FOUR EIDS AND A FUNERAL, by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar, Feiwel & Friends, June 4, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
Ex-best friends join forces to save their Islamic Center from demolition in Four Eids and a Funeral, by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar.
The town of New Crosshaven has it all―even its own infamous love story.
These days, Said Hossain spends most of his time away at boarding school. But when his favorite hometown librarian, Ms. Barnes, dies, he must return to New Crosshaven for her funeral and for the summer. Too bad being home makes it a lot harder to avoid facing his ex–best friend, Tiwa Olatunji, or facing the daunting task of telling his Bangladeshi parents that he would rather be an artist than a doctor.
Tiwa doesn’t understand what made Said start ignoring her, but it’s probably that fancy boarding school of his. Though he’s unexpectedly staying at home through the summer, she’s determined to take a page from him and pretend he doesn’t exist. Besides, she has more than enough going on anyway, between grieving her broken family and helping her mother throw the upcoming Eid celebration at the Islamic Center―a place that means so much to Tiwa.
But when the Islamic Center accidentally catches fire, it turns out the mayor plans to demolish the center entirely. Things are still tense between the ex-friends, but Tiwa needs Said’s help if there’s any hope of changing the mayor’s mind, and on top of everything, Said needs a project to submit to art school (unbeknownst to anyone).
Will all their efforts be enough to save the Islamic Center, save Eid, and maybe even save their relationship? —Synopsis provided by Feiwel & Friends
Four Eids and a Funeral is a sweet romance about community and being true to yourself.
At the center of the story are Said and Tiwa. The two were best friends until Said left for boarding school. Now, they can barely stand to be in the same room with each other. Both characters are strong in their own right and their interplay works well.
The writing by by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar feels cohesive and comfortable. They have a lot going on but manage to keep everything flowing instead of becoming a jumbled mess.
The book’s strongest asset is the strong representation of South Asian cultures within a Muslim community. This is what grounds Four Eids and a Funeral. The authors have expertly written a book that speaks to a specific audience but is also accessible to readers who don’t have much background.
Four Eids and a Funeral is a fairly fast read that has a wholesome feel to it.
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