Review of The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani
After her father loses
his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American, finds
herself yanked out of private school and thrown into the unfamiliar
world of public education. For the first time, Sonia's mixed heritage
makes her classmates ask questions—questions Sonia doesn't always know
how to answer—as she navigates between a group of popular girls who want
her to try out for the cheerleading squad and other students who aren't
part of the "in" crowd.
At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she's dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent—it's hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia's father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are—and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole.
At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she's dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent—it's hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia's father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are—and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole.
Ah, it's great to read
a book with a main character who isn't a White American! Sonia is a
character that a lot of teen girls can relate to as well - she's
having to move to a new school, try and fit in and she's trying new
things - tougher stuff like questioning who she is and her religion
and simpler things, like eating ham for the first time. She makes
friends with a popular cheerleader, Kate, who introduces Sonia to her
way of life, which isn't as strict as Sonia's and this causes Sonia
to rebel against her parents rules at times. Kate and Sonia lead very
different lives and it was interesting to see Kate's in comparision
with Sonia's, as Kate's lifestyle is one I'm used to reading about in
Young Adult books. Although not a long book and not filled with
action and suspense, The Whole Story of Half a Girl is a novel that
makes you think about different ways of life. It also covers tougher
subjects such as depression, which us always hovering in the
background. Another thing that interested me was the different
reactions to Sonia herself - a lot of the students asked questions,
asking if she's Indian, which Sonia doesn't really know yet. One
person got it mixed up with Native American! Sonia never quite fits
in, which bothers her but in the end she learns that it doesn't
really matter anyway.
5/5
Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I really loved that Sonia wasn't a white American because I know my reading needs to be more diverse. Sonia was such a lovely girl and I really felt for her as she went through her struggles, especially her family difficulties.
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