In the Name of God

by Paula Jolin

Book Overview

A 17-year-old Syrian girl's strengthening religious and political beliefs put her on the path toward Islamic fundamentalism. They talked about doing things, of course, these macho cousins and uncles... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159643211X
• ISBN13: 9781596432116
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 9 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Every teen ager should read

What a great book, Was recommended to me by a high school teacher saying she had learned so much from the book and wanted every student she had to read it. I agree. It would make our young people so understand what we are facing as a nation . It is also a great read as well as a marvelous learning experienc.

Should Be Required Reading For Teens ...

... and it won't be hard to get them into this story. I tore through In The Name of God as a reader first, led effortlessly by Paula Jolin's suspenseful plot, vivid characters, and fascinating details about teen life in Syria. Afterwards, though, the buried high school teacher in me came roaring to life, keeping me up late with ideas about how to use this book like mad in the classroom. We'd read the book, for example, and then my students would pick three historical events in the last fifty years and describe them first in the voice of Nadia, and then through the eyes of an American teen who joins the Marines to fight terrorism. Or I'd get the kids discussing what they might be willing to die for and why. And so on ... how Jolin manages to create a sympathetic suicide bomber in the making is a literary study in itself.

Important topics of life in the modern Middle East and Islamic fundamentalism are brought to light i

Post-9/11 Syria is a conflicted place. No one is sure who to trust, who might be working for the government, or who might come to arrest you with no notice and seemingly no reason. Seventeen-year-old Nadia is conflicted as well, about her more Westernized friends and family members and the economic and social hardships her country is facing. Every day there is more news about bombings. Nadia and her cousins must be careful when they go out, because being caught without identification could have serious repercussions. The one stable thing in Nadia's life is her devotion to Islam. She believes in a modern education and wants to go on to university to study medicine rather than marry young and raise a family immediately. By wearing the hijab and acting modestly, as she thinks a proper Muslim woman should, she believes she is living her life in the best way she can. All around her, however, people who share her ideas on Islam are being arrested, thrown in prison and tortured, including her cousin Fowzi. While other members of her family are focused on dismal job prospects, unhappy marriages and their potential for study in Switzerland, Nadia is looking for a way to avenge Fowzi's unlawful arrest and stand up for Muslims all over Syria. Nadia's opportunity comes in the form of a young man named Walid, who is sympathetic to Nadia's more fundamentalist Muslim beliefs. He leaves her mysterious notes, organizing their rendezvous all over Damascus. Even though they must talk in secret and often don't get much time to speak, Nadia quickly falls for Walid's ideas, more like her own than her family's. Walid, like Nadia, is sure that America is full of many evil, materialistic people who believe their television sets and Pepsis are more important than tolerance and equality. Although her cousin Bassam, back in Syria after years in America, tells her otherwise, Nadia can't believe his stories. She knows she has to take it upon herself to stand up for the Muslims of Syria, and is willing to do so in one of the most extreme ways possible. As she assembles a list of goods dictated by Walid, Nadia is sure she's doing what is right. But will she have the strength to follow the jihad plan to the end? Although Nadia's religion, home and way of life may be something you've never experienced firsthand, or even read about, you will find Nadia to be a compelling, multifaceted character. She always believes that she is doing the right thing, and even when met with opposition from her cousins about her religious beliefs, she holds her ideals tightly, trusting that Islam is the way for her family members to achieve happiness and a good life. The important topics of life in the modern Middle East and Islamic fundamentalism are brought to light in a detailed narrative that will make you think about what it means to stand up for what you believe in. --- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

17-year-old Nadia lives in Damascus, Syria, in a two-bedroom apartment with her mother and her brother. Every day the war seems to move closer, every day the poverty seems to get a little bit worse, every day Nadia sees everyone moving further from the God she knows, and every day Nadia gets more angry. When her cousin is taken to places and torture unknown, Nadia knows it's time to take a stand. But how? And why does no one else understand? Her family can't seem to give her the answers that she needs. Lately they almost seem afraid of her. The only person who seems to understand is the mysterious rebel who appears with cryptic messages. With each meeting with this man, Nadia is more and more sure that he has the right idea. With his help she will finally be able to make her stand, as God intended. This was a book that I desperately wanted to read, and was terrified of, all at the same time. I wasn't sure what I would come across, but I knew it was going to be important somehow. And it was, but not in the way that I expected. One of the most important things I took from IN THE NAME OF GOD is that religious zealotry doesn't have to be a quick, dramatic event. It can be a slow, building descent, full of little moments that may not seem too consequential until you add them all together. Involved in it is a strong desire to do right, to fix things, to make things better, and to make a statement. You can't hate Nadia for believing so strongly, and for wanting to make a difference, as much as you hope that she changes her path. Another thing that I found particularly telling was a moment when a friend of a cousin says he lived in the U.S. One of Nadia's cousins asks if he lived in New York or Hollywood. At first it was kind of funny, until I thought about it. Are those the only faces our country presents to the outside world? After that was more discussion about the perceptions of life in America versus the reality. Which was enlightening to say the least. If for no other reason than these, we need more books like this in the world. Maybe if there were, we would all be a bit more understanding. Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

Curious how anyone could ever contemplate dedicating one's life to a cause? Try this great story wi

I'm well into my 30's and really enjoyed this "young adult" book. I loved reading the story about contemporary life in Damascus, Syria, especially from the point-of-view of a young woman who has made a choice to wear hijab. (As someone who grew up Catholic, I didn't have a clue what making that decision means - or even that it _is_ such a decision.) The characters are all Syrian and have had very different experiences in life. That might seem odd since most of the characters are part of the same extended family, but it's actually very natural because of their differences in gender, generation, and sensibilities. Nadia, the narrator, is a teenaged girl who plans to become a doctor. Her brothers are educated but have difficulty finding work. Some of her family members have lived abroad or are thinking about moving abroad. Her mother was married young and widowed. Nadia's extended family celebrates together, plays games together, cooks together, discusses political and religious issues together and even offers each other places to live. As an American teenager, I had such similar experiences to Nadia's. Her love interests, plans for her future, and dedication to causes are so familiar. The fact that she sees conspiracies everywhere, like Nancy Drew with wry self-awareness is really sweet. The book really did a fabulous job of making me feel like I could have lived Nadia's life. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good story, who is interested in Syria or Islam, who likes to feel like s/he's learned something while having a good read, or who is curious how anyone could ever contemplate dedicating one's life to a cause.