The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

by Sabina Khan

Overview

With a welcome mix of humor, heart, and high-stakes drama, Sabina Khan provides a timely and honest portrait of what it's like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture.

Fight for love. Fight for family. Fight for yourself.

Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali has always been fascinated by the universe around her and the laws of physics that keep everything in order. But her life at home isn't so absolute.

Unable to come out to her conservative Muslim parents, she keeps that part of her identity hidden. And that means keeping her girlfriend, Ariana, a secret from them too. Luckily, only a few more months stand between her carefully monitored life at home and a fresh start at Caltech in the fall. But when Rukhsana's mom catches her and Ariana together, her future begins to collapse around her.

Devastated and confused, Rukhsana's parents whisk her off to stay with their extended family in Bangladesh where, along with the loving arms of her grandmother and cousins, she is met with a world of arranged marriages, religious tradition, and intolerance. Fortunately, Rukhsana finds allies along the way and, through reading her grandmother's old diary, finds the courage to take control of her future and fight for her love.

"An intersectional, diverse coming-of-age story that will break your heart in the best way" (Bustle), The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali provides a timely and achingly honest portrait of what it's like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture and proves that love, above all else, has the power to change the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338582154
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	481,591
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Sabina Khan, author of The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali and many other acclaimed novels, writes about Muslim teens who straddle cultures. She was born in Germany, spent her teens in Bangladesh, and lived in Macao, Illinois, and Texas before settling down in British Columbia with her husband, two daughters, and the best puppy in the world. Visit her online at sabina-khan.com.

Read an Excerpt

No parties, no shorts, no boys. These were my parents' three cardinal rules. But what they didn't know couldn't hurt them, right? I quickly changed out of my NASA pajamas and into my favorite black crop top and dark-blue vintage jeans, liking the way they accentuated my curves. According to Mom no one needed to know that I had boobs, much less a belly button, except for me, Allah, and my future husband. Of course, the whole "no boys" rule was a moot point in my case, but fortunately my parents didn't know about Ariana."Rukhsana, Mom's never going to let you out of the house wearing that."Startled, I spun around to see my brother, Aamir, leaning lazily against my door frame."Knock much?" I said, quickly pausing the music playing on my phone."I did. It's not my fault you couldn't hear me over that screeching you call music." Aamir smiled as he sauntered into the room and plopped down on my bed.Of course, my brother was right. I would never be allowed to go out wearing this. Which was why I was planning to throw on my oversized school hoodie to once again become the shapeless blob my parents preferred to think of me as."Aamir, you know this isn't my first rodeo." I ruffled his hair affectionately. "Plus, you always have my back, right?""Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I'll cover for you," Aamir said, pushing away my hand. He was very particular about his hair. "But it's going to cost you," he added with a grin."What do you want this time?" I pulled the bulky hoodie over my head."Something good. I haven't thought about it yet." He surveyed my outfit. "Ariana's going to run away when she sees you, but at least Mom will be happy."I punched him playfully in the arm before going downstairs. The smell of chai led me into the kitchen, where I found the pot bubbling on the stovetop. I inhaled its spicy aroma deeply, allowing the cinnamon and cardamom to soothe my nerves. It was almost five o'clock, time to head over to Jen's house to finish getting ready for the party. But first I had to convince Mom to let me go.

Editorial Reviews

10/15/2018
Like many American teenagers straddling two cultures—that of their foreign-born parents and that outside their home—Seattle high school senior Rukhsana has hopes that diverge from her family’s. Though her conservative Bengali-Muslim parents expect her to attend the nearby University of Washington and to marry a young man, she has secretly applied to Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., and is a closeted-to-them lesbian. Her parents eventually give in on Caltech, but when they discover her kissing her girlfriend, Ariana, they furiously spirit Rukhsana away to Bangladesh under false pretenses. Khan skillfully depicts Rukhsana’s mix of emotions toward her family—frustration and anger, love and loyalty—as well as resentment at the differing expectations her parents hold for her and for her carefree younger brother, Aamir. Relationships ring true, including the siblings’ teasingly affectionate relationship and Rukhsana and Ariana’s struggles navigating their romance under difficult circumstances. The complicated plot and the large cast of characters, both in Seattle and in Bangladesh, occasionally overwhelm, but Rukhsana’s voice offers a steady blend of compassion and humor as she schemes—with several likable allies—to follow her dreams, perhaps at the cost of losing her family. Ages 14–up. Agent: Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali:

Featured on NBC News and the BBC

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Teen Indie Next List Pick (IndieBound)

An Amazon Best Book of the Month for February

Oprah Magazine's Best YA Books You'll Love in 2019

Seventeen.com's Best YA Books of 2019

B&N Teen Blog's Most Anticipated LGBTQAP Books of 2019

Hypable's Most Anticipated LGBTQ YA Books of 2019

Parade's Buzzworthy YA Books to Read in 2019

BookRiot's Most Anticipated 2019 LGBTQ YA of 2019

Paste Magazine's Best YA Books of January 2019

Short-listed, Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize (BC), 2020

Short-listed, OLA White Pine Award, Fiction, 2019

Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, 2019

Commended, OLA Best Bets: Honorable Mention, 2019

"An intersectional, diverse coming of age story that will break your heart in the best way." — Bustle.com

* "With an up-close depiction of the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ community with Bengali culture, this hard-hitting and hopeful story is a must-purchase for any YA collection." — School Library Journal, starred review

"This book will break your heart and then, chapter by chapter, piece it back together again. A much-needed addition to any YA shelf." — Sandhya Menon, New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi and From Twinkle, With Love

"Heart-wrenching yet hopeful, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali is an insightful and honest look at the tangled web of identity, culture, familial loyalty, and love. Sabina Khan crafts a powerful, poignant story about finding yourself, about speaking your truth, and about stepping out of the shadows and into the light." — Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Hate and Other Filters

"A daring and timely novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali delves head-and-heart-first into the universal complexities of navigating duty and desire, tradition and modernity, and friends and family — the one we are born into and the one we choose; the friends who are family, and the family we strive to befriend — all through the prism of multicultured identity. Political, personal, page-turning. Sabina Khan is one to watch." — Tanuja Desai Hidier, author of Born Confused and Bombay Blues

"Bold, heartbreaking, yet hopeful. A story that will stay with you for years to come." — Sara Farizan, Lambda Award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine

"The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali unapologetically explores the complex ties between families, friends, and intersectional diversity. Khan brings talent and voice in this brilliant novel that will keep you reading until the very last page." — Nisha Sharma, author of My So-Called Bollywood Life

"[The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali] takes LGBTQ fiction to another level and will help open readers' eyes to the realities that many face in these changing times." — Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2018
Gr 9 Up{amp}ndash;Rukhsana Ali lives her life on the border of two worlds: one as the daughter of conservative Muslim parents, the other as a 17-year-old teen just trying to make it through the end of her senior year and get into California Tech. Everything seems to be going according to plan until her mother catches her kissing her girlfriend Ariana. Incapable of understanding, her parents whisk her away to Bangladesh where she is caught up in a whirlwind of family dynamics, arranged marriages, and traditions. Through the kind words and understanding of her cousin and grandmother, as well as the gift of her grandmother's diary, Rukhsana searches for the courage to fight for her right to love whomever without also losing her family's approval. This coming-of-age novel is filled with memorable characters, heartfelt moments, and a realistic portrayal of the difficulty of living in two worlds. At times, the writing feels a bit stilted, but the heart of this story will resonate strongly with teens. They will cheer, cry, and rage along with Rukhsana as she balances the ignorance of her friends and family on her quest for understanding and acceptance. VERDICT With an up-close depiction of the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ community with Bengali culture, this hard-hitting and hopeful story is a must-purchase for any YA collection.{amp}mdash;India Winslow, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA

School Library Journal

Narrator Richa Shukla has the ideal voice for Bangladeshi teen Rukhsana Ali and the close-knit traditional community she loves—even though she fears what would happen if they find out she is a lesbian. Shukla’s performance is spry, upbeat, and optimistic as Rukhsana navigates her two separate lives. Later, her performance captures the sudden emotional turmoil Rukhsana faces when she is caught kissing her girlfriend. The tension ramps up as Rukhsana is whisked away to Bangladesh and forced to make an impossible decision that leaves her planning a daring escape. Shukla excels at creating the heartfelt and maternal voices of Rukhsana’s mother and grandmother, whose hardships help Rukhsana decide the life she wants to live. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2019 - AudioFile

Narrator Richa Shukla has the ideal voice for Bangladeshi teen Rukhsana Ali and the close-knit traditional community she loves—even though she fears what would happen if they find out she is a lesbian. Shukla’s performance is spry, upbeat, and optimistic as Rukhsana navigates her two separate lives. Later, her performance captures the sudden emotional turmoil Rukhsana faces when she is caught kissing her girlfriend. The tension ramps up as Rukhsana is whisked away to Bangladesh and forced to make an impossible decision that leaves her planning a daring escape. Shukla excels at creating the heartfelt and maternal voices of Rukhsana’s mother and grandmother, whose hardships help Rukhsana decide the life she wants to live. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2019 - AudioFile