I Am Thunder
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
I Am Thunder is the Branford Boase Award-winning debut YA novel which questions how far you'll go to stand up for what you believe.
Fifteen-year-old Muzna Saleem is used to being invisible. So no one is more surprised than her when Arif Malik, the hottest boy in school, takes a sudden interest.
But Arif is hiding a terrible secret and, as they begin to follow a dark path, Muzna faces an impossible choice: keep quiet and betray her beliefs, or speak out and betray her heart.
Muhammad Khan's stunning, multi-award winning YA writing gets right to the centre of what it means to be an urban teenager today.
'An uplifting, empowering novel with hope at its heart' Observer Children's Book of the Week
'Funny and clever - a perspective long overdue in British fiction' Alex Wheatle, author of Crongton Knights
'This one is special . . . punches well above the weight of most debuts' The Times
'This assured, hopeful debut feels unprecedented and essential' Guardian
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
As teens, we build longstanding beliefs from experiences with our parents and peers—but what happens if the wrong person influences those formative years? 15-year-old Muzna Saleem's curiosity to explore her religion quickly evolves into isolation from those around her as she heads down a dark path of radicalisation. Muhammad Khan draws on his time as a teacher to write with the colloquialisms of a teenager, making his portrayal of the courageous young Muzna entirely believable. This brilliant and brave debut novel tackles identity, Islamophobia, and terrorism. While the subjects are serious, I Am Thunder sparkles with optimism.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Khan's debut, inspired by the well-publicized radicalization of three British schoolgirls who flew to Syria to join the "self-proclaimed Islamic State' " in 2015, traces the coming-of-age of British-born Pakistani Muzna Saleem, 15. Muzna's strict parents, cultural Muslims who immigrated from Pakistan, severely limit her personal choices: her mother's dictate against waxing a growth of facial hair leads to bullying at school, and Muzna's desire to study English challenges her father's expectation of a medical career. When he loses his job under unfair circumstances and the family is forced to move, Muzna transfers to a different school, where she meets a handsome, charming new classmate: Pakistani born-again Muslim Arif Malik. Along with his charismatic older brother Jameel, he slowly influences her toward his radical interpretation of Islam, including taking her to hear fundamentalist preachers. Though understandable, Muzna's naivety and willingness to go along with his ill-planned decisions are occasionally frustrating. Nonetheless, a gripping story line, supported by a nuanced exploration of Muzna's family dynamics and immigrant experience, draws a clear distinction drawn between culture and religion (frequently conflated) and focuses on personal meanings of devotion, providing valuable touches. Ages 12 up.
