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Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali
Zayneb, a Muslim American high-school senior, leaves early for spring break in Doha, Qatar, after writing a "threatening" note about her Islamophobic teacher. Adam, a Muslim Canadian college freshman, is returning to Doha to see his father and sister, with unfortunate news. Their connection: each has been keeping a journal based on an ancient book they'd both discovered. As Adam and Zayneb spend time together, their feelings intensify. But with numerous obstacles in their lives, they'll have to decide if pursuing a relationship is a possibility. The story is told in alternating viewpoints through the characters' journal entries, each divided into sections of Marvels and Oddities (the good and the bad). Muslim identity and culture are authentically and unapologetically infused throughout without over explanation but are still accessible for a wide audience. The novel’s dual narrative structure uses raw, earnest journal entries to guide readers through the painful realities of the Islamophobia and racism that permeate all levels of society.
Review from Booklist Reviews:
Ali follows up her well-received debut, Saints and Misfits (2017), with an epistolary novel in journal entries about two teenagers chronicling the marvels and oddities in their lives. It's senior year, and with her friends and a stealthy online movement, Zayneb has made it her mission to take down her Islamophobic teacher. But when her drawing is misconstrued, Zayneb is suspended from school and leaves for Doha, Qatar, to visit her auntie a week ahead of spring break. There she crosses paths with Adam, the cute guy who happened to be on her flight. He's Muslim, too, and he's carrying a secret: he's just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but he hasn't told his father and sister. The story lilts between Adam's and Zayneb's perspectives, and through their narratives, Ali fleshes out the plucky Zayneb, who stands up to the microaggressions and prejudices around her, and pragmatic Adam, whose voice conveys the uncertainty of his future. Ali skillfully fashions a love story sensitive to the rules of Muslim courtship that's equally achy and enigmatic.
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