Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

CONTENT WARNING: BULLYING, XENOPHOBIA, AND GENERAL DISPLAYS OF ASSHOLERY

AMAZON — GOODREADS — BARNES & NOBLE — BOOK DEPOSITORY

I’d been wanting to read a Tahereh Mafi book for a while (I tried reading Shatter Me, but couldn’t get past the first few pages), so this seemed like a good place to start. And I must say, I devoured this book in a few hours and loved every minute of it.

*

“I was stuck in another small town, trapped in another universe populated by the kind of people who’d only ever seen faces like mine on their evening news, and I hated it.“

*

Right from the second page, I could relate so hard, I was squealing. From living in a not-very diverse town to feeling isolated because many human beings are evil assholes, I could relate on so many levels. And even though Shirin being a Muslim makes her different from me in some ways, I enjoyed reading about those differences as well. As much as I loved how relatable Shirin’s life is, it was quite sobering, because even though her story is set in 2002, many of her struggles are still relevant today. It’s nice to relate first-hand with a character, but when that means that the world hasn’t changed much, it’s kind of sad.

*

“Just try to be happy,” Jacobi finally said to me. “Your happiness is the one thing these assholes can’t stand.”

*

It’s quite rare for me to like a book and its main character, but Shirin is so real, it’s impossible not to love her. The way she tries to not give a shit about how people treat her but can’t help feeling hurt and bitter about it. The way she’s sceptical about anyone that acts nice towards her, because what are their intentions? The way she can’t help but wait for the other shoe to drop while she’s with Ocean, because she knows what people are capable of doing out of hatred. And then her strength. Need I say more? I also enjoyed reading about her as a regular teen navigating high school, first love, and her love for breakdancing, fashion, and music.

*

“My parents were a little conservative, a little traditional, and, in some ways, surprisingly progressive”.

*

When I was younger, I thought all African parents went to the same parenting school. Turns out Shirin’s parents did as well. I loved Shirin’s relationship with her family, especially her brother, Navid. Older brothers manage to be the most annoying people and yet, the most comforting presence, and Navid is a perfect portrayal of that. I also loved how much care Mafi put into showing the complexity of Shirin’s parents, who love their children, but are mostly oblivious to their struggles.

I started reading this book not realising that Ocean would end up being a love interest, but when I caught on, I was very much on board. Ocean starts out clueless in so many ways, and when he finally starts to see what his privilege protects him from, he’s stunned. Despite all the hate they encounter, the moments between Shirin and Ocean just had me grinning madly. I can’t remember the last time I read a love story so sweet and heart-breaking, but still so smoothly narrated. And even though the romance is not what I signed up for, I enjoyed its presence.

My one minor complaint is how the ending seemed a bit rushed, as if the author was trying to tick all the boxes at once. But even that didn’t reduce my love for this book.

In all, this book just makes sense.

What book has made sense to you lately?