A Very Large Expanse of Sea

by Tahereh Mafi

Recommended Age: YA (13+ years and above)

Lexile: N/A

Content Warning(s): hate crimes, Islamophobia, language, physical assault, and racism

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Book Summary

"It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down."

My Thoughts

I've read hundreds of books, but A Very Large Expanse of Sea is the one I keep returning to—eight times, actually. This book means so much to me, which is why I was shocked to realise that I've never written a word about it on here.

It's hard to explain why I'm so drawn to this book or what makes me reach for this one specifically out of the other hundreds of books I own, but there's something so raw and unfiltered about Shirin's story. It's the story of an unapologetic teenager wondering why the world is treating her so terribly just because of something she chooses to wear.

The book somehow balances two extremes—first love and brutal hate—in a way that feels extremely real and honest. What stayed with me most was Shirin's resilience in continuing to wear something that matters to her, even when the world around her has made that choice nearly impossible.

And apart from the Islamophobia Shirin faces in her new town, Mafi also writes a love story that feels authentic and pure—one where you're on the sidelines, rooting for them to last. I loved reading their first few interactions in bio class—yes, it's awkward, but always genuine. Despite their differences in everything, Ocean isn’t scared off by the guarded version Shirin puts on as a mask. Even when being with her complicates his life, he still stays. An example like theirs is something I think this generation needs to see more of.

I read this book for the first time when I was thirteen, and Shirin's experiences felt so distant back then. But each time I come back to this book, a little bit older and a little more aware, I realise how little has changed—the same kind of prejudice she faced in 2002 is still there today. That's why stories like these matter. They make hatred less of an abstract concept and more human. Reading about people affected by this kind of bigotry makes these issues harder to ignore and pushes you to reflect on why these issues continue to exist.

At thirteen, I picked this book up to understand the aftermath of 9/11 and the hateful state it left America in. But the next seven times, I came back for the hope their story carries—and the comfort I found in reading about Shirin's family, which reminded me so much of mine.

Bottom line: if you read just one book of the 160-something I've recommended on this blog, let it be this one. It's the kind of book that I hope you'll return to again and again.