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The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available
With a welcome mix of humor, heart, and high-stakes drama, Sabina Khan provides a timely and honest portrait of what it's like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture.

Praise for The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Featured on NBC News and the BBC

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Teen Indie Next List Pick (IndieBound)

An Amazon Best Book of the Month for February

Oprah Magazine's Best YA Books You'll Love in 2019

Seventeen.com's Best YA Books of 2019

B&N Teen Blog's Most Anticipated LGBTQAP Books of 2019

Hypable's Most Anticipated LGBTQ YA Books of 2019

Parade's Buzzworthy YA Books to Read in 2019

BookRiot's Most Anticipated 2019 LGBTQ YA of 2019

Paste Magazine's Best YA Books of January 2019

Short-listed, Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize (BC), 2020

Short-listed, OLA White Pine Award, Fiction, 2019

Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, 2019

Commended, OLA Best Bets: Honourable Mention, 2019

"An intersectional, diverse coming of age story that will break your heart in the best way." — Bustle.com

* "With an up-close depiction of the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ community with Bengali culture, this hard-hitting and hopeful story is a must-purchase for any YA collection." — School Library Journal, starred review

"This book will break your heart and then, chapter by chapter, piece it back together again. A much-needed addition to any YA shelf." — Sandhya Menon, New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi and From Twinkle, With Love

"Heart-wrenching yet hopeful, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali is an insightful and honest look at the tangled web of identity, culture, familial loyalty, and love. Sabina Khan crafts a powerful, poignant story about finding yourself, about speaking your truth, and about stepping out of the shadows and into the light." — Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Hate and Other Filters

"A daring and timely novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali delves head-and-heart-first into the universal complexities of navigating duty and desire, tradition and modernity, and friends and family — the one we are born into and the one we choose; the friends who are family, and the family we strive to befriend — all through the prism of multicultured identity. Political, personal, page-turning. Sabina Khan is one to watch." — Tanuja Desai Hidier, author of Born Confused and Bombay Blues

"Bold, heartbreaking, yet hopeful. A story that will stay with you for years to come." — Sara Farizan, Lambda Award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine

"The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali unapologetically explores the complex ties between families, friends, and intersectional diversity. Khan brings talent and voice in this brilliant novel that will keep you reading until the very last page." — Nisha Sharma, author of My So-Called Bollywood Life

"[The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali] takes LGBTQ fiction to another level and will help open readers' eyes to the realities that many face in these changing times." — Shelf Awareness

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 15, 2018
      Like many American teenagers straddling two cultures—that of their foreign-born parents and that outside their home—Seattle high school senior Rukhsana has hopes that diverge from her family’s. Though her conservative Bengali-Muslim parents expect her to attend the nearby University of Washington and to marry a young man, she has secretly applied to Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., and is a closeted-to-them lesbian. Her parents eventually give in on Caltech, but when they discover her kissing her girlfriend, Ariana, they furiously spirit Rukhsana away to Bangladesh under false pretenses. Khan skillfully depicts Rukhsana’s mix of emotions toward her family—frustration and anger, love and loyalty—as well as resentment at the differing expectations her parents hold for her and for her carefree younger brother, Aamir. Relationships ring true, including the siblings’ teasingly affectionate relationship and Rukhsana and Ariana’s struggles navigating their romance under difficult circumstances. The complicated plot and the large cast of characters, both in Seattle and in Bangladesh, occasionally overwhelm, but Rukhsana’s voice offers a steady blend of compassion and humor as she schemes—with several likable allies—to follow her dreams, perhaps at the cost of losing her family. Ages 14–up. Agent: Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners.

    • School Library Journal

      Starred review from December 1, 2018

      Gr 9 Up{amp}ndash;Rukhsana Ali lives her life on the border of two worlds: one as the daughter of conservative Muslim parents, the other as a 17-year-old teen just trying to make it through the end of her senior year and get into California Tech. Everything seems to be going according to plan until her mother catches her kissing her girlfriend Ariana. Incapable of understanding, her parents whisk her away to Bangladesh where she is caught up in a whirlwind of family dynamics, arranged marriages, and traditions. Through the kind words and understanding of her cousin and grandmother, as well as the gift of her grandmother's diary, Rukhsana searches for the courage to fight for her right to love whomever without also losing her family's approval. This coming-of-age novel is filled with memorable characters, heartfelt moments, and a realistic portrayal of the difficulty of living in two worlds. At times, the writing feels a bit stilted, but the heart of this story will resonate strongly with teens. They will cheer, cry, and rage along with Rukhsana as she balances the ignorance of her friends and family on her quest for understanding and acceptance. VERDICT With an up-close depiction of the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ community with Bengali culture, this hard-hitting and hopeful story is a must-purchase for any YA collection.{amp}mdash;India Winslow, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA

      Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      Bangladeshi-American Rukhsana Ali must choose between her family's wishes and following her heart. Although her Muslim immigrant parents approve of her professional dreams of becoming a physicist at NASA, Rukhsana is sure that they won't be as enthusiastic about her personal dream of spending her life with her secret girlfriend, Ariana, who is white. After winning a prestigious scholarship to Caltech, her professional ambitions seem within reach--until her mother catches her kissing Ariana and she is whisked away to Bangladesh with plans to arrange her marriage. As she battles her parents' homophobia, Rukhsana simultaneously struggles to help Ariana and her friends back home in Seattle understand the weight of the cultural and social stigmas that she has to fight. Along the way, Rukhsana finds unexpected allies, including her grandmother, who encourages her to fight for what she wants. This witty coming-out story is populated by colorful, nuanced personalities who never lapse into stereotypes. Unfortunately, the fast pace leaves readers little time to digest the most intense moments, including some physical and sexual violence. Likewise, the sheer amount of action leaves certain characters, like Rukhsana's spoiled but loving brother, insufficient time to fully develop. However, the story is told tenderly and unflinchingly, balancing the horrors of homophobia against the South Asian men and women who risk their lives to fight it each and every day. A coming-out story featuring diverse characters and a richly rendered international setting. (Fiction. 14-18)

      COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (Online Review)

    • Booklist

      December 1, 2018
      Grades 9-12 Rukhsana Ali chafes against her conservative Muslim parents and their hopes for her future. The 17-year-old has her own plans, like going to Caltech for engineering and openly being with her girlfriend, Ariana. But when her parents ultimately find out about Ariana, they're quick to send Rukhsana to Bangladesh to be married. Can she balance fighting for the life she wants for herself without devastating her family? Khan's moving novel brings humanity and nuance to the topics of arranged marriage and familial obligations, and her characters are beautifully fleshed out. Rukhsana's genuine love and respect for her family and culture amplify the stakes of her choice to determine her own path, and Khan's account of Bangladeshi traditions, food, and various aunties to dodge rings true. While some characters might initially seem very black-and-white, as Khan gradually peels away the layers of their backstories, they become more fully formed. This moving novel offers readers a deep look into Bengali traditions and dreams for a more inclusive future, with a resilient girl at the heart of it all.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:4.8
  • Lexile® Measure:690
  • Interest Level:9-12(UG)
  • Text Difficulty:3

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