Take It Back @kiaabdullah @HarperCollins #rape #race #courtroom #lawyers #crimefiction @absltmom

This was such a fabulous book that I can’t hardly find the words necessary to convey how very good it was. It combined decisive writing, tight scenes, and a flow that made the book seamless.

A sixteen year old white deformed girl , Jodie, has allegedly been attacked by four Muslim boys. The boys come from hard working immigrant families and while Jodie is the only one who can back up her claims, the four boys swear that nothing happened. Seeking help, Jodie enlists the assistance of Zara Kaleel, a young accomplished lawyer who left the prestigious job she once held to help those who are victims. Zara is a Muslim woman modern in her thinking and as her defense of Jodi continues she becomes the brunt of not only the Muslim community but also members of her family as well.

The scenes flip back and forth between the court, the conferences and meeting that both Jodie and the boys hold with their lawyers, the talks between the boys themselves, and Jodie and Zara. It’s a heartbreaking tale especially for Jodie, who has always been ugly to others, her mother, and herself. In the end who is telling the truth is the ultimate question.

The topics covered in this story not only include rape, but also racial prejudice, religion, disabilities, and culture. This is a hard hitting book, one that cut to not only the he said, she said defense in rape cases, but also presents each and every character with their faults and feelings laid to bear.

The bottom line is the fact that many people form their opinions based on how a person looks, what nationality they are and how convincing they can be in the courtroom setting. It’s a bold story one that propels the reader into their own conflicting opinion and at the end makes them well aware of the frailties of many that some seem to prey upon.

Definitely a very strong recommendation for reading this book. Certainly a book that well holds the reader’s interest and I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for a advanced copy of this meaningful book due out on December 8, 2020.

and here’s the author

Kia Abdullah is an author and travel writer from London. Her novel Take It Back was named one of the best thrillers of the year by The Guardian and Telegraph and was selected for an industry-first audio serialisation by HarperCollins and The Pigeonhole.

Kia has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph, and is the founder of Asian Booklist, a non-profit organization that advocates for diversity in publishing.