Anna Kaufman

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

Those two qualities do not always coincide. A classic example: Uncle Tom's Cabin, which is definitely an important book, but yikes, have you ever tried reading it? (I've slogged through the whole thing -- thanks, college lit class!) But Saints and Misfits is important in that it's a major YA release by a Muslim author about an ordinary Muslim American teen, and somehow this is still a rarity. That's reason enough to read it. Fortunately, it is also a really good book, told with verve and style and a refreshing lack of pulled punches.

Janna's voice grabbed me from the very first page. When I'm ordering frontlist, I try to read the first chapter or so of every book that's available, and this was one of those rare titles I started to read and literally could not put down. Ali makes Janna's internal conflict rich and palpable, which is the secret to a contemporary work in which not much actually happens. When the book opens, in fact, the main event of the "plot" has already occurred. A boy revered by the community -- as a perfect son and a perfect Muslim -- has sexually assaulted Janna. Who can she tell? Would she even be believed? The way this event isolates Janna from her family and friends is realistically portrayed, and her journey back to herself provides just as much drama as aliens, apocalypses, or sexy shifter love triangle shenanigans would. (Although I would happily read about Janna tackling any of those things; girl would rock it out.)

Listen, in an ideal world, Saints and Misfits wouldn't need to be an important tentpole book of Muslim representation; it would be one of many books about Muslim teens doing all sorts of things. And then we could just talk about how it's a funny, sharp, feminist book that tackles real issues with grace. It's just really good. Read it, for that reason and more.