islamic studies course and a feminist literature course because it does such a good job illustrating some of the daily struggles young Muslim women face between following the traditional wishes of their family and seeking their own independence as Western women; this is also why I believe the book would appeal to a Muslim audience, especially, teenage girls and Muslim mothers. Lastly, I believe it would make an excellent book club selection. There is so much to talk about in this book. I highly recommend you read it today.
******
Salt and Pepper
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Plum Rains on Happy House by Michael A. Greco
