I love that the story is set in Eugene because I’ve been there recently!
I love the writing style and the observations of America from Hira; as an American who moved abroad I can understand how strange (and at times rude) the culture can be to those who don’t grow up in the US.

I read over half the book in 1 day (and finished in 2 days) which I don’t typically do but I was absolutely hooked from the first page! I ended up highlighting a lot of passages, some of which I had to reread because of how beautifully written and poignant they were. I am absolutely consumed with this one and it’s a story that will definitely be one that stays on my mind for awhile! I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.


TW/CW: islamaphobia, vomit, blood, death, grief

Thank you to the author, Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written coming of age story with a twist. The protagonist, Hira, is prickly, judgemental and full of contradictions - in essence, absolutely true to life for a teenager grappling with questions of identity and belonging. Layered on top of that are the cultural issues that arise when someone is immersed in a foreign culture - particularly one that is often aspired to, and whose warts become apparent in the mundaneness of day-to-day life. How we see and experience Hira of course also colors everything and everyone that we encounter in the story, told through her eyes, of a year as a Pakistani exchange student in the rural US. Yes, exasperating and frustrating in parts due to the realistic, very unlikeable portrayal of a struggling adolescent - but also highly readable, especially for anyone willing to question their own cultural prejudices. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I want to start off by saying that I know I do not have the correct words to accurately describe how powerful/impactful/important this book is.

This is a beautifully written coming of age story about a Pakistani woman spending a school year in a small Oregon town.

Hira taught me so much. She is a typical teenager (which can be frustrating) but she introduced me to an entire culture I had no idea about. I was left angry with the way her host family treated her. I loved the conversation around America and how nobody here can imagine why you would want to be anywhere else.

This book was beautifully written, challenging, and eye opening. This should be required reading for every American.

This book is so so so so so good. The prose was so beautiful and each sentence was perfectly crafted. The author is a genius fr.

Anyways Hira is a relatable character — at least for me. Yes she may have her flaws and a little bit hard to like, but her monologues, the way she think, how she perceives the USA as a POC, is so interesting. Definitely a well-written character.

In conclusion I love this book and Hira.

A young Pakistani woman spends an eye-opening and stifling year in rural Oregon. I found the main character unlikeable and very judgmental.

This is one of the best novels I’ve read from Pakistan, and so relatable. I can relate to Hira’s anger, her cynicism, but also her hope and gentleness. After a long time I am reading a novel where I feel represented, where I feel like I grew up with people like her and myself. Love this novel!

I was so grateful to receive a copy of American Fever via NetGalley from Dure — this was a very enjoyable read. Dure is an incredibly poetic writer when it comes to prose.

The story keeps you on your feet and shows you how the skill of being observant and detail-oriented translates so well when it comes to novel-writing.

Definitely recommend to readers who are passionate about interesting writing and compelling storytelling.

I love litfic because when it’s good, I can become someone else and see the world through a new lens. American Fever is no exception. Our main character and narrator, Hira, takes on a journey from her home in Pakistan, to rural America, to NYC, and back home- all the while sharing commentary and insight that changes how I see America. This is one of those rare books that can change a person because the writing is so bold and story so compelling.

I see people claiming that Hira is annoying or unlikeable. It’s true that she is not a constant ray of sunshine, but she is honest. I have to wonder if it’s not her attitude that some people don’t like, but her conviction. Hira has no reason to lie, and so she tells us everything. Her impression of a post 9/11 America is not the utopia that I think many Americans want it to be.

I have been living abroad since 18 years old, and I totally find this book enjoyable and relatable! This novel is well-written and funny. Although the main character is annoying at some time, I still enjoy the story a lot, and if you like immigrant story, it might be a good read for you too.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

‘Dear country, would that suffice?’

This beautifully written book is centered around Hira Amjad, our sixteen year old protagonist who leaves her hometown of Pindi, Pakistan, to live in America for a year-long exchange program. The book centers around themes of womanhood, culture, tradition and family as well as what it means to come to America from somewhere else.

As someone who shares a background with Hira, I absolutely loved the beginning of the novel set in Pakistan. The imagery was gorgeous, and throughout the novel there are little things that create a sense of familiarity between me and her. That being said, this read was easy for me to relate to and understand, however reviewers on the other side may have a hard time with this one. However, that’s why I feel like this story is so important. It’s good that it makes some people angry, not because it was poorly written (the prose is immaculate), but because in the real world there is no perfect narrative that everyone will be happy with.

Even if the story is a bit slow, or if the characters are unlikeable at times, the writing will keep you turning pages. Every flip (or tap, in my case) was like a gift, words dressing up unpretty emotions. You can just feel the immense tension Hira has between wanting to be American, which is the ‘easier’ thing most of the time, and wanting to hold onto and maintain her Pakistani culture .I hope that this book reaches those who it’ll resonate with most, as well as those who are a world apart so that they can better understand our stories.

TW: mentions of weight, Islamophobia, illness, death of a family member

Dur e Aziz Amna’s riveting debut novel examines adolescence, that no-man’s land of skepticism, anger, and a yearning to at once reclaim yourself and be who the world wants you to be. It’s 2011. Sixteen-year-old Hira lives with her parents and younger brother in Rawalpindi—where mornings are welcomed by ghee-laden parathay swallowed alongside news of religious atrocities her parents never discuss, where the silence of nights is filled with the comforting hiss of traffic on roads that Hira can never drive on, and where tyrannical winters are made almost tolerable with Kashmiri chai slurped by the school gate with girls who are at once like Hira and yet unlike her in how they have accepted the “low, petty ceilings of their limits.” These limits tire Hira, making her eager to leave all that she has thus far called home. And so, by the time the acceptance letter arrives for a year-long exchange program in Oregon, Hira already has one foot out the door, naively believing the other will follow.

In rural Oregon, Hira is hosted by Kelly, a single mother—warm, welcoming and always the representative of an America that is great and safe, the land of opportunity. Hira can’t help but roll her eyes when Kelly thinks halal is the same as kosher and Pakistani kurtis are so “bohemian.” Kelly’s daughter Amy, on the other hand, is blunt about questions surrounding Hira’s Pakistani Muslim identity, and for that, Hira is grateful. Already, she is annoyed at being pitied by white women at the Sunday service she agrees to attend, and furious with jokes at school about Osama Bin Laden.

Comfort comes in befriending Hamid (another Muslim exchange student), solace in the short conversations with Ammi and Abbu made over calling cards, and finally some excitement over the possibility of romance with Ali, a family friend in NYC she connects with over Facebook. But just as Hira is beginning to feel steady on that one foot she has in America, her body decides to throw a tantrum. She begins coughing and soon enough, there is blood. The diagnosis? Tuberculosis. The treatment is a mandatory quarantine, and in the small town of Lakeview, word spreads fast about the Pakistani girl and her disease. Hira finds herself once more othered and alone, reliant on the kindness of strangers, longing to be home.

Throughout the story, Amna’s prose is swift and gorgeous, seamlessly carrying Hira’s retrospective point of view to offer meditations on teenage angst over religious conformity and patriarchal systems of Pindi to the superiority complex festering within both white-centered American spaces and the Pakistani diaspora.

Hira is a funny, smart, and snarky narrator who had me laughing out loud at her adolescent observations and finding affinity in her adult musings. I was captivated by her thoughts on home and the ghosts of it we carry through life. But what makes her unforgettable is how deeply flawed she is in her arrogance and how deeply relatable she is in her love-hate relationship with her homeland.

For its striking cast of characters and beautiful prose, Dur e Aziz Amna’s first novel stands out. The debut positions her voice and work in a niche of its own—the writer with an unbridled and unapologetic Pakistani lens, who is not looking for approval from the dominant culture in which she’s writing and publishing. I’m in awe of her brilliance and remain excited to see what Amna brings next.

American Fever (2022) by Dur e Aziz Amna

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ 4/5

"America was a concept, and I was there to testify to it. It was metaphor, and not the thing itself Nothing I did there had any material weight; nothing sated, nothing seeped."

This fresh coming-of-age novel tells the story of the sixteen-year-old Hira and her life in rural America as a Pakistani Muslim teenager during her year-long exchange program.

Thoughts 💭
Hira‘s year in America is memorable for all the right AND wrong reasons. From making friends and having her first kiss to islamophobia and homesickness—she experiences it all. The story touches upon questions of home, assimilation and identity.
The narrator being incredibly witty and clever is what made this story memorable to me. Reading her inner monologues about her observations thoughts while navigating through a new country was so entertaining! Also as a Muslim woman who grew up in a Western country her struggle to fit in with either culture and experiences of xenophobia felt so real and relatable.
While Hira may seem unlikeable and frustrating at times—what sixteen-year-old isn’t? Just like her I used to find myself judging others for the way they dressed, talked and presented themselves. However, the story is written in retrospect and the narrator is aware of her errors—just like I am of mine.
There were lots of non-English phrases, yet those didn‘t bother me as you got them by looking at the context. Actually, I even enjoyed translating words I didn‘t understand or looking at pictures of clothes described in the novel. Also the descriptions of cultural norms and practices were incredibly educational as a non-Pakistani and I took away a lot from them. 
While it was hard for me to get into the novel at first as it moved slowly, I eventually found myself totally lost in the life of young Hira. Also the author has such a direct yet intriguing way with words, it‘s incredible. I don‘t even know how many passages and quotes I have highlighted for how thought provoking they are.
This is an exceptional and memorable debut novel and I can‘t wait to read more by Amna!

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for letting me access an advance copy of this book. American Fever comes out August 16th 2022!

I loved this book. I've read many coming-of-age stories, many coming-to-America stories, and this one is jarringly memorable.

The narrator, Hira, who's found herself in a small town in Oregon for an exchange program, adroitly pinpoints and unsparingly skewers a range of unexamined American beliefs and behaviors. From the assumption that of course she must be grateful to have 'escaped' Pakistan to her disgust about toilet paper, I found her observations and monologues - both inner and outer! - utterly immersive.

I'm surprised by how many reviewers have called Hira unlikeable, bitter, or worse. Sure, she has her issues - as do we all, especially as teenagers! - but she's by no means unaware of them, especially since she's telling the story retrospectively. (She's looking back from some unspecified time later in life, which I think was a smart choice on the writer's part.) I actually found her to be sympathetic and relatable; even though our life experiences are wildly different, she brought me right back to what it felt like to be sixteen. Also, let's be honest: it's not like her complaints about America are entirely off-base.

While I rarely recommend ebooks over physical ones, reading on my Kindle was so helpful since it made it easy to look up words and references I wasn't familiar with. There were still non-English banter and phrases I couldn't follow, but I could get the gist from the context. I would say the first third of this book, when Hira is still in Pakistan, is a little more work because of that, but I don't say that as a negative - books don't have to be easy to be worthwhile, and this one definitely was.

Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book I really enjoyed to read. The writing is very good, often funny, and it's easy to get lost in the story about a young exchange student from Pakistan who comes to the US.

On the surface, this story is about a Pakistani teenager who won an exchange student scholarship, destined for a small town on the Oregon coast. However, this novel takes on deeper topics like Islamophobia, assimilation, and the unexpected realities of culture shock. Our narrator, Hira, is an innately unlikeable character, with typical seventeen year-old folly. She is stubborn, arrogant, and simple comments evoke annoyance in her. However, a Tuberculosis diagnosis that quarantines her for months and the loss of a family member, forces her to see things through a different lens. While Hira doesn’t fully commit to the idea of assimilation (and is called out by her friend for not even trying to do so) she does soften to different aspects of her host town.

People who should NOT read this book: If you are sensitive and think the U.S. is the greatest place on Earth, this story may not be for you. It shines light on American prejudices to outsiders and the inherent belief that our country is the best country to live in. When Hira announces that she wants to go home, her host mother states “Why would you want to go there, when you could be here?” There is implicit (and often explicit) bias against Middle Eastern countries and practicing muslims, especially since September 11. This story does not hold back on this topic and even has a student in her high school calling an exchange student from Oman “Ahmed the terrorist.”

People who should read this book: Any one that loves a good coming-of-age story, thoughtful prose, and (bonus) have experienced culture shock and can empathize how difficult it can be to navigate a new country.

As a personal anecdote, I was recently in Saudi Arabia and was shocked (culture shocked!) that they did not use toilet paper. Similar to Hira, who arrived in America, and discovered they used toilet paper and didn’t “wash themselves” after using the toilet. It’s insightful to read a similar experience from the opposite perspective!

American Fever is phenomenal! The story follows Hira, a 16 year old from Pakistan through her exchange in a small town in Oregon, filled with firsts and even a tuberculosis diagnosis. What struck me the most about the story was Hira’s voice, which is unwavering, strong, and confident. Her perspectives were challenging and grounded in her experiences.
My favorite aspects of the novel were Hira’s interactions with her family and her depictions of what it is like to leave home (something we all eventually have to do). Dur e Aziz Amna’s writing is direct and beautiful, she uses language in a way that is addicting and delicious. Reading this book was an experience that I savored and can only be described as transformative. The book releases on August 16th and I am counting the days until others get to read it!

I thought this coming-of-age of Hira, a Pakistani Muslim in rural America, was really wonderful. This read like a memoir, which surprises me that I liked it so much. I highlighted more quotes in this book than I have in a really long time; smart is an understatement. I loved how it tackles adolescence, religion, what we consider home, and otherness with incredible wit.

Great book, I loved this read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

One of my favourite reads of the year so far, It’s a coming of age novel, but also a must read for anyone who has moved abroad for any period of time. That feeling of being torn between two countries is wonderfully captured. The sense of character and place is incredibly strong and powerfully transmitted.

Gorgeous and funny novel about culture shock - as in how shocking American culture can be - and what we all bring to interactions with members of other cultures. The narrator's story is unique, self-aware, and insightful. Despite having a teenage main character, the novel does not read as YA (not that it would be a bad thing!), which is perhaps commentary on how independence, world traveling, and xenophobia can mature someone. The novel is set a decade after 9/11 and just before the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden, and is a stark reminder (or perhaps some readers are discovering for the first time) of the casual or aggressive Islamophobia and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment that was smoldering in the US at the time.