Umm Junayd gives an insight of her thoughts about Na’ima B. Robert’s latest teen novel, Boy vs. Girl
Boy vs. Girl is Na’ima B. Robert’s second teen novel, one that has similarities with her debut teen novel - From Somalia with Love - but handles different topics.
Boy vs. Girl begins just before Ramadan: a great tingle is in the air and busy activities commence prior to the sighting of the moon. Although the beginning of the novel may seem slow in pace - and could provide initial teething problems for those who want more action – the pace gradually picks up as more characters are introduced and a wider spectrum is shown.
A central theme of this novel is one of common Muslim teen struggles and the clashes they have with culture, religion and society – an often irreconcilable concoction, and while it could be perceived as simply being a book that deals with the tussle twins Farhana and Faraz go through as they are tugged in one direction by their hearts and another by their desires, it reads deeper than that. Readers are given a view into the lives of teenagers who yearn to be ‘normal’ teens, while desperately clinging on to their deen. Touching on topics such as Farhana’s battle with the hijab and the new status that comes with it, as well as Faraz’s taste of the streets and the attention it brings, Boy vs. Girl speaks not only to the teen readers it is aimed at, but their family and loved ones too.
Uzma and Mahmood are traditional Pakistani parents who have very different goals for each of their children. Izzat, family honour, is an important value they hold, and coupled with an idealistic perception of their twins, they fail to see the growth and changes the twins go through until the reality of the situation impacts on their lives. Boy vs. Girl portrays them as being representative of many Muslim parents who were not raised in the same environment as their children and do not see past cultural expectations. The brief glimpses into their upbringing drives home the message of how vital it can be to be in tune with one’s offspring.
While Farhana and Faraz are the principle characters of this novel, Boy vs. Girl cleverly interweaves the story of their favourite aunt, Auntie Najma, into its tale. Auntie Naj, an educated, art-loving and rather sophisticated niqabi, has part of her past unearthed, while showing that Muslim women who are often looked down in society for choosing to don the face veil are humans too.
Despite having a very Muslim theme, Boy vs. Girl can easily be read by a non-Muslim audience with the provision of a glossary of terms found at the back of the book, which explains the many Arabic and Urdu phrases found within the novel. The characters are realistic, and it is easy to have strong feelings towards several of them, whether it be admiration, pity or outrage. However, Shazia - Farhana’s best friend - could have been more closely examined in some areas of the book, as her dilemma is not completely parallel to that of Farhana.
An amalgamation of clearly thought-out and interlinked themes ranging from relationships to inter-racial marriages, peer pressure to gangs, Na’ima B. Robert doesn’t claim to have any answers to the many problems the Muslim youth of today are bombarded with; she clearly gives readers a twin-view mirror, allowing them to draw their own conclusions, and I highly recommend you draw yours. I’ve drawn mine!
For more information about ‘Boy vs. Girl’ and Na’ima B. Robert’s other books, visit www.naimabrobert.co.uk
Last edited by Samira on Sun Sep 12, 2010 12:32 am; edited 1 time in total
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