A Very Large Expanse of Sea audiobook

This was fantastic.

4.5*

4.5 Stars! Review to come.CW: islamophobia & xenophobia

October 2018 Updating with my full thoughts now that the book is out! I wrote all of this down when I first read it in May.I was nervous starting this book because the first 25% of this lays a lot of groundwork and there’s a lot of telling instead of showing. Despite this, I was highlighting paragraphs basically every other page because Shirin’s experiences and anger born from them was so powerful. This book cuts the crap from Shatter Me & Furthermore’s writing style and says it how it is. Gone are the flowery paragraphs of images and metaphors, but they’re replaced by hard-hitting and steel edged descriptions of Shirin’s real life. It’s different and it’s jarring, but it fits the story. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that probably 50% of this ebook’s text is highlighted. From powerful moments to funny, relatable moments to important moments to cute moments, I was glued onto the pages. I LOVED Shirin’s relationship with her brother, Navid. Their bond was endearing and I liked how he was her mentor and cheered her up and stuck up for her and was the reason she got into break dancing. He was definitely my favorite side character!I can’t put my finger on it, but this book just.... works. It was fast to read. I haven’t lived a life anywhere near Shirin’s, but being in her head made sense. I understood her feelings. I understood her fears. I sympathized with her so much that my heart hurt. I was rooting for her the entire book, and her transformation and self-actualization was such an engrossing journey. The reason why I took a star off is because the relationship is melodramatic to the point of being cliche. Shirin deals with racism and xenophobia and bigotry, and Ocean deals with..... not wanting to be on the basketball team. It felt like a flat plot point that’s a totally overused trope. The stakes were so low because it felt too cliché and the conflict of this book reminded me of High School Musical. I don't want this to look like I'm minimizing the actual events because clearly Shirin prevailing and asserting her worth in that situation was still such a powerful read, but I wish Ocean's conflict that drives the emotional climax of this book could have been designed to be less.... generic. Nevertheless, this is a once in a lifetime book. Whatever small writing or plot issues I have with it makes up in the fact that I haven’t read anything as important and eye-opening as this before. Its unparalleled honesty had me throwing my fist in the hair during some scenes and wiping away tears in others. It’s a stand-out book of 2018, and definitely an exception you should make if you aren't a fan of YA contemporary. Please please please support this book and the author behind it because she and the book deserve the world

“I understood too well what it was like to feel like you were defined by one superficial thing - to feel like you would never escape the box people had put you in”I'd never name a book "a very large" anything. Now that I've read the book I get the reference and although I realise it's meant to be poetic...I still think it's a bad title.I was in the mood for a very typical, down to earth, contemporary YA and I'm glad this book satisfied that hunger. I wasn't sure what to expect though. Tahereh got huge with the Shatter Me series and back when I first read it, I loved the first book. But my excitement wore off slightly in book 2 and I was seriously disappointed in the (then) final book. I still can't make myself care to read the other sequels. Anyway, I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed her first contemporary.Let's get the "Why only fours stars then?" out of the way before I start praising this book. Frankly, straight romances don't do it for me, and while Ocean was a nice enough dude, I didn't exactly find him fascinating. And 5 stars would mean that the book made me feel all the feels, which it didn't. I was mad at times and glad sometimes but never filled with joy or moved to tears.Now the good stuff: I really liked Shirin, the main character. She has depth and shows growth, she was reflective and overall she seems like a cool person to be around.Yes there were some "not like other girls" vibes but she eventually overcomes that. She curses a lot, which always makes me happy, and she doesn't take anyone's crap or pretends to be someone she's not. Her hijab makes her a target, but despite all the hate she faces, she refuses to change who she is just so life gets a little easier, and I can relate to that.I was impressed how the book dealt with the emotional labour of a relationship where the two parties come from entirely different backgrounds: one party has peak privilege and it's up to the other party to educate them about the daily struggle they face due to certain forms of discrimination. Of course, it's nobody's duty to educate anyone who is oblivious to their own privilege or ignorant of the injustice someone else is facing. But if you like someone and you want to have a relationship with them, be that platonic or romantic, communication is key. Anyway, all I want to say is that I admire how Tahereh discussed that struggle and explained that it's not a given when someone else takes the time to teach you something you should already know.I'm also glad to see the OwnVoices Muslim rep and I'm even more excited to read Tahereh's new book An Emotion of Great Delight which delves deeper into the islamophobia and hate crimes that surged all over the US just after 9/11. I read See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love (my fave book of the year, read it!) a few weeks ago, which talks in great detail about all the violence directed at the Sikh community after the terror attack, so I have an idea of what's to come, and I'm a bit scared. A Very Large Expanse of Sea already touched on this, but the new book will centre that experience and trauma more than before.Two more things: The romance gave me Twilight flashbacks. Luckily, it wasn't even close to the level of problematic that Bella and Edward's relationship is, but the today-I'm-ignoring-you-in-biology-class-but-tomorrow-I'm-talking-to-you-again thing still reminded me of a Stephenie Meyer book. The second thing is a recommendation: If you loved this book, you will also love The Henna Wars, another favourite of mine. OwnVoices Muslim rep (although Bangladeshi and not Persian), high school setting, discussions of racism and cultural appropriation, and really cute romance.Find more of my books on Instagram

If you know my reading tastes much, you’ll already know that I almost never pick up a contemporary novel unless it involves one of three things: diverse rep, a heartbreaking learning experience (for the reader or the characters), or a romance so sweet and lovable that I can’t help but get sucked in. It’s really rare that I find a book that has all three of those traits, yet here we are. I didn’t understand how anyone could be so violently angry with me for something I hadn’t done, so much so that they’d feel justified in assaulting me in broad daylight as I walked down the street. I didn’t want to understand it. But there it was. This is my first Tahereh Mafi read (unless you count the few chapters of Shatter Me I’ve read so far), and I could not put it down. I sat down late one night with the intentions of reading a couple of chapters before bed, and the next thing I knew, it was 4am and I had just finished it and could not stop crying from this mixture of sadness and grief and happiness and love and just… everything. Tahereh Mafi gave me literally every possible emotion I could imagine while reading this gorgeous story. I worried that if I spoke or screamed my anger would grip both sides of my open mouth and rip me in half. So I said nothing. First and foremost, it’s a story inspired by Tahereh Mafi’s own high school life: our protagonist Shirin is a high schooler in the wake of 9/11, shortly after the event occurred, which isn’t an easy place to be when you’re a Muslim girl, the daughter of Persian immigrants who fought and worked their way to the US from Iran, and a hijabi. On top of all of that, her parents move her and her brother Navid constantly, and where the story picks up, Shirin is yet again the new girl whose classmates won’t look past her scarf and skin color long enough to learn more about her: like the music she loves, or the immense value she places on her family and their Persian cooking, or her secret affinity for break dancing. I was stuck in another small town, trapped in another universe populated by the kind of people who’d only ever seen faces like mine on their evening news, and I hated it. Obviously, as a white woman from the US, with no immigration in my recent ancestors and no religious affiliations, I can’t begin to speak for the representation in this book; however, Tahereh explains in her author’s note that every bit of it is own-voice (even the break dancing!), and many of my Muslim friends have been raving about this book already. (If you have an own-voice review for this book, please let me know and I’ll boost your review! ♥) What I can say, though, is that Shirin is such an incredible character and I loved the representation. I learned so much, but more than that, I was given just a tiny little glimpse into what it must be like to be a Muslim in a xenophobic, Islamophobic world, and it broke my heart a million times over. “I’m just—I’m sick and tired of trying to explain to the world why racism is bad, okay? Why is that my job?” There’s also a running theme of Shirin discussing not only how racism affects her in obvious ways, such as the assailants who attacked her right after 9/11, but also in microaggressions and people being careless despite thinking they had good intentions. It’s so easy to understand why Shirin walks around with walls of thick stone surrounding her, and why it’s so hard for her to let people in—because even the people that seem “good” usually end up hurting her, whether it’s through ignorance or malevolence. My parents had made sure to make an entirely separate, six-course meal for this friend of mine who’d never tried Persian food before, and they’d sat there and stared at him as he ate, and every time he said he liked what he’d eaten they would look up at me and beam, proud as peacocks, finding in Ocean further proof that Persian people had invented only the best things, including the best food. I also can safely say that the storytelling itself is among the best of any YA contemporaries I’ve ever read. In between the anger and hurt Shirin lives in, she’s funny, clever, and just an all-around enjoyable narrator. Her family is so lovable (her brother and parents made me smile constantly), the descriptions of food had my mouth watering all the time, and most of all, the romance is one of the sweetest, purest, most adorable contemporary ships I’ve ever seen in my life. But I knew Ocean and I were thinking the same thing. I could feel it in the subtle shifts of his body. I heard it in his sudden, slow inhalations. In the tightness in his breath when he leaned in and whispered, “Where the hell did you come from?” I literally highlighted page upon page of Shirin and Ocean’s interactions, no shame. I laughed, I blushed, I cried so many times over how sweet they are together. Ocean is a rare YA love interest who can ride the fine line between being incredibly sweet and eloquent, without ever seeming overly scripted or unrealistic. Shirin and Ocean are the kind of couple that makes us believe in the endless weight of young love, whether we’re in our teens or long past them. But I had never, ever touched someone and felt like this: like I was holding electricity inside of me. I honestly feel like I can’t possibly gush enough about A Very Large Expanse of Sea. It is one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and I know it’s the type of story I’ll go back to over and over again because it won’t get old. Tahereh Mafi has earned me as a lifetime fan with this story, I have no doubt, and after reading this, I can’t wait to dive back into the Shatter Me world and then read everything else she ever writes, too.All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to HarperTeen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi broke me while simultaneously filling my mind, soul and heart with vast emotions all at the same time.This book deserves all the stars for the raw emotion it made me feel. Tahereh Mafi's voice was so honest - Shirin was funny, intelligent, clever and so angry. She was the perfect narrator. My heart bled for her. Shirin's pain was so real - I wanted to hug her fiercely. The story follows Shirin as her family moves to yet another new city. She deals with daily racism, hate and degrading comments from being a Muslim teen post 9/11. I adored her fierceness, her strength and her vulnerability. Tahereh wrote from her own personal experiences, creating a truly powerful and inspirational character in Shirin. I truly loved watching her grow throughout the book. Her self awakening was beautiful. The romance between Ocean and Shirin was impossible not to get caught up in. Could he have been any more swoon worthy? He was the perfect complement to Shirin's fierceness. His innocence, tenderness and honesty were exactly what she needed to pierce through the armor she had built up around herself. Their relationship built up slowly and I was enthralled with every angsty moment of it. It made me feel like a love-sick teenager all over again. Their's was not an easy road to love - it was bumpy, heartbreaking and painful at times. Yet, it was wholeheartedly genuine, sweet and utterly undeniable. To say this book was a roller coaster ride of emotion would be an understatement! I laughed, I cried, I gasped out loud and I definitely cringed at some of the racism and bigotry Shirin endured. Did I mention there was breakdancing?! There is and it was a wonderful, unexpected addition for this Bronx native! A Very Large Expanse of Sea was an emotional, beautifully written story - in short it's the kind of story you know you won't soon forget.

This was PHENOMENAL. I've always really enjoyed Tahereh's books but this being a contemporary really just stepped everything up for me. Fuck, I loved this SO MUCH. dsafsahdfkjsahfdPlease join us tomorrow (12/14) on Kassie's channel at 8pm PST as we discuss this amazing read. I hope to see you there!

4.5 stars rounding up to 5. This book was really intense, raw and honest. I really felt how personal of a story this was for the author to write, and am grateful that she is putting this book out into the world.

I’m a white girl. I know the privilege the color of my skin gives me. Sometimes people stare at me, I can feel their eyes on me while crossing the street. It happens once in a lifetime and it gives me shivers. I don’t know why they do it, but I know they aren’t commenting the color of my skin, they are not assuming my culture or my religion. I don’t get racist comments, never had, never will. This book was a punch in the stomach. And if it was a punch in the stomach for me, a girl who never has gone through what shirin has, I can’t imagine what a massive gigantic kick in the stomach was for all of you who not only understand her story, but are actually living what she is daily.I’m sorry.I’m grateful Tahereh decided to write this story.I’m happy she did it for each one of you who is going through all of this.

i'm emo and I WISH THERE WAS MORE

This book was EVERYTHING. I posted a mini review on my blog, you can check it out HERE!I thought I understood white privilege but this book.. THIS BOOK checked my ass real quick. I don’t even have words. Please just do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR immediately. Full review to come closer to release date!———————UMMM I REALLY NEED THIS YOU GUYS.#OwnVoicesForTheWinTahereh, darling, you are SLAYING 2018. What did we do to deserve you?

My favorite read of the year so far. so raw, emotional, and hopeful

Could NOT pull away!!!!Alright...I know I’m behind on a couple of reviews... ( no rules here right?/!)... lolBusy with a remodeling project ...’And a girl needs sleep...BUT READ THIS BOOK ....It’s WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUL!!!!’ I enjoyed both the Audiobook & ebook... sync combination! I felt ‘EVERY’ EMOTIONLOVE the storytelling... melted over the characters ....A part I laughed: ( yet - this still tells nothing about the entire story)....This snobby girl - a bitch in other words - had the nerve to tell our leading girl Shirin that ‘she’ was a disgrace to her heritage....that she didn’t even deserve to be wearing her hijab. Snobby was from India and was righteous and judgmental. Shirin, a teenage High School bright girl, Muslin, born in the United States, attacked two days after 911, just BECAUSE....had taken enough ridiculous bullshit stabs for being a Muslim... who ‘liked’ to wear her headscarf. So.... Shirin, looks at SNOBBY girl ... and tells her off ‘good. Shirin told her “you are what is wrong with our country .. your prejudice and righteousness”...etc etc. Snobby- girl had it coming!But I loved the next part...Snobby girl says to Shirin: “I’ll pray for you”.....( in her snobby sarcastic voice)...Shirin says: “Great, I have a test after lunch today, a little praying that I do well would be great”...... [ not the ‘exact’ words].... but you get the idea! I laughed!!! Great line! I may borrow some version of that some day. This Young Adult Book is soooooo GOOD!!!!Great Audiobook- FABULOUS VOICE to enhance emotions!!!And....GREAT TO READ!!! - equal!!!! A+ EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK!!! Thanks to *Larry*!!! I read HIS review...sold me!!! And should you!!! Thanks, Larry...Drifting off to sleep from this deeply felt story!!! 😴

4 stars “If the decision you’ve made has brought you closer to humanity, then you’ve done the right thing.” A Very Large Expanse of Sea is a YA Contemporary following Shirin, a Muslim teenager. It takes place a year or two after 9/11. What was interesting to me straight away was the timeline. I was also a teenager during 9/11, it happened my sophomore year of high school, so I was essentially the same age as Shirin while all this was going on. My life, however, was very different. Shirin's family moves around a lot and with each new city and new school, she finds herself subjected to the same racism and prejudice at the last place. Because of this, she's become hard. She's tough because she has to be. Shirin is American, she was born here and speaks English, though people treat her like an outsider- like a terrorist because of the color of her skin and the way she looks. It seems like her new school is much of the same, except for Ocean. Ocean is a boy a year older than her in some of her classes. He is her lab partner and genuinely likes Shirin and wants to get to know her. It takes time, but very slowly he starts to tear her walls down. They start to become friends, but the attraction is there, too. Things aren't easy for them and as much as Ocean tries, they're just not accepted together by her classmates. It was heartbreaking to read about. Through it all, Shirin stays brave, stays strong, and perseveres. I loved her and Ocean both. I also loved Shirin's brother, Navid and the rest of the breakdancing crew. They brought some fun and lightness to a heavy story and I loved how they saw below the surface with Shirin and all became like big brothers to her in a way. This was such a powerful and important story. I listened to the audio book and it only took me a day to listen to it. I didn't want to stop once it was going. If you're looking for a hard-hitting YA Contemporary, I recommend this one.