The Bad Muslim Discount

Wow, just wow. This was the most engaging book I have read in a long time. I just couldn't put it down, and I had so many thoughts and feelings about it that I want to discuss with other readers. It didn't quite stick the landing but considering it's only Masood's sophomore effort (and first adult novel), it's truly impressive. The Bad Muslim Discount is a frequently uneasy mash-up of Masood's previous YA novel, [b:More Than Just a Pretty Face 42655335 More Than Just a Pretty Face Syed M. Masood https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567543911l/42655335.SX50.jpg 66401590], with its wisecracking protagonist, and Khaled Hosseini's bestseller [b:The Kite Runner 77203 The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579036753l/77203.SY75.jpg 3295919]. The chapters narrated by Anvar span his life from a childhood in Pakistan to his immigration to America with his family, his high school/early college years falling in love, and the aftermath of that relationship. The impact of violence and anti-Muslim sentiment is acknowledged, but it's in the background. Anvar could be a Muslim counterpart to any number of “‘man child” heroes created by [a:Nick Hornby 2929 Nick Hornby https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1422915487p2/2929.jpg] or [a:Jonathan Tropper 26163 Jonathan Tropper https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1550353256p2/26163.jpg]. Then in sharp contrast are the chapters narrated by the woman known as Azza, who starts out in Iraq and ends up in the same apartment complex as Anvar many years later. Her life is much more tragic, filled with violence, death and abuse. While Anvar's chapters are frequently humorous, there is nothing funny about the trauma that Azza experiences along her journey. The book has a lot to say about what it means to be a “good” Muslim, and I found Anvar's theory about why the religion has been co-opted by fundamentalists fascinating, as well as his pointed connections between this form of Islam and American nationalism. The specter of the 2016 election looms large in the latter half of the book; families like Anvar's who have come to our country to escape extremism can't believe that the “orange man” who wants to build a wall to prevent Mexican immigration and ban Muslims from entering the country could possibly prevail. Their naivete is a sharp reminder that, as horrified as I felt as a white woman when Trump was elected, the stakes were much higher for families like Anvar's. Masood has also populated his book with memorable secondary characters, including Anvar's traditional yet modern parents and his obsequious brother, Azza's tormented father, and a remarkable landlord/guardian angel who provides rent discounts to “good Muslims” and is frequently the voice of reason as Anvar struggles to do the right thing.Anvar and Azza meet about halfway through the book, and what happens then is not exactly what you expect. Their interactions put their backgrounds in sharp contrast, and it almost but not quite renders Anvar's problems inconsequential. Masood walks a fine line, trying to portray that both characters' dilemmas have validity, but occasionally the differences make Anvar look like a clueless idiot. I wish Masood had allowed Anvar to be a bit more heroic in his actions; to a certain extent Azza is there just to teach him a lesson that he is slow to learn. But then again, this is real life, and not everything gets tied up in a neat bow. I'm being deliberately vague to avoid spoilers but all I can say is, read this book. You will laugh, you will be mad, you will think and have questions, but I can say without a doubt that you will not forget it. I have a feeling that this won't find the audience it deserves, which is a shame because it should be on every book club list in 2021.