Lowly’s Book Blog

I am assuming any reader of this blog will be familiar with Abdel-Fattah’s first book Does My Head Look Big In This? And like me, I am hoping you were thrilled to see this second offering. However, I have to be disciplined in my reading. If I just read books by favourite authors, I could fill my days, but not my responsibilities. So this book waited nearly a year to come to the top of my reading list.

And it was worth the wait. This time Abdel-Fattah is a little more distant from her narrator. Yes it is still a Lebanese Muslim living and going to school in a mainstream Australian school. But this narrator is intent on hiding her heritage. The hair is dyed blonde, she never asks friends home, and so far she has successfully separated her family from her school friends. But eventually, everyone has to decide who they really are, and adolescence is that time.

Once again Abdel-Fattah has struck gold with this funny book with the serious twist. I love the Charter of Curfew Rights. And the whole family thing. I grew up in a Bible Belt Christian family, with just as many regulations, so I can truly empathise with Jamie. I salute her courage, and her sense of humour. Well Done!!