A Very Large Expanse of Sea: A Novel

by Tahereh Mafi Narrated by Priya Ayyar

Overview

A National Book Award Longlist title!

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice.

It's 2002, a year after 9/11. It's an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who's tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She's tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments-even the physical violence-she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she's built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He's the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her-they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds-and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she's not sure she'll ever be able to let it down.

Editorial Reviews

NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile

Narrator Priya Ayyar perfectly crafts the voice of high school student Shirin. As Shirin starts over once again at a new high school, she faces prejudice from her classmates and even her teachers because she is Muslim. When she falls for one of her classmates, Ocean, who is the school’s star basketball player, the teasing and bullying intensify. Listeners will feel they have a window onto the love Shirin and Ocean are developing for each other through details such as their instant messaging conversations. Romance and realistic fiction fans alike will be captivated by these authentic characters who tell a story of the struggle many Muslim teens face in the U.S. in the aftermath of 9/11. M.D. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile

Narrator Priya Ayyar perfectly crafts the voice of high school student Shirin. As Shirin starts over once again at a new high school, she faces prejudice from her classmates and even her teachers because she is Muslim. When she falls for one of her classmates, Ocean, who is the school’s star basketball player, the teasing and bullying intensify. Listeners will feel they have a window onto the love Shirin and Ocean are developing for each other through details such as their instant messaging conversations. Romance and realistic fiction fans alike will be captivated by these authentic characters who tell a story of the struggle many Muslim teens face in the U.S. in the aftermath of 9/11. M.D. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169979145
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/16/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Videos