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This is undoubtedly one of the best books I've had the opportunity to read. The characters make your heart soar, the dialogues, images, themes are all profoundly moving. I have not had such an emotional response to a piece of fiction in a long time. I learned many things from this book: I remembered prayer, I thought of loss, and love and the pervasive nature of love that allows you to conquer fear and stigma. I learned about the beauty of the human spirit to persevere, to hold onto love despite shifts in space, and time. I felt this was an intensely spiritual book as well, because the the main character Sammar possessed a quiet piety, respect, and compassion. It was deeply moving for me when she realized her mistake of placing herself first in this matter of love, as if she could decide the contents of another's heart, as if she could demand their love. This book made me think about how friendship and love are so difficult to distinguish, how easily they come in phone calls, conversations, and exchanges.

When I finished this book on my NJ Transit ride to work, I wanted to immediately buy millions of copies of this book to distribute to my fellow passengers. I wanted so much to share this story with everyone I knew. If you are a believer on any level--of hope, change, love, Islam--I think this is a significant piece for you to read.