You Think You Know Me

Product Information

When a murder occurs close to her school, something changes. Muslims are becoming a target for hate—even more so than usual, as horrifying as it is—and it gets personal. As one of the few girls at her school that wear a headscarf, she knows all too well what appearances play in hatred. And when she and her twin brother are hurt, something in Hanan changes. She knows what she has to do—raise her voice, gather those close to her that will stand with her against the hate, and make a difference that no one will be able to ignore.

The winners of the Diverse Book Awards 2023 have been announced, with one winner from each of the four categories announced: Picture book, Children... The writing was wonderful. I found some places to be quite poetic and poignant. I reread some passages to appreciate their beauty. The writing was evocative and stirred my emotions to a boil. But it left me simmering with the hope of better things. However, we have here some powerful characters and stories, aspirational and inspirational protagonists and realistic relationships between friends and family. And a story that stays with you. You Think You Know Me is Ayaan’s debut novel. The purpose of this book was to shine a light on the truth of Islam beyond the mainstream media headlines. She wants to empower the voices who feel repressed by society and help young children realize that their differences should be celebrated, rather than a reason to hate. Ayaan approaches this feat by painting a lovely picture of Hanan and her friends in the schoolyard. The novel continues to follow Hanan Ali and her journey combating Islamophobia whilst fleeing Somalia’s civil war. It is truly riveting. Masterfully exposing the brutal realities of Islamophobia in Britain, Ayaan Mohamud’s YouThink You Know Me debut is a moving, stirring triumph that sees a quiet, hardworkingteenager journey through horrendous Islamophobic abuse to find a courageous voice and,in her words, “optimism and dreams and faith”.

You Think You Know Me – at a glance

Herb is from a well to do family and could potentially have a successful future, but he is socially inept and let go or fired from jobs. He couldn't keep his dark and morbid commentary to himself on the job. He and his wife eventually do have a very successful chain of thrift stores. He's also a gay man living what appears to others as a straight life which brings on a lot of angst. He frequents gay bars and lures men into his car and drives them to his house. "He wasn't doing it because he liked it. He was doing it because it kept people safe. He was a hero really." You Think You Know Me is a powerful and thought-provoking debut that highlights the double standards when it comes to the reporting and perception of crimes. If the perpetrator is of a certain race or religion, it is that aspect of his identity that the spotlight is shone on and demonised, and everyone else who falls into the same category is automatically to blame. The same crime committed by a person of a different skin colour suddenly becomes the result of a "mental breakdown". These different reactions and the unfair consequences to blameless people are adeptly highlighted through the events that take place.

The awful things she goes through really stung. Just a small representation of what Muslims go through everyday. And constantly endure. For once, the book is exactly what the blurb says. It is stunning, the key points are there, and the events unfold. I really enjoyed this book it’s a strong 4.5 for me. I found the writing poetic in a way. Even in the saddest descriptions. There will be few who can match the range and depth of his understanding... Weaver tells his story with unflinching frankness. He does not glory in the life he lived, but takes the reader into a world where it could seem to be just a part of normality. Long-term prisoners are wont to speak of their lives as a journey. One puts down this book reminded of how very long that journey can be, of the distant, half-known country where it can have begun, of the price it can exact and the importance of nourishing hope': --Independent Monitor I loved the sibling relationships between Hanan and her twin brother and younger siblings. And I really loved how we see her friendships too and that it isn’t perfect but they are able to apologise and reconcile.Hanan has always been good and quiet. She accepts her role as her school's perfect Muslim poster girl. She ignores the racist bullies. A closed mouth is gold - it helps you get home in one piece. He perfectly gets across the depravity of this man without going into the finer detail - quite possibly because there is no one to confirm it. Which I think is a credit to the author. Whilst as humans we’re always intrigued by the extremes some individuals can go to, ultimately the ones being described were innocents just like me and you and deserve the respect. Hanan does her best to keep her head down, study hard and follow her mum’s advice that ‘a closed mouth is gold’. Andrea and Nasra however aren’t so willing to ignore Jessica and her ‘Mean Girls’ gang and encourage Hanan to stand up for herself, especially when Hanan’s younger sisters face similar bullying. This book has such wonderful Muslim rep, we see Hanan praying regularly and how she turns to Allah in times of good and bad. And just how her and her family live their life with Islam in every part of it.

You Think You Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud. This was such a profound read. Thank you to the publisher and @zekrazaina for the ARC :) release date: 2nd Feb. This was beautifully written. What a debut. Ayaan if you read this, you’re so talented please keep writing. Having grown up in an area of London with a diverse Muslim community, this was such a relevant, deeply emotional read that definitely gave me a deeper understanding into the experiences and fear that friends, neighbors and many other people in my community have had to face on a daily basis. Crazily good, tense, tense, TENSE and just a brilliant mystery.” Read the full review at Reviewed the Book. There is also Somali rep which was so wonderful to see. From the language to food to family dynamics.It’s beautifully written and will most definitely have you sobbing and heartbroken for the hurt and pain that Hanan and her family endures, but also brilliantly highlights the warmth, love and vibrancy of Somali culture —and dispels all those negative media portrayals of what being Muslim and a refugee in modern day Britain is actually like. The Primary School Library Alliance is calling on the government to match-fund the private investment it has brought into helping primary schools c... As a character Hanan was determined and strong but she could be bruised, battered and crushed by events and people. The events in this book felt authentic, relatable to things I've read in the media but haven't experienced myself. That said, I feel like I lived and learnt through this book, carried away by the characters and stories. You Think You Know Me is a hard-hitting, modern tale of racism and religious duty which speaks out against violence and intolerance. Regarding the plot, I think it was depicted well. I also think that despite it has hate crime and racism scenes, those scenes are kinda 'light' imo. I believe a crueler, much harsher thing already happened or still happening in the real world towards muslims or refugees. However, I am satisfied with the plot, the writing, and the representation inside this book. It was... truly brilliant for a debut novel. Those racist and islamophobic scenes made me so mad and angry beyond me. I cant believe that this thing might happened to people. This book can be the voice that represents those who are discriminated by the world. Truly refreshing, gripping and mind-opening. I personally think more people should read this book at least once, so that they would know how someone who is being discriminated feels like.