In Abdullah’s first Zara Kaleel legal thriller, Zara becomes involved in a blockbuster rape trial that explodes into a cauldron of turmoil and conflict. Muslim family dynamics, particularly for women, play a big role in the plot, especially for Zara, who is a Muslim representing the prosecution. Personal, family, religious, and cultural interests all clash at once. Meanwhile, ruthless reporters and a salacious social media gleefully stir the pot of media gold. At the root of it all is the search for justice in the case of a genetically disfigured white girl who accuses four Muslim boys of raping her. With scant physical evidence, the scales could tip in either direction, leaving the reader to wonder…who is telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You won't be able to sleep until you know. Read. This. Awesome. Book.

This is a tale of a young white girl, Jodie, who walks into a rape crisis center to report her rape by Amir and 3 other Muslim classmates. Her rape crisis manager Zara happens to a Muslim woman.

This story is more than a courtroom drama. We get a glimpse inside the Muslim culture, and witness the angst of parents with sons of color. We experience the racism and misogyny that is prevalent in today's society.

Vilified by her community, "Zara the Brave" fights for justice. This is her journey and it will lead the reader to an ending that I couldn't have imagined,

I look forward to Kia Abdullah 's next novel.

This was such a beautiful, complex novel with just as complex characters. I was captivated the whole time and was left so shaken by the end. Definitely a read that stays with you.

Review of eBook

After several years, Zara Kaleel stepped away from her prestigious law career to become an independent sexual violence advisor at a sexual assault referral center. Sixteen-year-old Jodie Wolfe suffers from neurofibromatosis and, as a result, has a disfigured face, a situation that has caused her to have a very difficult life. She has few friends and is a constant target for bullying. She comes to Artemis House for help, claiming to be a rape victim. The four teen-aged boys she accuses all have corroborating stories and deny the charges.

When the charges become public knowledge, the case unleashes a firestorm of public outcry that threatens to tear the community apart. Can Zara find the truth and will it give Jodie peace?

Set in London’s multicultural, insular East End, there’s a believable sense of place throughout the narrative. The plot for this complex, disquieting tale is reasonably straightforward: a young girl reports a gang rape; the resulting trial creates both chaos and a backlash while revealing the ugly side of the community. And, in the end, does the decision truly speak for serving justice?

Unfortunately, several other factors muddy the waters and take the story in divergent directions. There’s a religious aspect with the young men [and Zara] being Muslim. There’s an immigration aspect with the young men being from families that had immigrated to Britain from Pakistan or Bangladesh. There’s a racial aspect with the young men being brown-skinned and the girl being white-skinned. In addition, disabilities, arranged marriages, misogyny, and culture all have roles to play in the telling of this tangled tale.

It’s all a bit much. On its own, the rape story is sufficiently disturbing and keeps the underlying tension building throughout the telling of the tale. The added religious rules, the expectation that sons will be successful [and raise the family’s standard of living], the chauvinism, the culture clashes . . . they’re all deep and important issues, but there’s so much here it simply becomes mind-numbing and overwhelming.

In addition, the characters are not particularly likable; Zara’s frequent pill-popping is an unequivocally annoying cliché. And while the unfolding story reveals a disturbing framework of lies and half-truths, the end of the narrative feels like a smack in the face that leaves the reader both frustrated and disturbed.

With all that said, it’s unexpectedly difficult to dismiss this story. Well-written, filled with pathos and suspense, it definitely takes the reader on a roller coaster ride. Read it, but be prepared for a gripping, uncomfortable narrative designed to remind us that the truth is never simple or easy.

Recommend.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TakeItBack #NetGalley

Kia Abdullah in Take It Back creates a spine-tingling thriller that leaves you hanging until the last word ...and then some. Several times, as the jury, you will think you have solved the case and know the truth, but then the tide turns. You must read this one.

“Take It Back” by Kia Abdullah is an extremely well-written story of four young Muslim men accused of rape by a fellow classmate, a sixteen year-old girl with facial deformities. While this is the center drama of the story, this novel is also about Zara Kaleel, a former British barrister. Zara has taken on a position in a sexual assault referral center and it is here that she accepts the case of this young girl. This is a fast-paced story of a community torn apart by this act of violence and the struggle this creates for not only Zara, but her family as well. We are given insight into the thoughts and life motivations of not just Zara, but also the four young men and the alleged rape victim; allowing us to enjoy many layers to this story. There are several other characters of interest and all are as intriguing as the next. I loved how this story weaves you back and forth and takes you along on that ride between what is the truth and what is the lie. I read this book in hours, not days—once I started reading I could not put this book down! (I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion. I can say without hesitation that I would have gladly paid to read this book.)

It took me a while to get into this book because there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, but once I started learning more about each of the main characters, I was HOOKED. This story is so real and relatable that I found it hard to put it down. I can easily see something like this happening today with the claims of rape, racism and injustice. The ending was perfect, I would have NEVER saw that twist. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this moving and thought-provoking ARC, I was completely engaged in the story.
Classified as a psychological thriller, it is much more than that. This compelling and disturbing read addresses ugly racial and anti-immigrant feelings that surface in British society, but I felt it could be set in many other Western countries. It explores uncomfortable issues of race, religion, misogyny, cultural beliefs, arranged marriages, rape, and physical disabilities.

This is the story about a reported gang rape, the resulting trial, and its ugly related fallout. It contains many lies and very little justice.

Jodie Wolfe is a 16-year-old white school girl. She has horrible facial deformities due to neurofibromatosis. She comes from an impoverished home with a hostile, drunken mother who calls her daughter ugly. She blames her daughter’s disability for her misfortunes in life. At school, Jodie is tormented and bullied due to her appearance.

Zara Kaleel is a rape counsellor who left a brilliant career as a barrister with its high financial rewards to advocate for victims of sexual assault and its trauma and prepare them for court.
A barrister friend is trying to understand why she left a successful legal career to become a victim’s advocate. Zara says that now she can see results and is making a positive difference.
He says, “ You could have done anything. You were really something else!”
She replies, “Now I am something else somewhere else.”
He wonders why she is still looking so sad.

Zara, a Moslem woman, had a very short marriage which was arranged by her devout Moslem family. When she left the marriage her family felt disappointed and ashamed. They are resentful and partly jealous that she chose a career over being an obedient housewife and mother. She dulls her feelings with the imprudent use of antidepressant medication and treats men who show romantic interest with hostility.

When Jodie reports to Zara that she has been raped by four popular Moslem classmates from hard-working Asian immigrant families, Zara promises to find justice for her. The boys all tell a different story from Jodie, which seems to collaborate their innocence. Someone is lying, but whom? Zara believes Jodie, but her mother and best girlfriend believe she is lying for attention. It is difficult to discern the full truth because both Jodie and the boys keep changing details of what happened.

The trial is a sensational one. Zara is treated as a traitor to her race, culture and religion. She is harassed by the press, attacked on social media and physically. The boys are made out to be villains, and their university admissions and future careers in jeopardy. One becomes a victim of a horrific hate crime. Jodie is vilified as a liar. People do not believe that boys who could date any beautiful girl in their school would rape such an unattractive girl. An expert witness is called on to explain the nature of rape, and that the charges are believable.

The disturbing story kept me riveted to each page. I did not much like any of the characters and was dissatisfied with the ending. The story seemed very believable, and I thought similar tragic events might occur in real life.

The story takes place in East London, a poor area of the city where many Asian immigrants live. Zara Kaleel, a Moslem barrister, was very successful when she gave left her job and became a sex abuse counselor. One day Jodie, a 16 year old with a facial deformity, came into the abuse facility and announced that she had been gang raped by 4 Muslim boys from her high school.
Zara was at odds with her family after leaving an abusive arranged marriage a few weeks after the wedding. She relied on drugs to cope with her problems. Jodie had an alcoholic mother and often had to assume the role of the adult in the family as her mother was often incapacitated.
After the story was leaked to the press, there was a large public outcry. The court case was also explosive and the ending quite shocking.
This story shows the realities of immigrant life in London. The children, especially the boys, are expected to become successful and raise the standard of living of their impoverished parents. The rules of their religions often conflict with everyday life in Great Britain and this presents problems with the children.
The author is from an Asian immigrant family and lives in London.

The beginning and ending of this book did nothing for me. The books starts with two people in a sex act; not my idea of a good beginning. The end of the book was rather ridiculous, I thought. The part in between was a good story. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have to say this book totally blew my mind. It’s a gripping and powerful reminder of social injustices throughout society regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status. The portrayal of victims, the accused, and justice system I’m sure can relate to this work of fiction in some fashion. You have to read this book because it will grasp your attention from the start and the ending will blow your mind.

The reviews of this book were great so I was really looking forward to reading, unfortunately I won't be joining the positive review club for Take It Back.

It took me 3 tries to get through the book and the only reason I finished was because I was provided a copy in exchange for an honest review. I found the story painfully slow and the characters completely unlikable. The ending was a highlight, but came far too late to save the book. 1.5 stars rounded to 2.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

This book was so much deeper than I expected to be. On the surface, it is a courtroom drama but it is so much more than that. The author explores some very real and poignant themes that bring another dimension to the story. Such a great read and would definitely recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Author for the ARC. First of, what the fuck did I just read? The last few pages of the book will turn your whole world upside down, kick you in the shins, and call you Bambi! What a twist! Here I was cursing the wrong party for all this injustice and then voila. I can't say more because this book has to be read and lived through!

This is not my normal read, but it sounded so intriguing, I had to try it. It was a book that will not soon leave my thoughts. I am left completely shaken after reading this. The book keeps you guessing throughout the whole story and the twists definitely surprised me. This is a tough read and the situations are handled well and I am definitely impressed with this author and I look forward to reading more from them as this is a first read by them for me.

Wow! I would give this way more than five stars if possible, I could not put this down! This was a deep and disturbing story of sexual assault, racism, disability prejudice and privilege. Four Muslim boys are accused of raping a sixteen year old white girl who is disabled with horrific facial deformities. Her best friend does not believe her nor does her mother who is an alcoholic and seems to have no love for her daughter, Jodie. Jodie reports the rape to the police with the help of a sexual assault advocate, Zara, who is Muslim. Zara believes Jodie without question, but Zara is also flawed. She keeps her emotions in check and has walls around her so no one can get in. A brilliant story with a shocker of an ending!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a heartbreaking, well-written and thoughtful book about sexual assault. The entire book centers on an accusation of gang rape by four high school boys against a fellow student. The accuser is a disabled white girl with a severe facial deformity. The four boys accused are Muslim immigrants from successful, hardworking families who are popular in their class. The ultimate question of the book is, did the four boys rape her or did she make it up?

Pretty much everything in this book will break your heart, from the treatment of the girl with the facial disfigurement (called “fish face” and “too ugly to be raped”) to the racist treatment of the Muslim boys, who are set upon by a vicious and biased white tabloid media and the racist white public.

This is not an easy read but it is an important and rewarding one, tackling issues of misogyny and racism with equal thoughtfulness. It’s also a great mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page. From my experience as a criminal prosecutor, unfortunately I can also say that it is a fairly (or, I should say, unfairly) realistic portrayal of many events that often unfold in sexual assault trials. The author does a fantastically skillful job of showing the darkest parts of a rape trial from both sides.

I felt a great sadness reading this book, but Abdullah did a fantastic job in explaining the dynamics of sexual assault and why certain things happen during the course of a trial. She also did a great job examining the racism and religious bias inherent in our systems of law and the media. Without spoiling I can say I thought the ending did justice to the story on both fronts.

This is one of those books you should read when you are ready for something darker that will educate you and push the boundaries of your own opinions and preconceived biases. At the same time you will be rewarded with a page-turning, suspenseful mystery as gripping as any psychological thriller. In this way, I found this book to be excellent and on par with Steph Cha’s Your House Will Pay, in terms of both it’s depth on race/religion and gender issues and it’s excellent mystery. It is hard to envision any 2020 “Best Of” books list that does not have “Take it Back” on it.

Grateful to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kia Abdullah for the chance to read an advance copy of this excellent book. My review is honest and my own. I will definitely be reading any other books Kia Abdullah writes in the future.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced readers copy of this title in exchange for my opinion/review. Take It Back was a emotional and great book. The writer did great keeping the suspension in place. Bittersweet ending. Definitely recommend.

I will rate Take It Back 2/5 stars. I tried to enjoy this book, but it just wasn't for me. I do, however, appreciate the publisher allowing me the opportunity to read it. I couldn't get pass the writing style. Something didn't flow well for me.

There was something about the writing style that just didn't grab me enough to continue. DNF 15% into the story.