More Than Just a Pretty Face

It took me about 100 pages to get into the story (up until then I found the mc rather unlikeable). There is a lot to unpack here. Some of it I really liked, and some of it rubbed me the wrong way. Things I liked: 1) Danyal's passion for cooking and his dedication to his dreams. 2) Bisma and her intelligence and attitude. Things I wasn't that fond of: 1) Danyal's insistence that he's an idiot, and the fact that everyone (even his friends) constantly remind him of it. Reading some of these passages came across as a smart person trying to imitate what they think someone dumb wouldn't know and it was kind of awkward. 2) His friends. I would have changed schools if I had friends like this. There were some nice moments, but overall I found them unsupportive to the point of cruelty.

I can't speak to the accuracy of the Muslim rep in this book. I think the characters showed a range of attitudes towards their religion that felt authentic to me (in terms of teens relating to any religion they are brought up in). One thing I did appreciate was the way that Danyal used what he knew of his religion to inspire peace and love in those around him. Overall, I think it was worth the read.