I wanted and needed to give Shirin all the hugs. I was full of so much heartache, the nerves on my body were on fire, and it struck me as hard as a slap to the face. I don’t often cry while reading, which is ironic because I’m literally the most sensitive and emotional person of ever. But it quite literally tore me apart in the best way possible. It terrifies her-they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds-and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.Ī Very Large Expanse of Sea is easily one of the best contemporaries I’ve ever read. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.īut then she meets Ocean James. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments-even the physical violence-she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.
Spoiler alert: I loved it very much.īefore I delve into my review, here’s the cover and synopsis: I am so ecstatic for today’s post, as I will finally be sharing my thoughts on Tahereh Mafi’s YA contemporary debut, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, which I read for The Reading Rush two weeks and fell head over heels with. Hello there, speedsters! Welcome back to my blog!
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