If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan
There is no f a i r y g o d m o t h e r, Cinderella. Life doesn’t work that way.
Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light. So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly. Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?
I stumbled on this book while looking through my library's LGBT e-book collection and had high hopes for it. It had such a fantastic premise! Two girls in love with each other in Iran! Where it's illegal! But Sahar could become a man, legally, and with the government's aid! It seemed like it would be a fascinating read. However, I was mostly pushing myself to read it, it was mostly... not good. Pros: Diversity! Transgender characters, lesbian and gay characters, PoC characters (it's set in Iran). A very fascinating idea, where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death but being transgender is fine, and even paid for by the government. Cons: The characters are incredibly unlikeable. The fact that Sahar wanted to go through gender reassignment surgery to be with an incredibly petty, selfish, and obnoxious girl who clearly didn't love her as much as she loved her. Strange plot lines that didn't really fall together well. And the author kept calling transgender 'transsexual' and I kind of wanted to puke. Overall, two stars but I gave it an extra star for such amazing diversity. It would have been three (plus one) but the transsexual think irked me a whole lot.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3/5 stars)