This book doesn't exactly have a plot. It's brief moments that amount to simple realizations about self and gender. They add together to a greater realization of one's place in the world.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ALC of the tenth anniversary edition of this book!

This is a story about growing up Queer and Brown and Religious. About learning to accept yourself for who you are, and love the things about you that make you different.

I love the loving and accepting message of this story! And so easily accessible.

CW: homophobia, sexual content, sexual abuse.

This audiobook is fun. Shraya writes about her life as a queer brown genderbender/trans/femme navigating the intersections of those identities at home, at school, and abroad. Moving back and forth between anecdotes and introspections, she recounts joyful moments as well as pitfalls encountered along the way. I find her authorial voice to be playfully serious, if that makes sense. Self-consciously deadpan, but also entirely earnest.

Shraya narrates the audiobook herself, and I love the distinctly queer lilt in her voice. Author-narrated audio memoirs are great because you get to hear the author’s words in their actual voice, told the way they intended it to be told. It’s like a prolonged author reading event that you can attend in your underwear while simultaneously washing the dishes, baking a cake, crocheting, or gardening.

I think this book would appeal to the many queer folks who don’t quite fit the cisgender and/or heterosexual moulds intended to shape us. I initially thought it would be a fun book for kids who are similarly trying to find their gender-nonconforming way in a sometimes-unwelcoming world, but some of the language used when quoting the school bullies might alarm a few parents!

This was such a great memoir. It was simple yet so beautiful. This complicated and often naive journey with focusing on hair is such a unique view into the discovery and confusion of gender and sexuality.

This was a short book, but covered a lot of topics in a short period of time. This covered topics such as race, gender, and sexuality as the narrator is coming of age.

I listened to the audio and enjoyed it, but later found out that the book has illustrations to go with each story, so I am now thinking that reading it physically may be the best way to go for this particular book.

I also liked the introduction and authors note with this special anniversary edition - I liked having some context especially since it has now been 10 years since the book was initially published.

The short stories are quite short and I do think I would have liked if they were a bit longer at times.

I liked this book. It included a lot of insight into what it is like to grow up as a queer kid in an Indian immigrant family, which I found interesting, at times funny and at times bittersweet. However, for some reason this book just didn't really do anything special for me. I'm not sure what it was missing, maybe the writing just wasn't my style. I also think I might have preferred to read this in a physical format rather than as an audiobook, because apparently there are illustrations which might have enhanced the experience.

Short, sweet snippets that come together to build an emotional collection of moments detailing a child coming into their understanding of gender and identity, and how their family evolves along with them. I loved the short segments...it was like checking in on a kid you care about. Definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I loved this book, full of stories of Vivek's ideas snd experiences while growing up. It was thoroughly interesting and entertaining following her journey of self-discovery.

God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya is a very impactful collection of short stories.

God Loves Hair follows an Indian boy navigating through growing up and standing out. He has to deal with gender, race, and religion.

I highly recommend God Loves Hair. This book teaches you so much in a short book. Shraya discusses many important topics some of which are not frequently discussed.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vivek Shraya and she did a great job narrating. Having the author narrate this book really added to the impact and added emotion to an impactful story.

Thank you NetGalley and ECW Press Audio for God Loves Hair.