From Somalia with Love
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Review
An engagingly perplexing book that represents different cultures as more syrtic than solid, and individual identity as a process of life-long struggle between these cultures. While focusing on Somali experiences within London…it has relevance for anybody affected by frictions between age and group loyalties. That must include all of us. (Books for Keeps )
The strong story of Safia's quest to discover who she is means that From Somalia With Love, will, I am sure strike a resonance with many of today's teenagers. (School Librarian )
The story proceeds as a sensitive, sometimes painful, examination of this coming to terms [with her father coming home] and the disturbances it makes, both domestically and in wider society, for Safia and her family... Warm engaging and intensely thought-provoking [with] the power to widen horizons and increase understanding of the richness of contemporary Britain's various cultures. It should be widely read. (Carousel )
A vivid and sympathetic novel written from the view point of a teenage girl who has many different perspectives to intergrate into her life: not only those of her own personal development and identity, but also those of her Somali family following their reunion after a long separation caused by civil war. The adjustments to be made of settling in a country that is not their homeland are clearly described and also the importance of maintaining cultural, traditional and religious ways of life. The integration into the general narrative of unfamiliar words and phrases gives authenticity to the reader's experience, comprehension being assured by the provision of an extensive glossary. (Ibby Link )
This book will engage teenagers of all cultures. The author, Na'ima B. Robert, succeeds in maintaining the suspense about which pathway Safia will choose and gives a valuable insight into the family-centric Somalian culture. Safia is an engaging heroine with whom girls will idenntify. This is an excellent debut novel which should become a firm favourite. (Ink Pellet )
Does a good job of showing the richness of Somali culture as something positive and separate from the war that has torn the country apart for decades. A unique title. (School Library Journal )
Encourages Muslim teens living in Western societies to be proud of their differences and to embrace Islam as part of their individuality, and through Safia's story, readers will come to see Islam not just as a set of practices but instead as a way of life. (Muslim Voices (USA) )
The strong story of Safia's quest to discover who she is means that From Somalia With Love, will, I am sure strike a resonance with many of today's teenagers. (School Librarian )
The story proceeds as a sensitive, sometimes painful, examination of this coming to terms [with her father coming home] and the disturbances it makes, both domestically and in wider society, for Safia and her family... Warm engaging and intensely thought-provoking [with] the power to widen horizons and increase understanding of the richness of contemporary Britain's various cultures. It should be widely read. (Carousel )
A vivid and sympathetic novel written from the view point of a teenage girl who has many different perspectives to intergrate into her life: not only those of her own personal development and identity, but also those of her Somali family following their reunion after a long separation caused by civil war. The adjustments to be made of settling in a country that is not their homeland are clearly described and also the importance of maintaining cultural, traditional and religious ways of life. The integration into the general narrative of unfamiliar words and phrases gives authenticity to the reader's experience, comprehension being assured by the provision of an extensive glossary. (Ibby Link )
This book will engage teenagers of all cultures. The author, Na'ima B. Robert, succeeds in maintaining the suspense about which pathway Safia will choose and gives a valuable insight into the family-centric Somalian culture. Safia is an engaging heroine with whom girls will idenntify. This is an excellent debut novel which should become a firm favourite. (Ink Pellet )
Does a good job of showing the richness of Somali culture as something positive and separate from the war that has torn the country apart for decades. A unique title. (School Library Journal )
Encourages Muslim teens living in Western societies to be proud of their differences and to embrace Islam as part of their individuality, and through Safia's story, readers will come to see Islam not just as a set of practices but instead as a way of life. (Muslim Voices (USA) )
Product Description
"My name is Safia Dirie. My family has always been my mum, Hoyo, and my two older brothers, Ahmed and Abdullahi. I don't really remember Somalia - I'm an East London girl, through and through. But now Abo, my father, is coming from Somalia to live with us, after 12 long years. How am I going to cope?"
Safia knows that there will be changes ahead but nothing has prepared her for the reality of dealing with Abo's cultural expectations, her favourite brother Ahmed's wild ways, and the temptation of her cousin Firdous's party-girl lifestyle. Safia must come to terms with who she is - as a Muslim, as a teenager, as a poet, as a friend, but most of as a daughter to a father she has never known. Safia must find her own place in the world, so both father and daughter can start to build the relationship they both long for.
From Somalia With Love is one girl's quest to discover who she is - a story that, while rooted in Somali and Muslim life, strikes a chord with young people everywhere.
Safia knows that there will be changes ahead but nothing has prepared her for the reality of dealing with Abo's cultural expectations, her favourite brother Ahmed's wild ways, and the temptation of her cousin Firdous's party-girl lifestyle. Safia must come to terms with who she is - as a Muslim, as a teenager, as a poet, as a friend, but most of as a daughter to a father she has never known. Safia must find her own place in the world, so both father and daughter can start to build the relationship they both long for.
From Somalia With Love is one girl's quest to discover who she is - a story that, while rooted in Somali and Muslim life, strikes a chord with young people everywhere.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I thought that this was a rather insightful and informational novel concerning the youth of London's Somali community. It was convincing in the vernacular used by the characters - think Catherine Tate interspersed with Somali; the setting of the characters' lives - East London tower blocks and run down sink schools; and the challenges that young 14 year-old girls face whatever their cultural heritage, viz. boyfriends and male company, image and peer pressure. For that I congratulate Bint Robert, as she obviously did her research and spent time with Somali youth.
This is the storyline; Safia is 14 and has lived with her mum and older brothers in East London since fleeing Somalia when she was two. She lives between two cultures - the Somali extended family and school life with all it's fun and challenges. Her best friend Hamida is a fellow Muslim albeit Bengali in origin, and rather a soulmate. Safia's father comes to live with the family after taking twelve years to locate them, and this throws up all sorts of problems. How will he relate to his Westernised kids? Can her brother, Ahmed, stay out of trouble and on the right path? How will Safia react to temptations such as her glamourous but 'fallen' cousin Firdous and her bevvy of smooth-talking, fast-living male friends? Can Habaryero (Aunty) distract Safia away from the troubles of her life and back to her Islamic principles?
Bint Robert writes for Muslims, and as a result she can come across as (over)-proselytising the Islamic faith. This accounted for, she does seem to harp back to the non-mainstream Islamic themes she visits in 'From My Sisters' Lips', e.g. there is always a character in niqaab who is always ultra-'British'/approachable/liberated/educated: (think 'Najma' in 'Girl vs. Boy', or indeed herself in 'FMSL'). I daresay that it bears repeating that those who sport niqaab aren't all oppressed or forced to wear it, and wear it for highly laudible reasons, but she does rather 'over-egg the pudding' sometimes. Further to this point, there is always a character that borrows heavily from her own characteristics/personality/world view - again 'Najma' and Umm Abdullah in 'From Somalia...' I personally find this irritatingly self-aggrandising.
Some of the vernacular used did seem to be Americanised; since when did British-Somalis start speaking Gullah/using African-American turns of phrase; "Nah, I done told Hoyo about it..." (page 119)? Bint Robert also seems to suggest that all non-Muslims live a life of non-stop partying...if only! Some live very ordered, principled and moral lives, thank you very much.
As always, all ends happily, although it is a rather more convincing ending than 'Girl Vs. Boy', (and infinitely more likeable). It is a believable story which shows that there is an alternative to following your peers and betraying your beliefs as a result. The Somali/Arabic to English glossary at the back is useful too. It is on the short side, but it is aimed at teenagers as a light read, it is not intended to be too heavy, so in that respect it is just right.
This is the storyline; Safia is 14 and has lived with her mum and older brothers in East London since fleeing Somalia when she was two. She lives between two cultures - the Somali extended family and school life with all it's fun and challenges. Her best friend Hamida is a fellow Muslim albeit Bengali in origin, and rather a soulmate. Safia's father comes to live with the family after taking twelve years to locate them, and this throws up all sorts of problems. How will he relate to his Westernised kids? Can her brother, Ahmed, stay out of trouble and on the right path? How will Safia react to temptations such as her glamourous but 'fallen' cousin Firdous and her bevvy of smooth-talking, fast-living male friends? Can Habaryero (Aunty) distract Safia away from the troubles of her life and back to her Islamic principles?
Bint Robert writes for Muslims, and as a result she can come across as (over)-proselytising the Islamic faith. This accounted for, she does seem to harp back to the non-mainstream Islamic themes she visits in 'From My Sisters' Lips', e.g. there is always a character in niqaab who is always ultra-'British'/approachable/liberated/educated: (think 'Najma' in 'Girl vs. Boy', or indeed herself in 'FMSL'). I daresay that it bears repeating that those who sport niqaab aren't all oppressed or forced to wear it, and wear it for highly laudible reasons, but she does rather 'over-egg the pudding' sometimes. Further to this point, there is always a character that borrows heavily from her own characteristics/personality/world view - again 'Najma' and Umm Abdullah in 'From Somalia...' I personally find this irritatingly self-aggrandising.
Some of the vernacular used did seem to be Americanised; since when did British-Somalis start speaking Gullah/using African-American turns of phrase; "Nah, I done told Hoyo about it..." (page 119)? Bint Robert also seems to suggest that all non-Muslims live a life of non-stop partying...if only! Some live very ordered, principled and moral lives, thank you very much.
As always, all ends happily, although it is a rather more convincing ending than 'Girl Vs. Boy', (and infinitely more likeable). It is a believable story which shows that there is an alternative to following your peers and betraying your beliefs as a result. The Somali/Arabic to English glossary at the back is useful too. It is on the short side, but it is aimed at teenagers as a light read, it is not intended to be too heavy, so in that respect it is just right.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This fantastic book by Naima B. Robert portraits the life of a typical Somalian-British teenage Muslim girl. It is mainly about the bonding between a long-lost Somalian father and his family. His arrival brings happiness to the family but also loneliness, distrust and anger. All this is what makes Safia and Ahmed to change in different ways - ways that would change their choices forever.
Sister Naima truly shows the teenage readers of this book the shallowness of all the attractive and unlawful things of this world. She also shows the Somalian way of life, their different cultures and how they live being so far from home. Although it is an excellent book, it could have been a little longer - I found it a bit too short.
I would ask any teenage Muslimah living in a Western world to read this book. Anyone who is struggling to find their identity in this confusing world would certainly enjoy this book and also find it helpful.
Sister Naima truly shows the teenage readers of this book the shallowness of all the attractive and unlawful things of this world. She also shows the Somalian way of life, their different cultures and how they live being so far from home. Although it is an excellent book, it could have been a little longer - I found it a bit too short.
I would ask any teenage Muslimah living in a Western world to read this book. Anyone who is struggling to find their identity in this confusing world would certainly enjoy this book and also find it helpful.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book purely because it was written by Naima Roberts and I loved her other book from my sisters lips!
It's a relatively short book which has a nice story to it.
It's a pleasant light read.
Get it if that's what you're looking for.
:D
It's a relatively short book which has a nice story to it.
It's a pleasant light read.
Get it if that's what you're looking for.
:D
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