#bengali character

[cam-arts]

freedom of movement

[mxdoriya]

The Henna Wars

[Image Description: Two girls against a solid pink background. They are facing each other and viewed in profile. The girl on the left is shorter with medium brown skin. She has a round face and a gold nose ring in her right nostril. Her hair is dark, long, and has a slight wave to it. She is looking up at the other girl and reaching her hand out, which is covered in a traditional henna design. The girl on the right is taller with brown skin. She has very curly dark hair that frames her face. She is looking down at the other girl and reaching her hand out, which is covered in a modern and angular henna design. Superimposed on top of the image is the title of the book, The Henna Wars, written in white cursive, and the author’s name, Adiba Jaigirdar, written in a small white sans-serif font. End Image Description]

Okay im supposed to be working rn but i just finished listening to this audiobook and i cant recommend it enough!

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar is about 16-year-old Nishat and how she navigates coming out to a traditional Bengali Muslim family, dealing with racism and homophobia in school, and figuring out her feelings towards an old friend. Flávia recently moved back to the town in Ireland after spending time with her mother in her home country of Brazil.

Edit to add: There is a plotline where Nishat is outed against her will to the school, please keep that in mind if it will upset you!

Amazon link and Audible link

(Spoilers below!)

To preface: I am a very white-passing Latine. I have not experienced racism against my skin color. But from my limited perspective, the author did a wonderful job portraying a realistic modern-day perspective of two young women of color.

Nishat and Flávia (along with a minor Korean-Irish character) bond at times over being the only minorities in a predominately white school and neighborhood. Race is discussed openly between PoC and white people, as Nishat frequently calls out other girls on their racist behavior and remarks. It’s even pointed out how Flávia herself is not immune being hurtful towards others.

As far as queer representation goes, as a queer person myself I was delighted! I had wanted a lighthearted young queer novel to pass the time at work and, while a little less lighthearted than I anticipated, it absolutely gave me what I wanted. Nishat says in the first chapter that she is a lesbian, and eventually Flávia comes out as bisexual.

While Nishat’s parents are very unapproving in the beginning, telling her that she has made the wrong choice and pointing out how her family will look down upon them, I was surprised to see them eventually come around in the end. Nishat’s mother even takes it upon herself to do research, and tells Nishat how she knows “all about the lesbians and the gays and the bisexuals and the... pansexuals? Is that what you call them? And the others, the transgenders.” I’m paraphrasing here, but it is actually a very touching moment when a mother finally begins to understand her daughter.

I’m rambling but all in all it’s an amazing book! There’s so much more than what I’ve explained here but from my perspective it just had such amazing representation for race and sexuality!

I listened to the audiobook through my library on Overdrive, but the book is on Amazon and the audiobook is on Audible!

[cam-arts]

today I offer the tiger child, tomorrow? Who knows

Close-ups under the cut

[cam-arts]

Tiger, Tiger

[cam-arts]

you know who it is