I'm going to have to go middle of the road here, because I neither loved it, but I didn't hate it either. I knew going in that this story would be emotionally charged for several reasons. It covers sensitive subject matter, that being a disfigured girl accusing four Muslim boys with rape. I haven't read very many courtroom dramas so I wanted to give this one a try to see if it would be a genre I would like to read more of in the future.

The author came across to me as someone who doesn't seem to like Muslims, as evidenced by what takes place in the story. I had a hard time figuring out while I was reading if I was supposed to be sympathetic to Jodie, the alleged rape victim, or to the four boys. I was sympathetic to Jodie because of everything she'd been through in her life from the time she was born, but then as the book progressed, I almost felt sorry for the boys and the lasting impact the whole thing was having/was going to have on their lives. My opinion of both changed multiple times and honestly I finished the book with very mixed emotions.

There's several twists and turns, right up until the very last page, and on that last page, I got a bit rejuvenated as to Jodie's future, but then the story just ended, so I guess I'm left to my own imagination as to what happens with it all.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Tense. Riveting. Courtroom drama that is so much more than just a courtroom drama.
4 Muslim boys are accused of raping a young girl with physical deformities.
Many do not believe her, Zara does and fights for her in court.
The writing is seamless. Character development intense and solid. While this is not "light reading", it is reading that is fast paced, It is heart breaking, frustrating, and hope filled all at the same time. This one is in my top 5 of the year. It will stay with me long after concluding. So very thankful for the ARC!

This book started out intense. Then around half way it lost my interest., then the book seemed more about Zara. Overall it was a good read & would recommend, to someone who is interested in reading thrillers with race & religion plots.

I enjoyed this book. There is a trigger aspect for some. I was pleased that it took you from the beginning to end with this story. I would recommend this book. Well written and will look for the other books by this author.

This is a powerful courtroom drama depicting sexual violence, so be forewarned. One thing we learn quickly about the main character, Zara Kaleel, is that she is a very free-thinking, liberated young woman. She mapped out a brilliant legal career for herself, but when she reached the top rung, she found there was no 'there' there. Now she has left her prestigious London chambers to join Artemis House to work as a sexual violence advisor.

A sixteen-year-old white girl named Jodie Wolfe comes to see Zara, claiming she was raped by four Muslim boys from her school following a party. Jodie is shocking to look at, having been born with facial deformities caused by neurofibromatosis and Zara can't help but wonder how a story of gang rape will play out in court. But she herself believes Jodie's story and offers to help the girl make a formal statement to the police...and quite suddenly and predictably, the case becomes a flashpoint in national race relations.

Zara, a Muslim herself, is considered disloyal and a traitor to her people for taking on this case. 'Am I supposed to put my religion ahead of the fact that I'm a woman? Do I owe more loyalty to Islam than a girl who has been victimized?'

The story also delves into Zara's relationship with her family as she leads her rather unconventional life--unconventional at least in the judgment of the Muslim community they are a part of. 'She had told her mother that oppression happened when good women held back their daughters. It was the same women who pushed forward their sons; who treated them like masters of the universe and taught them to act with impunity.'

Each day the crowd outside the courthouse becomes louder, nastier and more violent. Where will this all end? Can justice be served in this atmosphere?

This is a riveting courtroom drama with lots of issues to ponder. I thought the characters were well-written and believable. Nice twist to the ending that hinges on one small detail. Who do you believe when it's a case of 'she said; they said?'

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I hope to read more from this author.

This novel drummed up a lot of intense feelings in me.

It’s complex, nuanced, and incredibly heavy at times. Finishing it has left me with this unshakable bleakness, though I do commend the novel for highlighting the ways in which women—and marginalized women especially—display strength and resilience.

Take It Back has drawn numerous comparisons to The Night Swim, another book about a fictional rape trial that came out earlier this year. But apart from their sensitive—and important—subject matter, I didn’t see too many similarities. The Night Swim was propelled, for me, by Hannah and Jenny, the two sisters at the heart of the mystery from two decades ago. Rachel, our investigator and one of the primary narrators, remained a stranger to me throughout the whole story. It was easy to lose Rachel in her role as mediator / conduit for the story.

Take It Back amps it up both in terms of mystery plot and diverse character development. There’s an incredible amount of tension between the victim and her accused: a white disabled girl (Jodie has neurofibromatosis) identifies four Muslim boys of South Asian descent as her rapists after a house party. Throughout the book, there’s a pervasive sense of discomfiting ambivalence, as the case is complicated by racist and Islambophobic treatment of the accused and cruelly ableist narratives surrounding Jodie herself.

For the record: I will always believe a woman when she says she has been hurt, assaulted, raped.

Even so, as is apparent from even just the premise, there’s an immense amount of nuance comprising the case at the centre of this book.

And Zara Kaleel, our protagonist, Jodie’s advocate, a high-powered-lawyer-turned-sexual-violence-advisor who grapples with profound alienation from her family and faith… she was a compelling if not wholly likeable narrator. There was no possibility of bypassing her presence in the story, not like I found with Rachel in The Night Swim.

Last thing I want to mention: I’m neither Muslim nor South Asian; I don’t have neurofibromatosis. As such, I think I’d benefit from reading some own-voices reviews regarding the portrayal of the diverse characters in Take It Back.

Bottom line for me: This book tackled a lot of heavy, important subjects, including racism, Islamophobia, immigrant family dynamics, rape and sexual assault, and the ways in which faith and feminism interact. I feel completely emotionally knackered, and I don’t really have a coherent sense of the book or clear attitude for or against. Mixed feelings about this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an electronic copy of Take It Back in exchange for my honest review.

Zara Kaleel is a prominent barrister who helps sexual assault victims.  Zara is usually one behind the scenes, but when she assists in the case of a white girl allegedly assaulted by four Muslim teenage boys, Zara becomes centerstage.  The reason is that Zara, herself, is a Muslim making her a part of the story whether she likes it or not.

What I liked about the story:

*It focused all parties involved within the alleged sexual assault (legal professionals, Jodie and the alleged suspects) allowing readers to get the whole story instead of just one side of it.

*The focus on race relations within the U.K.  As someone who lives in the United States it's easy to forget the race relations within other countries and how they can mimic our own problems.  I think having Zara a part of the Muslim ethnic group added an additional layer to the story with her pushing back against her upbringing and ideals within the Muslim population.

*Taking us inside the legal proceedings for a good portion of the book.  The workings of the legal system in the U.K. is very different from that of the U.S.  

What I didn't like:

*The story felt very drawn out.  I think part of my problem was that I didn't connect with any of the characters which hindered my enjoyment of the story.  As readers we are meant to sympathize with either Zara or Jodie and I didn't with either.  It isn't because they are flawed characters but they were too one dimensional for my tastes.  Zara did have more personality to her characterization than Jodie.  Honestly the story felt more about Zara than it did about Jodie and she was the rape victim.

Take It Back appears to be the beginning of a series featuring Zara.  I think if that's the case, I know a second book is coming out in 2021, I'll be sitting it out.  I appreciated it for being an own voices legal fiction novel but it missed the mark overall for me.

Take It Back is a compelling read. A young girl accuses four boys of rape. Zara, a lawyer, become her champion. But is the victim lying? Are the boys lying? The narrative has many angles: gender roles, religion, immigrant bias, and culture. It displays how nasty and judgmental people can be. It also shows to what extent some people will go to clear themselves. There are many twists in the story and lots of lieing.

Go out and buy this darned book!!! Read this, I dare you!


I will just say right now that it was a compelling and timely novel with a twist at the end that will knock your socks off! Something I never saw coming. With the twisted ending fresh in my mind, I will turn right around and re-read this delight of a book. This book is not a "delight" in any humorous or romantic way. No, this book is a delight because it underlines the abuse women have to take, and even when they are getting justice, they are still being abused. This book also deals with the disparity and lack of social justice between races. More so in this novel, since Zara is of the same culture as the accused and is claimed to be a "traitor" to her culture.

This was an eye-opening lesson in social justice with a terrific twist at the end that left me wanting more.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher and author.

This is a bold story that hooks you from the beginning. It has a little bit of everything in it - suspense, religion, prejudice, perspective, pre conceived notions, & rape. Would recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, this one had a rocky start and I just about put it down, I even went back to re-read the description to make sure I was reading the right book. But I persevered and boy, am I so glad I did. Once you get past the first couple chapters this one takes off like a fire and doesn’t let you go until the awesome ending.
I will give the heads up, there is descriptive sexual content and profanity. But with this storyline you would have to expect uncomfortable sexual descriptions and derogative speech. The author has a way of writing and making you see and feel how the characters did, especially Jodie and Zara. The court scenes were done very well.
I really enjoyed this one, high 5 stars.
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest unbiased opinion. This is a 5-star review. I highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Kia Abdullah, and to NetGalley for advanced to read and review.
Given the tensions in the world, this is a timely book about (in)justice between Muslims and whites. Based in London, this book follows the rape case of a deformed high school white girl named Jodie and the four accused Muslim classmates. A female Muslim and former barrister named Zara, now works for a woman's crisis/rape center. Zara has her own conflicts with family, faith and her community while trying to help Jodie through the investigation and trial.
The book was a quick read and at the end made me want to know more about the characters. This is a refreshing approach to the normal legal investigations/thrillers.

Holy Smokes! What did I just read? This book was amazing. When I say I could not read it fast enough I mean I COULD NOT READ IT FAST ENOUGH. It was THAT good. An amazing crime and courtroom thriller. One I won't forget for a long time. In my top 5 books of 2020 for sure.

Zara is a lawyer for sexual assault victims and Jodie comes into her office one day to confess a rape. The rape involves four Muslum boys whose families are prominent and active members of the community. Jodie has a disfigurement of her face and is a white woman. Zara is a Muslim woman. This book is graphically brutal. It shocked me, it made me angry, it made me want to scream and cry. The emotions in this book are all over the map but it's one everyone should want to read.

It's terrifying as a mother of boys how easily things can escalate with other males, how sensitive men are. How easily a story can be one-sided in the media, the courtroom, and within our selves. As someone who works in the justice system, I was shocked by the ending. I was confused but I understood. I wished I could have read two more chapters of the book. This book was amazing and I encourage everyone to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarpersCollins for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own. A great read. One that is thoughtful and important.

First off I want to say huge thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Kia Abdullah, and to NetGalley for inviting me to read and review this book. When I got the invite to read it I was so happy because friends who had already read it said it was good and it was , its the type of story that makes you feel something for the main character but it also makes you question about what your reading and wither you can trust the main character at all and that's what happened with Jodie. Because this book had me all over the place, there was times I wanted to scream and there was times the only thing I could do was shake my head. As for the story itself it had complex characters and a well-developed plot,and it was a will thought out to the point that it was believable , the type of story you could and would see in the news .
So if your looking for an interesting and thought provoking read then this is the one for you.

This was a well-written and thought-provoking read about a Muslim lawyer who advocates for a white young woman who has been sexually assaulted by several of her Muslim classmates. The plot was perfect, and Zara really is "Zara the Brave" as she refers to herself.

I have read some of the other reviews for this book and know that I am in the minority on this and have an unpopular option of Take It Back. While I do think this was an emotional and timely book and the importance of subject matter such as this is out there for readers, it was a difficult book for me to get through. There are a lot of emotional subjects, rape, culture and religion were the predominate ones. I applauded Zara's steadfast belief in the victim and being a strong supporter and advocate, but once the trial started, it seemed less about the victim and more about Zara; as if her shortcomings (as they saw them) were on trial. The amount of brutality in this story; victims of sexual assault, what happened to one of the defendants, what happened too Zara and ultimately what seems to really have happened that night in question was a lot to take it. This wasn't a book you curl up with and get lost in, this is an emotional read that is difficult at times. I had to start skimming at 73%. I wanted to know what happened, but couldn't keep reading in detail. I believe the subject matter is important to have out there but this would be a hard book for me to recommend.

Take It Back, the title is so fitting. Throughout this entire psychological, courtroom thriller we must decide who wants to take it back. Do the four Muslim boys who are accused of raping Jodie, a 16 year old, white gIrl, with neurofibromitosis, a condition that has disfigured her face want to take back the fact that they raped her or does Jodie, the girl who claims to have been raped want to take back the lie that she was raped? Zara, a Muslim ex lawyer now a rape counselor who works at a sexual assault center is trying to help Jodie convict the four boys. Zara faces the wrath of her Muslim family and the entire Muslim community for defending a white girl and going against the four Muslim boys. Is Zara fighting for a girl who is lying? So many questions to be answered.

Take It Back by Kia Abdullah is the first book I have read by this author. The suspense is unbearable, the feels are real, this book is intense and it will have you confused until the end. How many life’s can be ruined by a lie? You will be sitting on the edge of your seat trying to figure out the stunning truth. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book In exchange for an honest review. This book will be out December 8th and I highly recommend it.

This book has it all: race, religion, rape, physical disabilities and women issues. I think the book tries to put too many things into one story. There were a few too many characters and hard to keep each one straight as to who was who. I would have liked to have seen the 2 main characters be more developed. As it is written it is a young, white, disabled girl against 4 Muslim boys and the woman helping her is Muslim. It was confusing as Zara ( the woman helping the girl, Jodie) seemed to have a back story that was hard to put together as it was told in parts. I had to keep flipping back to piece together her story.

I love a good courtroom thriller and this debut novel delivers, as well as introduces us to a fabulous new female. Zara Keel is a complicated woman; she is a talented lawyer who leaves firm life to become an advocate for victims of violence. Add to that, Zara is also a Muslim woman who left her arranged marriage, has multiple family dramas, and chooses a life of independence, and it spells success for the subsequent series. In this first book, Zara is faced with a young girl, suffering from a physical disability as well as a traumatic home life, who has accused four young Muslim boys of rape. The subsequent trial and media circus is gripping, making this book very difficult to put down. And when you think you have it all figured out, trust me, you don't. Can't wait for Book #2!

Jodi is a teenager who accuses four Muslim boys of gang raping her. Zara, an advocate for Jodi is Muslim as well. This causes a lot of hard feelings in the Muslim community. How will Zara deal with everything and get justice for Jodi.

This book focuses more on Zara and her relationship with her family and Muslim community than on Jodi’s story. The Muslim community is very complex and I don’t think this book shows them in a very good light. I thought the story was interesting and had a good twist at the end but I would have liked the book to focus more on Jodi’s story.