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The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel
 

The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel

by Mohja Kahf

Syrian immigrant Khadra Shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit Muslim family in 1970s Indiana, at the crossroads of bad polyester and Islamic dress codes. Along with her brother Eyad and her African-American friends, Hakim and Hanifa, she bikes the Indianapolis streets exploring the fault-lines between “Muslim” and “American.”
When her picture-perfect marriage goes sour,... (read more)

Top tags: arab american,  arab woman,  muslim american,  women and islam,  2007 books read (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

Moumita Z
  • Rated 5 stars

“This book was absolutely refreshing. The Muslim American female narrative is vibrant and complex - and this book captures that fully. Kahf's writing is unapologetic and unbending. Her characters claim various identities and struggle to find ways to resolve the internal and external dissonance that naturally arise from living such lives. I think she has written a compassionate, but honest story of what it is like growing up in the U.S. as an ethnic, religious, female minority. Obviously, I...”

Moumita Z’s full review »
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Didn’t Like It

A'ishah
  • Rated 2 stars

“It is unfortunate, that there are no adherent, articulate, conservative muslim women who have published a novel. Though the book starts of alright (though still having many errors on Islamic subjects), it quickly disintegrates. The language and writing are mediocre, but really nothing special. Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that it reads like one long justification for the main character's actions (the main character does indeed seem autobiographical, so perhaps that is the reason) and...”

A'ishah’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 3.84 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 3 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Moumita Z

    moumita z said:

    “This book was absolutely refreshing. The Muslim American female narrative is vibrant and complex - and this book captures that fully. Kahf's writing is unapologetic and unbending. Her characters claim various identities and struggle to find ways to resolve the internal and external dissonance that naturally arise from living such lives. I think she has written a compassionate, but honest story of what it is like growing up in the U.S. as an ethnic, religious, female minority. Obviously, I highly recommend this book. ”

    posted Friday, February 1 2008
  • Leslie F

    leslie f said:

    “I got about halfway through this book before giving up. The author started to irritate me with her comments on Americans and I began to get a bit offended which is very unusual for me. It grew wearisome so I decided not to spend any more time on it. There's too many other books out there to read.”

    posted Friday, January 25 2008
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