4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
My Trip to Adele by R.I. Alyaseer and A.J. Alyaseer, a sibling duo, is a triple threat. The book has three separate plots with one common thread – the plan of seeing Adele live in Verona. Each plot could stand independently and, though I tried, I had a hard time choosing whose story I liked most.
The book begins with a young man named Elias, who lives in Rome; a transplanted citizen originally from Marrakesh, Morocco. His journey takes him back to his home land in search of a long lost love, Malika. There he hears the occurrences since his departure and walks down memory lane. One of his key memories is teaching Malika English through the music of Adele. Malika has left the area, but there’s a note left in the care of a friend, that tells Elias that she will meet him at an Adele concert.
The second story of the book is set in Las Vegas, USA where Yaser and Mariam are having struggles within their marriage. They visit a counselor who encourages them to find a happy memory that could reignite the love between them. Cue the memories. Yaser decides that the upcoming Adele concert in Verona is the best choice, since he had proposed while an Adele song was playing. The only problem is that he doesn’t tell Mariam about it until their session with the counselor. This begins an argument between them that is not easily resolved.
The third story takes place in Amman, Jordan and centers around a divorcee named Nadia and her goal to take her Adele-loving son, Waleed, to the concert. She has promised Waleed that they would attend; she’s purchased the tickets, hotel, and travel; she’s even gotten their passports after coming to a travel agreement with her ex-husband whose name is not given. Everything seems in order, but sometimes people are cruel, and this seems to be the case with Nadia’s ex as he manipulates the situation and negatively influences her care for their son.
Each of the stories briefly touches on a moral – Elias encounters the horrors of child prostitution; Yaser and Mariam encounter faith vs. doubt with a smattering of an experience of the Las Vegas underground filled with homelessness and filth; and Nadia focuses strongly on women’s rights. The statements are not lost in the story; however, they are only deeply expressed in the story of Nadia, whose journey to see Adele would not have been “worthy” of being written were not her rights trampled by a traditional and sexist culture.
In Nadia’s world, her ex-husband has the final say; her tribal leaders “manage” disputes without any consultation with her; and her boss is able to deny her time off simply because he can. Nadia displays a level of emancipation that they simply cannot understand. Her anthem in the book can be summed up by these thoughts, which she expressed: “No customs or laws or tribes could define me. I was free! I had been free for eight years and I always would be.”
This was a thought-provoking and entertaining book, earning a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The characters were well-defined and the plots captured my sympathy and my passion. It may be considered inappropriate for younger readers as there is some sexual content, but beyond that, My Trip to Adele could be enjoyed by anyone and especially those who love Adele.
******
My Trip to Adele
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Genna H's review? Post a comment saying so!
Also, it's great that your daughter is enthusiastic about reading!
