A review by olagronski
An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

5.0

Shadi is suffocating under the weight of her grief—her brother is dead, her father is dying, she lost her best friend, and her Muslim community is being persecuted after the events of 9/11. She learns to close off her heart to the possibility of hope and joy after being burned so many times. And yet, she pushes herself through it. Breaking herself in the process, but pushing nonetheless. This is a raw, painfully beautiful story of a girl thrusted into chaos through the sheer existence of her identity and the life lessons she’s forced to learn along the way to survive. This book physically radiates empathy and Tahereh Mafi’s writing is guaranteed to make your heart weep. It’s a heavy story, but it’s one that is vital to read.