Rekiya & Z
I’ve searched hard and long to lay my hands on a book that, within the teachings of Islam is about love, the plights of African Muslim women, the Muslim community, family and Mutiah Badrudden through her unique storytelling in Rekiya & Z seamlessly delivered.
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Rekiyah & Z chronicles the lives of two childhood freinds, the wane in their friendship overtime and how the death of someone dare to both of them would mark the beginning of a lifetime bond.
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I love that the book, though centered around friendship revealed a lot about life, healing, growth, family, spirituality, trauma, marriage, grief and how best to navigate them. The brilliant use of flashbacks provided the needed insight into the characters background, and helped to understand them better.
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For someone who grew up in Ibadan, Rekiya and Z was a very relatable read and a trip down memory lane. The description of Zaynunah’s house reminds me a lot of Awosika, Oshuntokun axis in Bodija. The author addressing the issue of mental health, and subtly, the employability of healing techniques that’s faith based, especially for Muslims is one I appreciate.
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The ending of the book wasn’t one I saw coming. Though pained, I would say the character “getting it right with herself and her creator” would be my place of comfort.
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Devoid of fantasies or unrealistic standards, Rekiya and Z tells what it means to DECIDE to LOVE someone either as your partner or freind and what TRIALS are to MUSLIMS: a MEANS to get CLOSER to their CREATOR.
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For someone currently piloting through the intricacies of friendship and had reached the “I guess that’s how things are meant to be” decision, Rekiya and Z is telling to hold on a little, and see beyond. This is a read I recommend.
Thank you @swapng for my copy!