TAKE IT BACK
By Kia Abdullah

I read this book in two days. I could’ve finished it in one if my eyes hadn’t wanted sleep before I did! From the very start, this book drew me in. The protagonist, Zara, is a modern woman by all standards. However, at thirty, she struggles to find a balance between her family, her Muslim upbringing, her life in London as a single woman, and her role as a sexual violence advisor at Artemis House, where she meets Jodie.

Jodie is a sixteen-year-old girl with a facial deformity that others have tormented her about her entire life. She comes to Zara and tells her about being raped by four Muslim boys from her school. Zara is convinced of her story and stands with Jodie through the boys’ trial.

The author weaves the story in and out through the lives of Jodie, the boys, and Zara’s somewhat complicated life to bring together a very compelling story that will keep you engaged until the very end. At one point, I thought, “Is this how this story ends?” In the words of American baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Get this book and read it Until. The. Very. End.

I loved this book. I hope the author will continue Zara’s story and start the next book with a recap of this book and fill us in on what has happened with all the characters before telling us about Zara’s new case.

Thank you, Kia Abdullah, for an ARC of this book via Net Galley. I couldn’t wait to share my review with other avid readers. I hope you like it as much as I did.

A controversial courtroom drama. You will feel so many emotions during and after reading Take It Back.
Usually not a storyline that would pull me in, and was a bit uncomfortable at times.
Thank you NetGalley!

4. 5 stars

“Women aren’t born warriors, we learn to fight because we have to.”

Take It Back is a complex courtroom drama about a 16-year-old disabled white girl who accuses four Muslim boys of rape. This is a timely, provocative, disturbing, and all too real read about the blurred lines of rape cases. In this case, race becomes equally as important as rape.

This story has many layers. It is complicated and controversial, as it not only has the reader questioning whether or not the rape occurred but also makes one think about racism and gender dynamics and the roles that they play inside and outside of a courtroom.

16-year-old Jodie has had a difficult life. Born with a facial deformity, she has been ridiculed her entire life. When she accuses four of her classmates of rape, she and her accusers are put under a microscope.

Abdullah presents all sides to this case. The reader not only gets to see Jodie’s perspective, but also that of the accused, and their family members. Reading Mo, Farid, Hassan, and Amir’s characters’ points of view humanized them as they became more than the accused Zara, Jodie’s rape advocate also offers a unique perspective. Jodie and Zara’s characters are compelling and vulnerable. I wish we had some more details about some of the other characters who make appearances, as I especially wanted to know more about Erin’s background.

The racial tension between the whites and Muslims in this story permeates the pages. Zara’s perspective being of a Muslim woman was especially interesting to read. This aspect of the novel felt very real and very timely.

There are a lot of characters and many points of view to contend with. I was constantly wavering in my beliefs, and this book left me questioning what happened until the final pages (the reader is given concrete information at the very end about what happened to Jodie).

I felt unsettled the entire time while reading this, and a sense of dread with every page I turned--reading the details about rape is never easy, and I was scared to see what would be revealed next. Oddly enough, at the same time, I couldn’t put this down. Take it Back is an emotional, timely, and important read that had me disgusted, angry, and crying at the same time. I highly recommend not only for a good courtroom drama, but also for a powerful perspective on how the dynamics of race play a role in a rape case.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Great story about a white teenage girl with a health condition that caused a facial deformity who accuses four Muslim boys of rape. Ms. Abdullah delves into the social and racial issues that cloud the judgement of many involved in the case while creating twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. The end is a shocker, just wish there was a greater sense of completion. It is not a cliffhanger, but would have liked a epilogue to know what happens to all the characters. Would recommend this book for those interested in courtroom drama and women’s literature. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

A rape trial concerning 4 Muslim boys against a white girl is explored in detail with a surprising ending. A lawyer Zara, leaves her law practice to work as a sex assault counselor and encounters a young girl, Jodie, who accuses 4 boys of rape. The 4 boys characters are interesting and well written., as is the character of Jodie and her alcoholic mother. Zara’s conflicts with her families culture is explored as is the conflict between the Muslims and English people.

Zara Kaleel is a successful British barrister of Muslim descent. Conflicted in her personal life and dissatisfied with her professional life, she leaves to work as a rape counselor for those needing to be steered though the difficulties of getting justice. Sixteen-year-old, Jodie Wolfe, a disfigured and unsympathetic girl, brings her sexual assault case to Artemis House. Her story names four young Muslim classmates as her assailants.

Zara is then put into the position of having to defend and prepare a young girl who comes from such a dysfunctional home, that even her mother fails to believe her story. Meanwhile, the four somewhat popular, boys come from hardworking immigrant families. Zara is also dealing with her family’s opinions of her past behavior as a Muslim woman (a broken marriage and high-powered job) and her current choices that pit her against the Muslim community. They believe she is not only putting herself at risk, but her family and perhaps even their community.

But what is the whole truth of this story? Is Jodie telling everything? Are the boys hiding part of their story? And does Zara have the tenacity and bravery to go forward with wherever the answers lie? Zara is not the most likeable character. Her choices are frequently self-destructive and capricious. One is not even sure she is up to the task….something that she even doubts at times.

This book offers issues regarding women’s rights and roles, economic disparity, racial tensions and courtroom drama. Twists are sometimes subtle or major as the drama unfolds. If you enjoy Jodi Picoult, this one is for you.

not what i expected, and i love that. racial understanding and judgement are at play here. when 4 muslim boys from 'good families' possibly commit a crime against an unattractive girl from a 'bad family', you would think the answer would be easy, assumed. there are complications, there is miscommunication, there is hope, there is innocence, and then there is the truth. this kept me reading and guessing right up until the end.

Take It Back deals with sexual assault, racial unrest, trust and many other difficult issues. I had a hard time staying focused and found myself rereading pages at a time. I didn't feel connected with any of the characters. The boys who were accused of rape bare!y felt any remorse for their actions, they were more concerned about losing their college placements. The writing was good and made me think about race relations. I would score this book 3.5 but in scoring I have to found it down to 3 stars.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
#TakeItBack #NetGalley

Well when I first requested to review this book I was definitely assuming one thing and as I read a found it to be something very different. I loved all the twisting and turning. Just when I thought I had the book figured out.... I didn't. I liked the flow and the character development. The one main criticism I had with this book was the VERY long chapters. I am a busy mother and I love to get in a bit here and bit there and I don't like to pause in the middle of a chapter. I would've liked for them to be shorter. This is my first book by Abdullah, but I would look into another one of her books. I am not familiar with the Muslin religion, but I felt like it was an accurate portrait and I liked how you could see how their family ideals differ from my family

I’m really not quite sure how to explain my thoughts about this one. It was educational to read about the culture of (although, it was all negative) and racism surrounding the Muslim faith. It was a very tough read due to the core story of the rape and the language used by a lot of the characters. I definitely could not tell who was telling the truth and constantly changed my mind. But I don’t fully understand what happened at the end or what point the author was trying to make. Seemed like there was finally going to be some triumph, and then the book ends. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I dunno. This just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the publisher for a free digital galley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was intense as it covered a sensitive topic. It reminded me of something that could be in a TV show. The writing was OK and the chapters were too long. The plot moved quickly and it was easy to connect to Jodie, the main character. Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion.

Ultimately, I liked the story. It was suspenseful, timely, and provided some good twists and turns. Some of the writing seemed a bit forced, like my students who use a thesaurus to find a "better" word but don't quite use it correctly. Hand this to readers who can't get enough crime or courtroom fiction. Law and Order fans should gobble it up.

This one was a difficult read due to subject matter. Very sensitive topics. That being said it was well written and there were a couple of interesting twists.

This book tells the story of a sixteen year old Jodie Wolfe. Born with facial deformities, she has dealt with teasing, mockery, ridicule and bullying throughout her life. Add to this rollercoaster an alcoholic and emotional abusive mother, Jodie has no true safe haven. One day Jodie goes to Artemis house to speak to a counselor about rape. Former barrister, Zara Kaleel, is now a counselor who assist victims of sexual assault. Jodie tells Zara that four Muslim boys raped her. As the story moves from Artemis house to the police station, Zara notices that Jodie quickly adjusts her story when speaking with the detective. The trial begins and many lies are uncovered on both sides of the room. I was constantly going between believing Jodie and believing the boys. This was definitely a book that had me constantly thinking. I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending, but perhaps I'm the only who that feels that way.

I was a little apprehensive to dive into this book since I knew it dealt with serious topics like rape, race and religion. However, the author did a good job at immersing the reader into the story that felt very real. It was so real I was almost scared of how horrible people could be.

Take it back is about a girl, Jodie, who accuses four muslim boys coming from "hard-working" families of raping her. No one believes her not even her mom or her best friend as everyone thinks she's too "ugly" because of course... of couuuurse rape only happens to beautiful attractive people right?? Even thinking about it the next day makes me mad. This book is difficult to read at times and it makes you feel plenty of emotions. I was so angry at some of the people portrayed in here. I'm so glad Zara was brave and no matter what was trying to do the right thing and help victims get justice.

The only thing that bothered me was the ending and how the author added another twist on the last page, leaving me confused and a bit lost as to how I should react and feel. The only thing I know for sure is that this book will leave a mark on me and I'll remember it for some time.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

This is a brilliantly written novel that explores some really dark themes, including rape, racism, cultural norms and justice. What is justice when a sixteen year old Caucasian accuses four Muslim youths of rape? Jodie Wolfe has a facial deformity. The question is posed would these boys actually touch her with her physical problems? Added to that conflict is the fact that her own mother doesn’t believe her, her best friend thinks she is lying, too and the person on her side, the Rape Assistant Counselor Zara, is investigating everything to try to find out the truth. The plot is so complicated that at times the differences in cultures lost me, but I persisted and continued to read voraciously since the story was so compelling. I really wanted to find out the truth and when it was revealed, I gasped. This is a story that is not to be missed, a tale of so many different kinds of abuse that it boggled my mind. This is a legal thriller more than anything else, but it also a statement about society and acceptance or lack thereof. Be aware that there are numerous expletives used which took away from the story for me since I don’t like their use, but the author wove a good, well-developed story with believable characters.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Very difficult book to read. Hard to get into - chapters seemed off.

I felt sorry for the young men from the beginning - sad for Jodie and angry with Zara.

Totally gave me somethings to think about - especially not being so judgemental in todays world.

Excellent book!!! Thanks to NG for the ARC!! Zara Kaleel has left her budding legal career in a large firm for a position counseling rape victims and supporting them in their healing. When Jodie Wolfe comes in, Zara takes her case on as Jodie alleges that four of her classmates, Muslim boys, raped her. Jodie is affected with a genetic facial deformity which makes her look different and people consider her disabled. The case is reported to the police and the boys are arrested and put on trial. The book is an amazing portrayal of a rape trial where the victim is a white girl and the defendants are sons of Muslim immigrants, all trying to live better lives, with more education and brighter futures than their parents. Zara is also a Muslim which adds fuel to the fire of the case which is a huge hotbed for newspapers and the public, everyone has an opinion. Amazing book, so interesting--great topic and well-written, characters that really make the read thinking. LOVED it!!!

Powerful, thought-provoking and fascinating courtroom drama which could be taken from headlines.

Starts with Jodie, a 16 year old girl with harsh physical deformities on her face. A face which leads her to constant bulling, low self esteem caused by both the deformities and an actively alcoholic mother. Because of this, no one believes her when she says she was raped by four Muslim boys from "good hard-working homes". No one except her attorney, Zara.

Very gripping and well-written, very hard to not get emotionally vested in this brilliant novel.

Many thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an ARC

This book is crazy! So many twists and turns! Very unexpected! I would definitely recommend if you love a good thriller.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.