Saints and Misfits is an unforgettable debut novel that feels like a modern day My So-Called Life…starring a Muslim teen. How much can you tell about a person just by looking at them? Janna Yusuf knows a lot of people can’t figure out what to make of her…an Arab Indian-American hijabi teenager who is a Flannery O’Connor obsessed book nerd, aspiring photographer, and sometime graphic novelist is not exactly easy to put into a box. And Janna suddenly finds herself caring what people think. Or at least what a certain boy named Jeremy thinks. Not that she would ever date him—Muslim girls don’t date. Or they shouldn’t date. Or won’t? Janna is still working all this out. While her heart might be leading her in one direction, her mind is spinning in others. She is trying to decide what kind of person she wants to be, and what it means to be a saint, a misfit, or a monster. Except she knows a monster…one who happens to be parading around as a saint…Will she be the one to call him out on it? What will people in her tightknit Muslim community think of her then?
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0 0This has been one of my favorite books this year. The innocence and emotion that are infused into Janna’s voice are balanced well by her anger and growth throughout the story. She sounds like a true 15-year-old. The author’s voice is musical and flows well with the story.
While learning a lot about Islam along the way, this story is timely in a time of Me Too. It handles the sensitive subject matter beautifully. In addition we see the depiction of many strong, diverse Muslim women, who practice their faith in a variety of ways.
The ending felt abrupt and not particularly satisfying. I hope perhaps we can see a second book focusing on another character introduced here, but I also understand the realities of leaving strings untied.
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