A vivid portrait of growing up queer and Muslim in Corona, Queens. There’s not a lot of plot to tie everything together; it reads more like a series of reminisces of Razia’s childhood as she watches the people around her. Her schoolmates play pranks; her immigrant parents find their community; there are so many details of growing up in the 80’s that at times I wondered if the book were autobiography rather than fiction. Razia’s best friend is torn from her by a rift between their families; she later transfers to another school and forms a relationship with Angela, who is accepting but has trouble understanding the depth to which Razia’s background and culture shapes her actions. I enjoyed this read but once Razia starts going to school outside her neighborhood, the writing felt much less compelling; as a consequence her relationship with Angela, as well as the resultant tension with her family, felt much less gripping. The ending also seemed a bit rushed. Good read overall though.