Love, Hate and Other Filters - Samira Ahmed

Title: Love, Hate, & Other Filters
Author: Samira Ahmed
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3.5 Stars

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A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape--perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacqueline Woodson, and Adam Silvera.

American-born seventeen-year-old Maya Aziz is torn between worlds. There’s the proper one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter: attending a college close to their suburban Chicago home, and being paired off with an older Muslim boy her mom deems “suitable.” And then there is the world of her dreams: going to film school and living in New York City—and maybe (just maybe) pursuing a boy she’s known from afar since grade school, a boy who’s finally falling into her orbit at school.

There’s also the real world, beyond Maya’s control. In the aftermath of a horrific crime perpetrated hundreds of miles away, her life is turned upside down. The community she’s known since birth becomes unrecognizable; neighbors and classmates alike are consumed with fear, bigotry, and hatred. Ultimately, Maya must find the strength within to determine where she truly belongs.

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Now, really, deep down, I loved this book!  However, I did rate is 3.5 Stars.  And here's why

*The book describes itself as being about a 17 year old torn between two worlds - being a normal American teen, and being a young Muslim who wants to do what makes her parents happy.  Super!  We need more books about Muslims, yes!  HOWEVER, the book barely touches on the Aziz family's religion.  It wasn't important until a terrorist event happened in another Illinois city, and people assumed the terrorist was Muslim.  Then, all of a sudden her parents are super religious and talking about the Qu'ran and going to the mosque every day to pray for the people that got killed in the terrorist attack.  I don't want to go into a whole diatribe, because I know very little about Islam, but based on the description, I would assume that being Muslim is important to Maya and her family - so it felt like that should have been a more central topic in the book.

*The romance between Maya and Phil.  Honestly - the romance between Maya and Phil felt a little forced. It felt like she liked Phil because he was there, and like Phil liked Maya because she was.... an escape from his normal everyday life. 

*The way Maya treated her parents was questionable at best.  She was pretty rude to them most of the time.  Now, I think it's okay, and in fact very important to, stand up for yourself and to ask questions. But you can do that while still treating other people with respect. 

Now: I did like:

*Maya is a pretty strong, independent young lady who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in.  She has to fight against a raging racist ass hat who treats her like shit because she's Muslim, and she has to deal with her parents not believing that film making is an acceptable career for her.  But she stand up for that and herself. 

*I love Violet - honestly I think she's the best character in the entire novel. I don't even know how to adequately sum up what I love about her - she's just amazing and fun!

*I like that this novel deals with Islamaphobia, even if Maya's family being Muslim is a bit in the background.  There is so much Islamaphobia in the world, and primarily in the USA right now.  A lot of that is rooted in the fact that too many people genuinely believe that every single Muslim is a terrorist.  (Hey, you know that all Muslims are not terrorists, right?!  A lot of acts of terrorism committed in the US are in fact committed by white dudes who were born and raised in America....)  Anyway, I love that this book did its part to address terrorism and the fact that not all Muslims are terrorists. 


Overall, I would recommend this book. It's definitely worth the read.