Take It Back

Take it back by Kia Abdullah follows a British-Bangladeshi Muslim called Zara. In her thirties Zara has worked diligently getting a law degree and qualifying as a barrister, working for corporate companies for years. After earning much success she is left feeling unsatisfied and starts working for a charity that supports victims of rape and sexual assault.
One morning she gets a visit from a 16-year old girl called Jodie, a white poor girl with facial deformities. Jodie was gang-raped by four Muslim teenagers. Being a Muslim herself Zara takes on the case because she believes Jodie, yet inevitably her decision causes controversy and divisiveness in the media and in her community, and soon her Zara's personal life is at stake, too, judged for not being a good Muslim...
This is a gripping read, it's pacy and suspenseful, yet manages to shed light on topical issues without being patronising. I found Zara to be a highly complex, messy and conflicted character. Zara is estranged from her family following a disastrous arranged marriage. She drinks, doesn't wear hijab and has a white boyfriend. There's several, tense scenes where she's visiting her mother and her family members are there dissecting her choices, it's just filled with tension and pent-up frustration, anger and oppression. Kia Abdullah does a good job showing a range of Muslims and how different they all, but are pressured to hide aspects of themselves and torn between the expectation to integrate and be true to their roots and religion. This is a suspenseful and well-balanced book that uses issues to propel the plot. My only gripe is the ending, which was abrupt and ended on a cliffhanger. I just felt the ending wasn't resolved, it was too open, and I didn't get any closure. Other than that this is a searing debut, that is gripping, suspenseful and full of complex, complicated characters. I'm excited to see what Kia Abdullah does next.

This was not the ending I wanted, but it might be the one we deserve. Casually brutal but not gratuitous.

Dark, Compelling, Riveting!

This was dark in the best of ways. A horrible crime occurs, but who is to blame? Sometimes. . . Not All Is As It Seems.

I couldn't tear myself away from this book. It was TOO good if that is even possible. I believe this was a debut novel and for a debut. . . WOW. Ms. Abdullah knows exactly how to weave a terrifying and enthralling web. I didn't want this book to end.. . but I did. Because I HAD to know what happened. I was racing to the finish. I couldn't have guessed this ending. It was very unpredictable. This was a pure pageturner and it was also extremely unique. It made me think long after the final page was turned. I will absolutely read anything by Ms. Abdullah. Next book please!

Double. Gut. Punch.
WOW.
This book wasn't my usual "thriller," but I'm glad I gave it a chance. Once I started reading this one, I could NOT put it down.
Set in London, a rape case involving a white girl with facial deformity accusing four Muslim school-mates. Zara, our main character, is assigned as the special consultant to the victim. Zara is Muslim. Zara's past creeps up to haunt her in this chilling story of one night gone wrong and 6 lives that will be forever changed.
Beautifully written.
Actual stars: 4.5
Excellent read, easy to recommend who like harder reads with difficult/troubling narratives. Triggers - this books details a fairly graphic rape.

This is one of the most exciting and riveting books I have read this year. I was captivated from the first page. The twists were all thought provoking. The protagonist, Zara, is a totally fascinating woman who could certainly continue into other novels.

It deals with so many issues that surround us today. Racism and prejudice certainly is dealt with. The story revolves around the gang rape of a young, facially deformed teenager. What is true? Who is lying? Why is Zara so involved in this case?

Without a doubt, I will recommend it to both women’s studies seminars and book clubs. I promise the readers they will be enraptured as I was.

Thank you Netgalley for this absolutely fascinating novel.

This was an interesting book. The main character is a British Muslim woman tasked with prosecuting four Muslim boys for the rape of an English white girl who is physically deformed. The reader is never quite sure if Jodie (the rape victim) is telling the truth or the four boys are. The court case becomes more than a rape trial, it becomes very political and deals with racial tensions in the country. Outside the court room, the public forms its own opinion with devastating results. Sometimes a little slow, but all in all a good read.

Riveting and heartbreaking, a truly enthralling story that puts a new spin on an old and horrible story of violence against women.

You need to read this book!!!

*****5 stars *****
Take It Back is an exploration of religious values clashing with a small community in London.

Zara had been at the top of her game. She was once a prominent barrister but unable to find her footing in the legal system Zara finds solace at Artemis House. She counsels women against sexual and predatory violence. It is also here she is free to express herself defending on principle rather than convention. But Zara finds her self in between two worlds colliding. Her Islamic family and her desire to be more than an adornment on a man. But her guard is so high she may not be able to know where she stands.

Jodie is a young woman who suffers from facial deformities and a world of cruelty. Jodie accuses four Muslim boys of an indiscretion. But it's her word against theirs. When Zara takes on Jodie's case, she would not have known the distress it would cause the community and the social media monster that ensued.

Take it back is a great read that stays with you. The author creates an atmospheric drama with masterful character development. In particular, the families of the main characters have a depth and dimension to them that you feel like you gain entrance to something intimate. The courtroom drama was not overplayed or over narrated. And the twisty "she said/he said" plotline intertwines with Zara's own personal trials. My only criticism of the narrative was that some parts were predictable. But that did not take away from my experience.

I compulsively read this story attracted to the courtroom drama and the desire to understand our protagonist Zara. I highly recommend this novel and look forwards Kia Abdullah's next masterpiece.

Take it back is a delicious, breathtaking read that feels particularly relevant today. I honestly couldn't put it down, and had a hard time between savoring every page and racing through them to find out what happened. Wow. What a phenomenal book!!!!

Brilliant. Exceptional.

One of the few books that I’ve absolutely loved this year!!!

My emotions were all over the place reading this.

It’s powerful and moving. Something EVERYONE should read.

Take it Back by Kia Abdullah is a very interesting read. It is a courtroom drama. Who do you believe? - Four high school boy's who grew up Muslim or one disformed white girl, Jodie Wolfe The book is fascinating to learn about the Muslim culture from the boy's perspective as young males, the lawyer and social advocate, Zara Kaleel, who is a Muslim woman, Zara's brother's control over the family, and how the community banded together and the town torn apart. This book touches on so many social issues about rape, race, culture, poverty, privilege, alcoholism, disabilities, religion, mixed races.

The book engaged me from the beginning and I finished it in a couple of days. The storytelling keeps you moving along and there are a few surprises at the end of the book. It is worth reading! I think this book would make a good book club discussion because so many issues are raised in this book. The release date on this book is December 8, 2020 and I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

#TakeItBack #KiaAbduliah #NetGalley

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.

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.

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!

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.

It took a few chapters for me to get into this book but OMG, once I did: the twists and turns, the flawed characters, the lies, betrayals.... it had everything and with an ending that blew me away.

Wow! Couldn't put it down once I got into it. Kia Abdullah brought Asian customs and beliefs into this page-turning mystery. 4 Muslim boys against one 16 year old deformed girl. Whose telling the truth? How many lives will be changed by her accusation? Today's real issues regarding race issues are addressed and there are no winners. Told from everyone's point of view and you never know who is telling the truth. I highly recommend this to all mystery fans, social science fans, and women studies fans.

Zara is battling demons that she fought to get to her high position in the legal field. She decides a change is needed. So she takes a position at a victim center. She is drawn to a 16year old girl Jodie, who is claiming she was sexually assaulted by four boys in her class. These are boys from hard working families who have no record of being disrespectful. Even her best friend is not convinced it happened.

Zara though fully believes her and is ready to stand up and fight for her.

What an engrossing read this was! Definitely a must read. The writing is impressive. The character development is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. The story is not plot driven, it is completely character driven. You feel emotions for each character based on what you are reading and you believe each emotion to be real, much like Zara does through the book. There wasn’t a single page in the book that made me feel differently from what Zara was feeling, and that is a testament to the great writing style of Ms Abdullah. Zara’s character is written with so much clarity that it feels like it’s based on a real person. I hope there is a sequel to this book. This is a character that you could develop a series of books on. She’s a talented lawyer, has a complex background and many many layers of emotionS. She has her flaws as well but as a reader you can connect with her easily.
The plot itself is twisted and we are presented with tidbits of information making the reader wonder what is the truth and where is this headed. The book brings about many points about how a society reacts to certain cases and how that impacts all involved parties. It hits too close to home with some of the situations feeing like real life instances of late.
The book makes you stop and think. Reconsider where the human race is headed. The ending especially is heart wrenching and makes you wonder if you will ever truly understand a person and their true motives? The emotions run high and the book leaves you with some very heavy thoughts and a sort of sadness in your heart when you realize that this work of fiction is too close to our reality. Great job done Ms. Abdullah! Take a bow.

Impressive writing. The story drew me in. While the story revolves around a current issue, the story is character-driven.

This book has great characterization. The four accused boys aren’t all alike in their reactions to Jodie’s accusations: Farid withdraws, Amir and Hassan lash out at others, and Mo seems genuinely troubled by whatever transpired between he, Jodie, and the other boys. Of all the accused, Mo is one that is almost sympathetic. Almost.

Jodie is sympathetic. She’s alone in the world. Her BFF Nina proves to be no friend at all, and her alcoholic mother blames her for every woe in their lives. Her facial deformities make her subject to bullying, and she’s almost nonchalant about the scrutiny she faces whenever she meets someone new. But Abdullah does a great job of making Jodie more complicated, more than simply “victim.” She has her own motives and goals.

Zara is a complex individual. Against her family’s wishes, she chooses to represent Jodie and bring accusations against the four Muslim boys. To her family and many others, it appears that she, a Muslim, is rejecting her community and culture. Her white boyfriend loves her, but she’s ambivalent about him, refusing to totally trust him. Her friend Safran, a colleague, is the only one she seems to trust; but sometimes she’s a little too open with him, to her own (and other people’s) detriment. (Incidentally, it’s nice to see a female-male friendship in fiction that doesn’t involve romance or sex.) She abuses medicine to deal with her stress. She genuinely cares about Jodie, but she finds it difficult to believe everything the girl says. In short, she’s a nuanced character.

Every time I thought things couldn’t get worse for the characters, they do. Abdullah raises the stakes over and over as we wind our way though conflicting claims, different data interpretations, mixed motives and emotionally-charged reactions, with Zara right at the heart of the confusion. After a few chapters, I did my usual skip-to-the-end routine. But despite knowing the ending, Abdullah kept my attention. I couldn’t look away from the book. I couldn’t bear to.

This is a thought-provoking and troubling book that underscores the divisions in society, and shows what happens when we see only the groups that are different from us, and not the individual humans within those groups. Nothing good comes from that. Hatred, violence, chaos.

With brutal honesty, the book shows what rape victims fight against when they come forward. If the standard is that the accused is innocent until proven guilty, then the accuser–the victim–is, by default, a liar until she/he proves the truth. The courtroom scenes are gut-wrenching. If this is how victims are treated in their pursuit of justice, it’s little wonder that many don’t come forward at all.

This is a tough book to read. Readers should be aware that there are racial and sexual pejoratives used, along with some brutal violence. After reading so many crime thrillers, depictions of violence don’t easily upset me. But certain scenes left me shaking. I imagine these might be triggering for those who have survived rape.

Totally engrossing, well-written, and riveting. I highly recommend this to all fans of legal thrillers.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This review will be posted on my blog on November 16, 2020.

A very moving psychological thriller/courtroom drama. Justice for Jodie, at what cost? Jodi is a teenage girl with facial deformities and an abusive, alcoholic mother. She claims she was raped by 4 16 year old boys. All of boys are sons of hard working immigrants, No one believes Jodi except her lawyer. Issues of consent, rape, race religion all come into play in the telling of this story. I thought about this book long after the final page. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me an ARC for Take It Back by Kia Abdullah. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

This novel griped me from page one and I didn’t put the ARC down until I got to the final word. I absolutely loved this legal thriller. Smart, well written, compelling and completely believable, I am a new fan of Kia Abdullah. When a young white girl with severe facial deformities accuses four popular Muslim classmates of gang rape, she ignites a country wide frenzy of He Said/She Said. To add fuel to the fire, Zara, a moderate Muslim barrister is appointed social advocate to Jodie, the alleged sexual assault victim. There are lots of insightful and timely topics about community, culpability, believability, class, religion and victimization.
I highly recommend this courtroom drama.

Excellent book,! Kudos to Ms. Abdullah - I completed reading your book in under 48 hours, didn’t want to put it down. I found it well-written, with believable characters (warts and all), timely issues, and an ending that maybe wasn’t what I expected, but was definitely in line with how real life actually sometimes plays out. In fact, I believe the conclusion was one of the strongest elements of this book, in that the author didn’t try to wrap up the events up in a neat little bow. This also approach also left me wondering if I could continue to follow the life of the protagonist, Zara, in subsequent volumes, and was very pleased to see another installment featuring this character has been published.