by Samira Ahmed
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
LOVE, HATE & OTHER FILTERS by Samira Ahmed tells the story of Indian-American, Muslim protagonist Maya Aziz, who is struggling to reconcile her own dreams of filmmaking with the expectations placed upon her by her parents, such as marrying a suitable Muslim boy or attending college close to home. These concerns seem almost trivial, however, when an act of terror is committed and the primary suspect happens to share Maya’s last name, she has to discover ways to cope with the rapidly surfacing Islamophobia in her community and discover those who are truly there for her. In the story, she also faces a choice between two boys, which was a bit predictable and fluffy but enjoyable nonetheless. Despite not being Muslim myself, I found Maya very easy to identify with because of her authentic, articulate voice. I could relate to her feelings of uncertainty about the future and thought that her insights were beautiful, thoughtful, and reflective. My favorite character by far was Maya’s fiercely loyal best friend Violet, who offers Maya invaluable advice and perspective throughout the novel. Overall, the subject matter was highly topical and I would definitely recommend the novel to anyone seeking a refreshing, well-written narrative that deals with some very prevalent issues in politics right now.
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