Ricky Aug 29, 2017

really liked it 's review

Finally got around to finishing this after quite a few months. This book in particular was one I wanted to get at MFF 2016 for sure after hearing about it off/on; I even got this copy signed by Kyell Gold, so that's pretty cool!



Anyway, what got me, and probably many others, interested in wanting to read this novella was the overall theme of Islam vs. LGBT. I've never come across a work of fiction, let alone furry fiction, that touched on this subject. What makes this more unique is that the author could've easily had Aziz be a devout Christian; many of the sad stories you hear of kids being kicked out by their parents after coming out is generally because the parents are religious Christians. Instead, Aziz is Muslim, but that story of him rejecting his son for being gay is just as sad. (If you've read this book, you'll know there's a happy ending).



The other theme I enjoyed was the topic of dwindling marriages; not just between Aziz and Halifa, but between Gerald and Ben. I won't go into too much detail about these here, but it's interesting to see that one couple were on the same page with where they stand, and the other is where one's still hopeful but the other not so much. I will say, I don't remember reading stories that focus on marriages (and don't go like sitcoms). Any flavor of romance I come across is usually a budding relationship, crushes, questioning orientation, any kind of romance or relationship that's young and new; it's nice to see what could happen in one, two, thirty years into a marriage, along with reminiscing what occurred in the past during that marriage. It's a nice change of plot and conflict, plus it could give younger readers some insight into what a marriage is really like.



It wasn't until I got towards the middle and end of the novella where I began to relate to Aziz, in a way. I myself am not Muslim, but I am Christian. While I identify as bisexual and still try and grow in my faith as much as I can, there were a few times I could relate to Aziz whenever the question "Can you not be straight and still keep the faith?" was brought up. While we don't know if Aziz identified as gay in the end, I was...actually a bit inspired when he explored his faith vs. homosexuality, if only to try and understand his son; this is a topic I myself want to explore in my own faith and share what I've learned.



I know I focused on theme in this review more than story or characters, but these three themes: Islam, marriage struggles, and faith vs. homosexuality, stood out to me. Also, it's been a while since I've written a substantial book review, so I apologize if this isn't as 'meaty' as some of my other reviews.



Finally, and it feels weird for me to say this, but this would be one of the first furry books I'm willing to share with my mother and grandmother. Again, mainly because of the themes. By extension, I would also recommend this to any parents who have LGBT children and are very religious (doesn't have to be Muslim). I can see these types of parents relating to Aziz and Halifa in their struggles regarding their son, their faith, and homosexuality.