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Northern Boy: A big Bollywood dream. A small-town chance.
'I laughed and cried and nodded my head in recognition. If it doesn’t get a movie deal there is no justice' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
Joyful, defiant and dazzling, this is the story of Rafi Aziz – a Northern boy dreaming of his name up in lights.
It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant, dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star.
Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate can he show his true self to his community?
Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.
Joyful, defiant and dazzling, this is the story of Rafi Aziz – a Northern boy dreaming of his name up in lights.
It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant, dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star.
Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate can he show his true self to his community?
Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.
- GenresLGBT
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 21, 2024
Northern Boy: A big Bollywood dream. A small-town chance was Iqbal Hussain’s debut novel. It was a compelling and heartfelt coming of age story about a talented Pakistani boy, Rafi Aziz. Rafi seemed to march to the beat of his own drum from a very young age. He was the youngest of his siblings and the clear favorite of his mother. His parents had moved from Pakistan to the suburbs of Blackburn, England so their children could experience more opportunities than they would have had in Pakistan. Blackburn was located in the northern part of England. Northern Boy was very well written and the characters were well thought out and quite believable. It was written in a dual time line that captured Rafi’s early years and then picked up twenty years later when Rafi returned to Blackburn for his best friend Shazia’s wedding.
Rafi’s story began in the early 1980’s. He was a young, impressionable and musically inclined boy who much preferred to sing, dance and play with his best friend Shazia than to play sports and hang out with other boys his age. Rafi’s dream was to become a Bollywood star. Rafi received encouragement from his mother who also loved to sing and wear colorful and exotic clothes. He often belted out songs by his favorite group, ABBA or played songs by ear on his toy baby grand piano. All of this was fine for Rafi to do as long as it was done in the confines of his own home. The day Rafi decided to showcase his music and rather flamboyant style of dress outside of his home was the day Rafi began to receive mixed messages from his mother. She was more concerned about how Rafi would be perceived by her neighbors. Rafi was confused by the mixed messages he was getting from his mother. He was just being himself and doing the things that made him the happiest.
Rafi was tormented by bullies at school. He went out of his way to avoid these boys but somehow they always seemed to find him. Rafi was very concerned about graduating from the school he was attending. His parents had made it very clear that they expected Rafi to attend Everton High School. Rafi knew that there was a particular boy that attended Everton that would go out of his way to make Rafi’s life miserable there. Rafi was trying to figure out a way so that he didn’t have to go to Everton. Perhaps Rafi’s salvation laid in the hands of his music teacher, Mr. H., who recognized Rafi’s untapped potential and inborn talents. Mr. H became Rafi’s mentor, teacher and friend. He encouraged Rafi to apply and audition for a spot at one of the top music schools in England. Rafi was granted an audition. Although Rafi’s parents had denied their consent for Rafi’s audition, Rafi and Mr. H decided to go anyway. This was an opportunity that Rafi could not pass up and it could be his ticket for not attending Everton. Rafi was not only offered a spot but he also received a full scholarship. He never looked back.
Twenty years later, Rafi found himself living in Australia. He lived with his handsome partner and their dog. Rafi had built a successful career in the theatre as an actor/ musician. He had put up walls between himself and his family. Rafi had never revealed anything about his personal life to his family or friends back in Blackburn. He was still afraid of what they would think of him. Keeping his distance was just easier but now he was offered no choice but to return to Blackburn. His best and oldest friend Shazia was getting married. Rafi decided to travel to Blackburn solo. His partner would remain in Australia. Someone had to take care of their dog. Right? Rafi felt that it would be easier to go to Blackburn by himself. There would be less explaining to do. How would Rafi’s brother and sister be with seeing him after all this time? Can Rafi and Shazia pick up right where they had left off and renew their friendship? Who else will Rafi encounter? How has Blackburn changed over the many years Rafi has managed to avoided going back? Will Rafi’s mother embrace him or scorn him?
Northern Boy reminded me in some ways of Billy Elliot. It was a beautiful story that made me laugh and even shed a few tears. It was about family, dreams, identity, hope, being part of a community, bullying, friendship and romance. Rafi was a boy who was comfortable about who he was and what he wanted. As a man, Rafi, hid his feelings and how he identified himself from his family. Above all else, Rafi was unique, determined, strong, so talented and very resilient. I fell in love with Rafi’s character and found myself rooting for him. Northern Boy was a very touching story that I enjoyed tremendously and recommend highly.
Thank you to Unbound Firsts for allowing me to read Northern Boy: A big Bollywood dream. A small-town chance by Iqbal Hussain through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication is set for January 28, 2025.
Rafi’s story began in the early 1980’s. He was a young, impressionable and musically inclined boy who much preferred to sing, dance and play with his best friend Shazia than to play sports and hang out with other boys his age. Rafi’s dream was to become a Bollywood star. Rafi received encouragement from his mother who also loved to sing and wear colorful and exotic clothes. He often belted out songs by his favorite group, ABBA or played songs by ear on his toy baby grand piano. All of this was fine for Rafi to do as long as it was done in the confines of his own home. The day Rafi decided to showcase his music and rather flamboyant style of dress outside of his home was the day Rafi began to receive mixed messages from his mother. She was more concerned about how Rafi would be perceived by her neighbors. Rafi was confused by the mixed messages he was getting from his mother. He was just being himself and doing the things that made him the happiest.
Rafi was tormented by bullies at school. He went out of his way to avoid these boys but somehow they always seemed to find him. Rafi was very concerned about graduating from the school he was attending. His parents had made it very clear that they expected Rafi to attend Everton High School. Rafi knew that there was a particular boy that attended Everton that would go out of his way to make Rafi’s life miserable there. Rafi was trying to figure out a way so that he didn’t have to go to Everton. Perhaps Rafi’s salvation laid in the hands of his music teacher, Mr. H., who recognized Rafi’s untapped potential and inborn talents. Mr. H became Rafi’s mentor, teacher and friend. He encouraged Rafi to apply and audition for a spot at one of the top music schools in England. Rafi was granted an audition. Although Rafi’s parents had denied their consent for Rafi’s audition, Rafi and Mr. H decided to go anyway. This was an opportunity that Rafi could not pass up and it could be his ticket for not attending Everton. Rafi was not only offered a spot but he also received a full scholarship. He never looked back.
Twenty years later, Rafi found himself living in Australia. He lived with his handsome partner and their dog. Rafi had built a successful career in the theatre as an actor/ musician. He had put up walls between himself and his family. Rafi had never revealed anything about his personal life to his family or friends back in Blackburn. He was still afraid of what they would think of him. Keeping his distance was just easier but now he was offered no choice but to return to Blackburn. His best and oldest friend Shazia was getting married. Rafi decided to travel to Blackburn solo. His partner would remain in Australia. Someone had to take care of their dog. Right? Rafi felt that it would be easier to go to Blackburn by himself. There would be less explaining to do. How would Rafi’s brother and sister be with seeing him after all this time? Can Rafi and Shazia pick up right where they had left off and renew their friendship? Who else will Rafi encounter? How has Blackburn changed over the many years Rafi has managed to avoided going back? Will Rafi’s mother embrace him or scorn him?
Northern Boy reminded me in some ways of Billy Elliot. It was a beautiful story that made me laugh and even shed a few tears. It was about family, dreams, identity, hope, being part of a community, bullying, friendship and romance. Rafi was a boy who was comfortable about who he was and what he wanted. As a man, Rafi, hid his feelings and how he identified himself from his family. Above all else, Rafi was unique, determined, strong, so talented and very resilient. I fell in love with Rafi’s character and found myself rooting for him. Northern Boy was a very touching story that I enjoyed tremendously and recommend highly.
Thank you to Unbound Firsts for allowing me to read Northern Boy: A big Bollywood dream. A small-town chance by Iqbal Hussain through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication is set for January 28, 2025.
June 27, 2024
"We should be building bridges, right, not knocking them down?"
This Billy Elliot page turner filled with hope and despair will break your heart and put it back together stronger than ever. Northern Boy busts wide open the cultural challenges and stereotypes of the Asian Muslim community
"Each time I think I'm on steady ground, it turns into quicksand."
Rafi Aziz dreams of his name in lights. He's the youngest of three and his mother frequently reminds the Aziz family that they have moved to the UK from Pakistan so that they can have better opportunities. Rafi wants to be a Bollywood star. He is talented at singing, dancing, playing piano, and acting. He's flamboyant and dramatic! It's who he is, but not who his family and community want him to be. He now must navigate boyhood to adulthood with this artistic passion in his soul albeit his bullies, family, and cultural norms pressuring him to be someone else. Twenty years later, now a successful actor / singer, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend's wedding. He hasn't seen his family in over a decade and now must face his old neighborhood, friends, and family. Does Rafi have the courage to be himself now? Will he be supported?
"She wanted me to change, to become someone else. But her betrayal was the worst because her approval meant the most."
Iqbal Hussain has won numerous writing awards for his work. It's easy to see why after jumping into this story. Being a Musical Theater teacher myself, I was hooked from the beginning of this one. The first 60% of the book takes the reader on a non-linear time journey that is completely captivating, running the reader through a full spectrum of emotions. As we get into the last 30% of the book, things slow down a bit as the timeline moves solely to the present, though stakes are still high. There is a huge unfair time gap happening at that 60% mark, between Rafi's childhood and the present, that I desperately wanted explained to me! A pivotal moment happens and then it completely skips to his adulthood. I am saying all of this selfishly and not as a slight against the writing. I was just enjoying the life of Rafi so much that I wanted to know what happened to him after middle school. I learned an immense about Asian Muslims in this book. I think I was looking up several words per page because I had never seen them before. I also got to know their cultural norms and how they do life together. It was a fascinating read, to say the least.
"Shoot for the moon, Rafi. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Bravo, Iqbal Hussain.
This Billy Elliot page turner filled with hope and despair will break your heart and put it back together stronger than ever. Northern Boy busts wide open the cultural challenges and stereotypes of the Asian Muslim community
"Each time I think I'm on steady ground, it turns into quicksand."
Rafi Aziz dreams of his name in lights. He's the youngest of three and his mother frequently reminds the Aziz family that they have moved to the UK from Pakistan so that they can have better opportunities. Rafi wants to be a Bollywood star. He is talented at singing, dancing, playing piano, and acting. He's flamboyant and dramatic! It's who he is, but not who his family and community want him to be. He now must navigate boyhood to adulthood with this artistic passion in his soul albeit his bullies, family, and cultural norms pressuring him to be someone else. Twenty years later, now a successful actor / singer, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend's wedding. He hasn't seen his family in over a decade and now must face his old neighborhood, friends, and family. Does Rafi have the courage to be himself now? Will he be supported?
"She wanted me to change, to become someone else. But her betrayal was the worst because her approval meant the most."
Iqbal Hussain has won numerous writing awards for his work. It's easy to see why after jumping into this story. Being a Musical Theater teacher myself, I was hooked from the beginning of this one. The first 60% of the book takes the reader on a non-linear time journey that is completely captivating, running the reader through a full spectrum of emotions. As we get into the last 30% of the book, things slow down a bit as the timeline moves solely to the present, though stakes are still high. There is a huge unfair time gap happening at that 60% mark, between Rafi's childhood and the present, that I desperately wanted explained to me! A pivotal moment happens and then it completely skips to his adulthood. I am saying all of this selfishly and not as a slight against the writing. I was just enjoying the life of Rafi so much that I wanted to know what happened to him after middle school. I learned an immense about Asian Muslims in this book. I think I was looking up several words per page because I had never seen them before. I also got to know their cultural norms and how they do life together. It was a fascinating read, to say the least.
"Shoot for the moon, Rafi. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Bravo, Iqbal Hussain.
June 9, 2024
This was what I needed to read this weekend. A heartfelt story full of love and affection, brimming with humour and bringing more than one or two tears to my eye.
Northern Boy starts in the 1980s in Blackburn, with our main character Rafi obsessed with ABBA and determined not to have to go to Everton, the high school that promises daily torture for a boy who doesn’t fit in. Flamboyant and dramatic, Rafi has a flair for music and is encouraged in his choices by the wonderful Mr H. Yet he also has to deal with the pressure from his parents to do what makes them proud, and to not do anything that would cause shame amongst the neighbours.
From the outset it’s clear we’re looking at some difficult issues here, but everything is presented with a wry sense of humour and a keenly observant eye that makes it hard not to feel compassion and understanding for the characters (even if we might not agree with them).
We chart Raif’s story from boyhood to adulthood, and though a lot of it is tough to read it was a joy to share.
Northern Boy starts in the 1980s in Blackburn, with our main character Rafi obsessed with ABBA and determined not to have to go to Everton, the high school that promises daily torture for a boy who doesn’t fit in. Flamboyant and dramatic, Rafi has a flair for music and is encouraged in his choices by the wonderful Mr H. Yet he also has to deal with the pressure from his parents to do what makes them proud, and to not do anything that would cause shame amongst the neighbours.
From the outset it’s clear we’re looking at some difficult issues here, but everything is presented with a wry sense of humour and a keenly observant eye that makes it hard not to feel compassion and understanding for the characters (even if we might not agree with them).
We chart Raif’s story from boyhood to adulthood, and though a lot of it is tough to read it was a joy to share.
June 5, 2024
If you loved Billy Elliot, this book is for you. A wonderful story that will warm your heart and whisk you away into the world of a young Pakistani boy and his dreams. The story follows Rafi Aziz’s life from growing up in Blackburn in the 1970’s to his return in the early years of 2000.
Rafi knows he is different but the world of dress up and music will ensure his life is destined for greatness, it is just as a child he does not know this yet, all he does know is that he has dreams and desires that he wishes to fulfil. His family have other ideas, but it is his mother that as a young child unwittingly encourages these dreams, singing, and dancing with him but she tells him this is only in the inside world, not outside which is something Rafi struggles to understand. He lives in a world of few friends and every day at school is a struggle. One person he does have in his corner is Mr H, his music teacher and one that will have a wonderful impact on his life, encouraging him and telling him it is ok to be himself.
Soon Rafi wins a music school scholarship, leaves home and his dreams begin but to the detriment of his family and a mother who wished to just raise her children unobtrusively, wishing her son would grow up to be a doctor or accountant, careers she feels she can identify with and that will bring respect to the family. This is a story of being true to your identity and not allowing others to take this away from you, Rafi may not realise this when he is young, but he is strong, resilient and more talented than he can imagine.
A brilliant book that I highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.
Rafi knows he is different but the world of dress up and music will ensure his life is destined for greatness, it is just as a child he does not know this yet, all he does know is that he has dreams and desires that he wishes to fulfil. His family have other ideas, but it is his mother that as a young child unwittingly encourages these dreams, singing, and dancing with him but she tells him this is only in the inside world, not outside which is something Rafi struggles to understand. He lives in a world of few friends and every day at school is a struggle. One person he does have in his corner is Mr H, his music teacher and one that will have a wonderful impact on his life, encouraging him and telling him it is ok to be himself.
Soon Rafi wins a music school scholarship, leaves home and his dreams begin but to the detriment of his family and a mother who wished to just raise her children unobtrusively, wishing her son would grow up to be a doctor or accountant, careers she feels she can identify with and that will bring respect to the family. This is a story of being true to your identity and not allowing others to take this away from you, Rafi may not realise this when he is young, but he is strong, resilient and more talented than he can imagine.
A brilliant book that I highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.
April 6, 2024
What a brilliant debut by Iqbal Hussain!
I love finding a voice where I can relate to the characters and the situations, and the story is compelling, too. This had all that in spades.
Northern Boy uses a dual timeline to tell the story of Rafi Aziz. It follows his childhood in Blackburn from the 1970s to the early 2000s as he returns home, ending with an ending in the present era.
Rafi Aziz is not your usual young Pakistani Muslim boy living in North England. He'd rather be dressing up with his best mate, Shazia, and dancing around her room, singing pop songs and Bollywood hits, than playing football with the rest of the lads.
Music has been a part of his growing up since he can remember, with a mother who sings with a beautiful voice around the house and dotes on her youngest son, encouraging her to join in with her all the time.
Things come to a head when the family realises that his talent is a passion, and he wants to pursue his love of music, singing, and dancing rather than become a doctor or an accountant.
Then, negativity starts, and "What would the neighbours/community say?" becomes more important than allowing Rafi to realise his dreams.
When we jolt forward, Rafi is older and more established as a well-known stage actor/performer, living a life he's sure his family would disapprove of in Australia. He heads back to his hometown for Shazia's wedding, where he has to deal with the fireworks and many concealed parts of his life are uncovered.
There were so many things I loved about this book. Rafi is a boy I could have met growing up. I knew of many who suppressed their interests because it wasn't the done thing.
I also really related to Maam, his mother, who was battling her cultural demons, missing her homeland, and wanting what was best for her children.
This is Billy Elliot, the British Pakistani Edit! An incredible immersion into the life of a boy who just wanted to follow his dreams.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Unbound for an ARC.
I love finding a voice where I can relate to the characters and the situations, and the story is compelling, too. This had all that in spades.
Northern Boy uses a dual timeline to tell the story of Rafi Aziz. It follows his childhood in Blackburn from the 1970s to the early 2000s as he returns home, ending with an ending in the present era.
Rafi Aziz is not your usual young Pakistani Muslim boy living in North England. He'd rather be dressing up with his best mate, Shazia, and dancing around her room, singing pop songs and Bollywood hits, than playing football with the rest of the lads.
Music has been a part of his growing up since he can remember, with a mother who sings with a beautiful voice around the house and dotes on her youngest son, encouraging her to join in with her all the time.
Things come to a head when the family realises that his talent is a passion, and he wants to pursue his love of music, singing, and dancing rather than become a doctor or an accountant.
Then, negativity starts, and "What would the neighbours/community say?" becomes more important than allowing Rafi to realise his dreams.
When we jolt forward, Rafi is older and more established as a well-known stage actor/performer, living a life he's sure his family would disapprove of in Australia. He heads back to his hometown for Shazia's wedding, where he has to deal with the fireworks and many concealed parts of his life are uncovered.
There were so many things I loved about this book. Rafi is a boy I could have met growing up. I knew of many who suppressed their interests because it wasn't the done thing.
I also really related to Maam, his mother, who was battling her cultural demons, missing her homeland, and wanting what was best for her children.
This is Billy Elliot, the British Pakistani Edit! An incredible immersion into the life of a boy who just wanted to follow his dreams.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Unbound for an ARC.
May 28, 2024
This book has been billed as 'Billy Elliot meets Bend It Like Beckham' but I think that's selling this novel short. I totally understand why novels are often billed as x meets y but I worry that it might imply a derivative nature. This is a unique narrative and a story that has been crying out to be told.
Personal story-time (with apologies, this is a pretty common feature in my reviews when I relate deeply with a protagonist). I am British and I come from an Indian Bengali Hindu background. In Asian communities, at the risk of generalising: 1. People are not encouraged, or are indeed actively discouraged, to pursue the arts. 2. Homosexuality is still pretty invisible.
I'm a lesbian and even though my parents are entirely accepting, I wouldn't dream of coming out to anyone in the community. I was visiting my parents this past weekend and my mother's friend came over. During the usual catch-up conversation, she asked me if I was thinking of men and marriage in the near future. There's always the temptation to just confess 'I'M GAY' and watch the person's reaction - apparently even my mother was tempted to do it this time - but it really doesn't feel worth it. I don't expect outright condemnation, but I certainly expect the atmosphere to be immediately uncomfortable, so I really related to that aspect of the book.
This novel contains the increasingly popular structure of starting in the present, then going back and forth from the past. The past section begins in 1981, where Rafi lives with his parents in Blackburn. I was kid in the late nineties/early noughties and Rafi is from a Pakistani Muslim background so I can't pretend to fully understand his experience, but one does not need to in order to understand what Rafi goes through. Hussain is an absolutely wonderful writer and everyone can relate to being a child and responding to an unfair society, at an age when it's impossible to understand why on earth the world is so flawed, and why the adults don't just fix it.
In the present, roughly late 2001/2002 (stated as several months after 9/11), Rafi is a musical theatre star living in Australia with his loving boyfriend. His best friend's wedding brings him back to the UK, where he struggles to reconcile his genuine identity with a community that is still largely hostile to gay people.
I loved the way that relationships were written in this book. A special shout-out to the character of Mr H, Rafi's music teacher, who in a classic case of dramatic irony is evidently a gay man to the reader, with Rafi none the wiser at the time.
What really moved my heart was Rafi's relationship with his mother. She absolutely adores her son and we feel it in her dialogue and actions, but she also struggles with Rafi being a gender nonconforming boy who prefers dressing up to football, and singing to academic studies. There is a scene between an adult Rafi and his mother late in the novel which made me sob. I will not elaborate further, to avoid spoilers, but it is the strongest scene in the novel for me. I found the ending very satisfying and I'll be eagerly looking out for more work from this author.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Unbound for the ARC!
Personal story-time (with apologies, this is a pretty common feature in my reviews when I relate deeply with a protagonist). I am British and I come from an Indian Bengali Hindu background. In Asian communities, at the risk of generalising: 1. People are not encouraged, or are indeed actively discouraged, to pursue the arts. 2. Homosexuality is still pretty invisible.
I'm a lesbian and even though my parents are entirely accepting, I wouldn't dream of coming out to anyone in the community. I was visiting my parents this past weekend and my mother's friend came over. During the usual catch-up conversation, she asked me if I was thinking of men and marriage in the near future. There's always the temptation to just confess 'I'M GAY' and watch the person's reaction - apparently even my mother was tempted to do it this time - but it really doesn't feel worth it. I don't expect outright condemnation, but I certainly expect the atmosphere to be immediately uncomfortable, so I really related to that aspect of the book.
This novel contains the increasingly popular structure of starting in the present, then going back and forth from the past. The past section begins in 1981, where Rafi lives with his parents in Blackburn. I was kid in the late nineties/early noughties and Rafi is from a Pakistani Muslim background so I can't pretend to fully understand his experience, but one does not need to in order to understand what Rafi goes through. Hussain is an absolutely wonderful writer and everyone can relate to being a child and responding to an unfair society, at an age when it's impossible to understand why on earth the world is so flawed, and why the adults don't just fix it.
In the present, roughly late 2001/2002 (stated as several months after 9/11), Rafi is a musical theatre star living in Australia with his loving boyfriend. His best friend's wedding brings him back to the UK, where he struggles to reconcile his genuine identity with a community that is still largely hostile to gay people.
I loved the way that relationships were written in this book. A special shout-out to the character of Mr H, Rafi's music teacher, who in a classic case of dramatic irony is evidently a gay man to the reader, with Rafi none the wiser at the time.
What really moved my heart was Rafi's relationship with his mother. She absolutely adores her son and we feel it in her dialogue and actions, but she also struggles with Rafi being a gender nonconforming boy who prefers dressing up to football, and singing to academic studies. There is a scene between an adult Rafi and his mother late in the novel which made me sob. I will not elaborate further, to avoid spoilers, but it is the strongest scene in the novel for me. I found the ending very satisfying and I'll be eagerly looking out for more work from this author.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Unbound for the ARC!
June 3, 2024
What a brilliant debut novel, tackling difficult topics with unwavering, unapologetic honesty. It’s Billy Elliot told through the eyes of a young Pakistani boy growing up in Northern England in the 1970s.
Told in a dual timeline, we learn about adult Rafi and his life in Australia with the man he loves and Rafi the child who grew up poor and tormented in a small town, in a country that didn’t want him.
——
Rafi Aziz grew up during ABBA’s heyday, when Bollywood was king — and he is here for it.
It’s obvious from the start that young Rafi is a gifted musician and singer, pounding out tunes on a toy piano, effortlessly adding harmonies to songs where none existed. And, as the baby of three, he is m unmistakably his mother’s favorite. She, too, is a lover of music, color, and patterns, and she encourages him to sing and dance.
Until she doesn’t.
It becomes obvious to Rafi that other than best friend Shazia, the other kids, including his older brother, don’t accept him, making fun of him, beating him up, leaving him fearful of the upper school he’s meant to attend.
But there is no word in the Pakistani language for gay, no acknowledgment of it because it simply doesn’t exist. Rafi can’t exist as he wants.
When he wins a scholarship to a music school, Rafi leaves home at ten years old and never looks back. For him, it’s a matter of survival. He needs to find a place where he belongs, turning his back on a family that doesn’t accept him.
But there is another story here, a quieter one, a more delicate one, the story of a Pakistani woman who didn’t want to move from her home to another country, a person who could neither read nor write, a mother raising three kids ostensibly on her own.
A woman who struggles between a country and its beliefs and the love of an unapologetically flamboyant son. Being a mother, her story gently reminds you, isn’t ever easy. You give your whole self to someone and hope that they can find happiness. That you want ease and acceptance and joy but understanding you can’t control any of it.
This emotionally charged coming of age story dives into family, self-love, and belonging, and doesn’t apologize when things get difficult. Even when Rafi is selfish, self indulgent, when he realizes he wasn’t always right, you love him just the same.
Maybe even a little more.
It’s Pride Month, and it’s a time in the world when we should lift the voices of authors like Iqbal Hussain. Please, do yourself a favor and read this one. It’ll make you feel all the things.
Thanks to @netgalley and @unbound for the eARC. This one comes out June 6, 2024.
Told in a dual timeline, we learn about adult Rafi and his life in Australia with the man he loves and Rafi the child who grew up poor and tormented in a small town, in a country that didn’t want him.
——
Rafi Aziz grew up during ABBA’s heyday, when Bollywood was king — and he is here for it.
It’s obvious from the start that young Rafi is a gifted musician and singer, pounding out tunes on a toy piano, effortlessly adding harmonies to songs where none existed. And, as the baby of three, he is m unmistakably his mother’s favorite. She, too, is a lover of music, color, and patterns, and she encourages him to sing and dance.
Until she doesn’t.
It becomes obvious to Rafi that other than best friend Shazia, the other kids, including his older brother, don’t accept him, making fun of him, beating him up, leaving him fearful of the upper school he’s meant to attend.
But there is no word in the Pakistani language for gay, no acknowledgment of it because it simply doesn’t exist. Rafi can’t exist as he wants.
When he wins a scholarship to a music school, Rafi leaves home at ten years old and never looks back. For him, it’s a matter of survival. He needs to find a place where he belongs, turning his back on a family that doesn’t accept him.
But there is another story here, a quieter one, a more delicate one, the story of a Pakistani woman who didn’t want to move from her home to another country, a person who could neither read nor write, a mother raising three kids ostensibly on her own.
A woman who struggles between a country and its beliefs and the love of an unapologetically flamboyant son. Being a mother, her story gently reminds you, isn’t ever easy. You give your whole self to someone and hope that they can find happiness. That you want ease and acceptance and joy but understanding you can’t control any of it.
This emotionally charged coming of age story dives into family, self-love, and belonging, and doesn’t apologize when things get difficult. Even when Rafi is selfish, self indulgent, when he realizes he wasn’t always right, you love him just the same.
Maybe even a little more.
It’s Pride Month, and it’s a time in the world when we should lift the voices of authors like Iqbal Hussain. Please, do yourself a favor and read this one. It’ll make you feel all the things.
Thanks to @netgalley and @unbound for the eARC. This one comes out June 6, 2024.
July 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
This is a beautiful coming of age story of Rafi, a young queer boy in England who is from a practicing Muslim family originally from Pakistan.
Rafi is a member of the lgbtq+ community and this book follows his closest relationships through out his youth and as a man in a committed relationship with his partner David in Australia.
This book is the perfect mix of emotional and sweet and I think it really encapsulates the experience of a gay young man with religious family in a time when being “out” was more difficult. I really felt for Rafi and I found the relationship with his mother, especially toward the end of the book, to be heartbreakingly emotional but important.
This is a beautiful coming of age story of Rafi, a young queer boy in England who is from a practicing Muslim family originally from Pakistan.
Rafi is a member of the lgbtq+ community and this book follows his closest relationships through out his youth and as a man in a committed relationship with his partner David in Australia.
This book is the perfect mix of emotional and sweet and I think it really encapsulates the experience of a gay young man with religious family in a time when being “out” was more difficult. I really felt for Rafi and I found the relationship with his mother, especially toward the end of the book, to be heartbreakingly emotional but important.
June 2, 2024
Brilliant
May 26, 2024
It is scary of how much this novel resonates with me personally, and how much I share with the protagonist, to living in Australia and sharing the cultural Pakistani back ground with the protagonist … right down to particular kind bullying - the shared experience hits much harder and deeper for someone like myself. When the author mentions a song from Pakeezah, about weather being romantic and finding sweetheart, I know it is Mausam hai Aashiqana or another RD Burman song about youth and love I know it is Do Lafzon ki hai yeh kahaani - or like references to the words makeupshakeup, the broken English or even the madeup words
Northern boy is an emotionally charged coming of age debut by Iqbal Hussain that delves into a lot of themes of belonging, self reflection, acceptance and family dynamics. Sure it is a billy Elliot style story of a creative soul trying to break free from his conservative surroundings and follows the expected beats of it all, growing up, love for ABBA, desires and dreams of being a showman, Bollywood music and mother son relationship, it also reminded me of Fourteen by Shannon Molloy.. but it is much more than that - it is about letting go, letting go of prejudices, self criticism and letting go of grudges and realising one is a product of their circumstances and sometimes more similar to the people the ones you avoid becoming and dislike - but the writer does not spare the protagonist from showing the mirror on this conundrum and their flaws as well holding them accountable - the writer tells as much as shows this where the protagonist’s behaviour before the confrontation and consequences of their actions flipping over their victim card half way through the book.
The big climax scene has been set up well especially between the main mother-son relationship and how it transpires. The generational trauma of displacement, homesickness and a sense of seeing the other side of life of people surrounding you, seeing every one has their own struggles and seeing them as people rather than an extension of a relationship you share with them and how those traumas affect you as an adult
Yes the book is long and yes there is a lot there and yes there are at least three books in here but the life either does not happen in solitude incidents either with things happening all the same time. It does try to explore a lot. The book does not over indulges its settings, but It could be edited down. Some words could use hyphens but I am nitpicking here. The novel does rush through towards the end but it needed that ending
A wholesome debut that explores a multitude of facets that could come across as bit ticking off on every trope but then all those have come about from lived experiences. Queer South Asian experience stories are rare to come by and this one is a charming one
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an independent review
Northern boy is an emotionally charged coming of age debut by Iqbal Hussain that delves into a lot of themes of belonging, self reflection, acceptance and family dynamics. Sure it is a billy Elliot style story of a creative soul trying to break free from his conservative surroundings and follows the expected beats of it all, growing up, love for ABBA, desires and dreams of being a showman, Bollywood music and mother son relationship, it also reminded me of Fourteen by Shannon Molloy.. but it is much more than that - it is about letting go, letting go of prejudices, self criticism and letting go of grudges and realising one is a product of their circumstances and sometimes more similar to the people the ones you avoid becoming and dislike - but the writer does not spare the protagonist from showing the mirror on this conundrum and their flaws as well holding them accountable - the writer tells as much as shows this where the protagonist’s behaviour before the confrontation and consequences of their actions flipping over their victim card half way through the book.
The big climax scene has been set up well especially between the main mother-son relationship and how it transpires. The generational trauma of displacement, homesickness and a sense of seeing the other side of life of people surrounding you, seeing every one has their own struggles and seeing them as people rather than an extension of a relationship you share with them and how those traumas affect you as an adult
Yes the book is long and yes there is a lot there and yes there are at least three books in here but the life either does not happen in solitude incidents either with things happening all the same time. It does try to explore a lot. The book does not over indulges its settings, but It could be edited down. Some words could use hyphens but I am nitpicking here. The novel does rush through towards the end but it needed that ending
A wholesome debut that explores a multitude of facets that could come across as bit ticking off on every trope but then all those have come about from lived experiences. Queer South Asian experience stories are rare to come by and this one is a charming one
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an independent review
June 13, 2024
This review also features on Diary of an Ink Drinker
Growing up in a community where racism and exclusion are part of daily life makes it challenging to embrace your authentic self. What if being true to yourself exposes you to even more bigotry from the very community you identify with? What if the discrimination comes from within?
Northern Boy follows the story of Rafi Aziz, a ten-year-old Pakistani Muslim growing up in the northern town of Blackburn Lancashire. With a love for music, and Bollywood's vibrant culture of song and dance, shaping much of his early years, Rafi struggles to understand why he must leave this part of himself behind as he transitions to secondary education. Through the lens of his adult self's memories, the book weaves a rich tapestry of family, love, loss, and the cultural taboos faced by all those part of a close-knit but very conservative community.
The one thing that really strikes you when reading Northern Boy is that it feels, in part, almost autobiographical. While the story is fictional you can tell that the life is one that the author has lived. It’s too real not to be. It’s the little details almost too random to be fictional that really ensnare this story in your heartstrings. Rafi is just adorable. Often, when books are written from a dual perspective, the child’s viewpoint can feel too mature. Rafi’s journey, instead, is beautifully captured with a child’s innocence, which is no small feat given that many of the topics are far from it.
Through Rafi’s eyes, we experience the sheer terror of childhood bullying, the rise of the skinhead culture so prevalent in the early ‘80s and the fear of National Front (a far-right fascist political party in the UK that exploited concerns around Asian migration at the time). Within the family, hard topics such as the fear of joblessness due to Thatcherite reforms, the pain and alienation of leaving your homeland and the pressure of finding a husband while barely a teenager yourself are all described from the viewpoint of Rafi’s childlike naivety. As well, the struggle to come to terms with your own sexuality in the face of potential rejection by those you love the most is beautifully and sympathetically handled. All this while living in fear of judgement laden on you by your very community and neighbours.
All of the above may sound grim reading, and while the twin themes of loss and regret wind their way throughout, the overall feeling is one of love, warmth, hope, and vibrancy. The soul-stirring need to follow your dreams and to be a ‘butterfly amongst the bricks’ shines through. This book devastated me. I laughed, I cried and it moved me in a way that I never ever expected. While I loved the fine details, such as actual Bollywood songs and artists and the real-life events that affected the area woven into the story, it is the emotional depth of the story that truly lingers. Northern Boy is one of those rare books that will stay with me, and I am incredibly glad that I chose to pick it up.
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound Publishing for providing me with an e-arc - all opinions are my own
Growing up in a community where racism and exclusion are part of daily life makes it challenging to embrace your authentic self. What if being true to yourself exposes you to even more bigotry from the very community you identify with? What if the discrimination comes from within?
Northern Boy follows the story of Rafi Aziz, a ten-year-old Pakistani Muslim growing up in the northern town of Blackburn Lancashire. With a love for music, and Bollywood's vibrant culture of song and dance, shaping much of his early years, Rafi struggles to understand why he must leave this part of himself behind as he transitions to secondary education. Through the lens of his adult self's memories, the book weaves a rich tapestry of family, love, loss, and the cultural taboos faced by all those part of a close-knit but very conservative community.
The one thing that really strikes you when reading Northern Boy is that it feels, in part, almost autobiographical. While the story is fictional you can tell that the life is one that the author has lived. It’s too real not to be. It’s the little details almost too random to be fictional that really ensnare this story in your heartstrings. Rafi is just adorable. Often, when books are written from a dual perspective, the child’s viewpoint can feel too mature. Rafi’s journey, instead, is beautifully captured with a child’s innocence, which is no small feat given that many of the topics are far from it.
Through Rafi’s eyes, we experience the sheer terror of childhood bullying, the rise of the skinhead culture so prevalent in the early ‘80s and the fear of National Front (a far-right fascist political party in the UK that exploited concerns around Asian migration at the time). Within the family, hard topics such as the fear of joblessness due to Thatcherite reforms, the pain and alienation of leaving your homeland and the pressure of finding a husband while barely a teenager yourself are all described from the viewpoint of Rafi’s childlike naivety. As well, the struggle to come to terms with your own sexuality in the face of potential rejection by those you love the most is beautifully and sympathetically handled. All this while living in fear of judgement laden on you by your very community and neighbours.
All of the above may sound grim reading, and while the twin themes of loss and regret wind their way throughout, the overall feeling is one of love, warmth, hope, and vibrancy. The soul-stirring need to follow your dreams and to be a ‘butterfly amongst the bricks’ shines through. This book devastated me. I laughed, I cried and it moved me in a way that I never ever expected. While I loved the fine details, such as actual Bollywood songs and artists and the real-life events that affected the area woven into the story, it is the emotional depth of the story that truly lingers. Northern Boy is one of those rare books that will stay with me, and I am incredibly glad that I chose to pick it up.
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound Publishing for providing me with an e-arc - all opinions are my own
June 14, 2024
I adored 'Northern Boy' and tore through Rafi's story, which was so beautifully told by Iqbal Hussain. I laughed, I cried, I was totally swept away by it all. I was drawn in from the description of ‘Billy Elliott meets Bollywood’ but there is much more to this book and the tender and honest way that Rafi’s story was told completely floored me.
The story is told over two time periods, Rafi's childhood in Blackburn and his adult life in Australia. He is the youngest child of three, born in 1970s Blackburn to parents who have moved from Pakistan for better opportunities for their family. Rafi loves singing and dancing to Bollywood tunes around the kitchen with his mum who adores her youngest son and calling him gulab jaman as a sign of affection. Outside the house, it is a different story though and Rafi is encouraged to dial down his personality. For his family, its critical to fit in with societal expectations, and any behaviour that means someone might stand out is stamped on straight away or it will be gossiped about for ever more. Rafi’s best friend is Shazia; the two of them love Abba and there’s a wonderful scene where Rafi and his classmates get to meet Abba and perform with them.
His wonderful music teacher Mr H encourages Rafi to pursue his dreams, recognising Rafi’s innate musicality and need to perform and be seen. He helps build Rafi’s self-confidence and show him that he needs to be true to himself or he’ll never be happy. As a reader, we know immediately that Mr H himself is gay as is Rafi, but this is never spoken out loud – Rafi just knows that there is a connection between the two of them.
As an adult, Rafi lives in Australia with his longterm partner and has made his childhood dreams become a reality. He’s an actor, singer and musical star, recognised by strangers and free to be as flamboyant as he wants to be. He is flying back home to Shazia’s wedding, excited to see his family but nervous that they do not know about his sexuality; the only person who knows is Shazia. Whilst at Shazia’s wedding, his old neighbours ask him whether he’s met a nice girl yet, offering to set him up a wife and family. The pull between being a good son and not rocking the boat, against being free to tell people who he really is and who he loves is so powerful, and the pressure on him from all sides is so palpable.
There was much that resonated with me, as a child of the 1970s (hello, shiny toilet paper!) and as the child of immigrant parents myself, both elements which are central to Rafi’s story. I was lucky enough to talk to the author about both of these factors, and how they informed his writing. Iqbal Hussain is such a generous author, willing to answer all of my questions and more. I can’t recommend ‘Northern Boy enough – a strong 5 star read from an author who has given his characters authentic voices, real emotion and wonderful stories.
The story is told over two time periods, Rafi's childhood in Blackburn and his adult life in Australia. He is the youngest child of three, born in 1970s Blackburn to parents who have moved from Pakistan for better opportunities for their family. Rafi loves singing and dancing to Bollywood tunes around the kitchen with his mum who adores her youngest son and calling him gulab jaman as a sign of affection. Outside the house, it is a different story though and Rafi is encouraged to dial down his personality. For his family, its critical to fit in with societal expectations, and any behaviour that means someone might stand out is stamped on straight away or it will be gossiped about for ever more. Rafi’s best friend is Shazia; the two of them love Abba and there’s a wonderful scene where Rafi and his classmates get to meet Abba and perform with them.
His wonderful music teacher Mr H encourages Rafi to pursue his dreams, recognising Rafi’s innate musicality and need to perform and be seen. He helps build Rafi’s self-confidence and show him that he needs to be true to himself or he’ll never be happy. As a reader, we know immediately that Mr H himself is gay as is Rafi, but this is never spoken out loud – Rafi just knows that there is a connection between the two of them.
As an adult, Rafi lives in Australia with his longterm partner and has made his childhood dreams become a reality. He’s an actor, singer and musical star, recognised by strangers and free to be as flamboyant as he wants to be. He is flying back home to Shazia’s wedding, excited to see his family but nervous that they do not know about his sexuality; the only person who knows is Shazia. Whilst at Shazia’s wedding, his old neighbours ask him whether he’s met a nice girl yet, offering to set him up a wife and family. The pull between being a good son and not rocking the boat, against being free to tell people who he really is and who he loves is so powerful, and the pressure on him from all sides is so palpable.
There was much that resonated with me, as a child of the 1970s (hello, shiny toilet paper!) and as the child of immigrant parents myself, both elements which are central to Rafi’s story. I was lucky enough to talk to the author about both of these factors, and how they informed his writing. Iqbal Hussain is such a generous author, willing to answer all of my questions and more. I can’t recommend ‘Northern Boy enough – a strong 5 star read from an author who has given his characters authentic voices, real emotion and wonderful stories.
July 3, 2024
Updated review: Okay. So. I have spent the last twelve hours telling every single one of my loved ones about this book, and how beautiful and heart-wrenching and powerful it was. I made two of them cry just from my talking about it. I also cried as I talked about it. I cried–nee, bawled–as I read the last fifty pages of this book. I want to cry now just thinking about it.
The novel follows Rafi, a young Pakistani boy growing up in England in a traditional Muslim household. Problem one: he wants to become an actor and singer in a neighborhood who disdains creative pursuits of that nature. Problem two: he is gay, and that is even worse than wanting to be an actor. The story alternates between one timeline when Rafi is an adult, returning to England to see his family for a wedding, and the other in the form of flashbacks to his childhood and formative years. The imagery is rich, the dialogue powerful. The world that Iqbal Hussain creates for his characters feels rife with emotion and realness, and coming from the world of Asian Muslim households myself, I felt that so much of this cut to the bone.
The plotline between Rafi and his mother (Maam, as he calls her) broke me. Seeing her utter support and love and favoritism, and then watching how it evolves in the wake of Rafi’s multidimensional passions, was painful. So many conversations pertaining to the sinful nature of queerness were either conversations I have lived through, or ones I am terrified are yet to come. My personal bias is clearly showing through here, but isn’t that the point of good literature? To bring us to confront ourselves in ways we perhaps have avoided? Or to give voice to things we are too afraid to say? Northern Boy captures that struggle perfectly, and the ending was profoundly moving.
My sole, and very minor, gripe with the book is that the switching between timelines was never signified with headings, but relied on the reader’s ability to grasp from context where in time we were. There were numerous times I understood wrong, and it took a few pages to get myself back on track. For that reason alone, this gets a 4.5⭐, but I adored it so much that I am rounding it to 5⭐ on all platforms. Please do yourself a great favor and read this novel.
*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Immediate review thoughts: this made me cry. A lot. I was in no way prepared. Will be back later to update this with more in depth reflections.
The novel follows Rafi, a young Pakistani boy growing up in England in a traditional Muslim household. Problem one: he wants to become an actor and singer in a neighborhood who disdains creative pursuits of that nature. Problem two: he is gay, and that is even worse than wanting to be an actor. The story alternates between one timeline when Rafi is an adult, returning to England to see his family for a wedding, and the other in the form of flashbacks to his childhood and formative years. The imagery is rich, the dialogue powerful. The world that Iqbal Hussain creates for his characters feels rife with emotion and realness, and coming from the world of Asian Muslim households myself, I felt that so much of this cut to the bone.
The plotline between Rafi and his mother (Maam, as he calls her) broke me. Seeing her utter support and love and favoritism, and then watching how it evolves in the wake of Rafi’s multidimensional passions, was painful. So many conversations pertaining to the sinful nature of queerness were either conversations I have lived through, or ones I am terrified are yet to come. My personal bias is clearly showing through here, but isn’t that the point of good literature? To bring us to confront ourselves in ways we perhaps have avoided? Or to give voice to things we are too afraid to say? Northern Boy captures that struggle perfectly, and the ending was profoundly moving.
My sole, and very minor, gripe with the book is that the switching between timelines was never signified with headings, but relied on the reader’s ability to grasp from context where in time we were. There were numerous times I understood wrong, and it took a few pages to get myself back on track. For that reason alone, this gets a 4.5⭐, but I adored it so much that I am rounding it to 5⭐ on all platforms. Please do yourself a great favor and read this novel.
*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Immediate review thoughts: this made me cry. A lot. I was in no way prepared. Will be back later to update this with more in depth reflections.
July 7, 2024
If you’re thinking Billy Elliott or Slumdog Millionaire you’re on the right track except that Northern Boy has darker moments of racism, prejudice and homophobia.
It’s divided into sections. Part one sees present-day Rafi setting off from his home in Australia to go to his childhood friend’s wedding in Blackburn. He’s apprehensive. We learn he hadn’t been home for several years.
The timeline slips back to the early 80s. Rafi is an exuberant child who loves singing, dancing and playing his toy piano. His mother sings along as she whips up delicious food for her family.
There’s lots of humour which made me laugh out loud. On a car trip, Rafi’s dad, who works in a mill, tells him exasperatedly “Your mother complains all the time. She says – move, you bloody donkey!” Thinks Rafi: ‘I thought that unreasonable of Mother, before realising Father was shouting at a cyclist.’
As secondary school time approaches, Rafi is terrified of going to the school his brother attends. His fears are justified when he goes there for a day visit and is attacked in the toilets.
Rafi and his friend Shazia are mad about Abba and she dresses him up like Agnetha, so convincingly he isn’t recognised by anyone in the corner shop. But his mother is furious and says he must only be a drama queen indoors. She forbids him from taking part in a school performance with Abba, for lunchtime TV.
Fortunately one of Rafi’s teachers, Mr H, sees the potential Rafi has and starts preparing him to apply for a place at a Conservatoire. This is also done in secrecy because his parents are vehemently opposed to the idea. They would rather he became a doctor.
Fast forward a few years and Rafi is a successful stage performer. He Skypes occasionally with his family but hasn’t met his nieces or nephew.
The trip back to Blackburn is traumatic for many reasons. Rafi becomes estranged from his mother. Will they ever reconcile?
I loved the powerful character of Mother. Always dressed colourfully, with a painted on beauty spot and dramatic eye makeup, she came to life to me as she sang and danced round the house, cooking up a storm. In reality she was never very happy with her husband and was always homesick for Pakistan. She lavished affection on little Rafi.
Rafi was also a complex character. The delightful child became a brooding and sensitive man who avoided conflict, even as far as moving to the other side of the world.
A book that delivers laughs and tears. Highly recommended.
It’s divided into sections. Part one sees present-day Rafi setting off from his home in Australia to go to his childhood friend’s wedding in Blackburn. He’s apprehensive. We learn he hadn’t been home for several years.
The timeline slips back to the early 80s. Rafi is an exuberant child who loves singing, dancing and playing his toy piano. His mother sings along as she whips up delicious food for her family.
There’s lots of humour which made me laugh out loud. On a car trip, Rafi’s dad, who works in a mill, tells him exasperatedly “Your mother complains all the time. She says – move, you bloody donkey!” Thinks Rafi: ‘I thought that unreasonable of Mother, before realising Father was shouting at a cyclist.’
As secondary school time approaches, Rafi is terrified of going to the school his brother attends. His fears are justified when he goes there for a day visit and is attacked in the toilets.
Rafi and his friend Shazia are mad about Abba and she dresses him up like Agnetha, so convincingly he isn’t recognised by anyone in the corner shop. But his mother is furious and says he must only be a drama queen indoors. She forbids him from taking part in a school performance with Abba, for lunchtime TV.
Fortunately one of Rafi’s teachers, Mr H, sees the potential Rafi has and starts preparing him to apply for a place at a Conservatoire. This is also done in secrecy because his parents are vehemently opposed to the idea. They would rather he became a doctor.
Fast forward a few years and Rafi is a successful stage performer. He Skypes occasionally with his family but hasn’t met his nieces or nephew.
The trip back to Blackburn is traumatic for many reasons. Rafi becomes estranged from his mother. Will they ever reconcile?
I loved the powerful character of Mother. Always dressed colourfully, with a painted on beauty spot and dramatic eye makeup, she came to life to me as she sang and danced round the house, cooking up a storm. In reality she was never very happy with her husband and was always homesick for Pakistan. She lavished affection on little Rafi.
Rafi was also a complex character. The delightful child became a brooding and sensitive man who avoided conflict, even as far as moving to the other side of the world.
A book that delivers laughs and tears. Highly recommended.
June 9, 2024
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
In 1981, in Blackburn, young Rafi dreams of the big screen, just like the Bollywood stars he grew up watching. As factory closure threatens his father’s job, Rafi dreads the day he must move to the school down the road, where his musically gifted talents make him a target to the school bullies. Twenty years later, all the way from Australia, Rafi is summoned back home for his best friend’s wedding. For years, he has almost forgotten Blackburn, but as he makes his way back home, the memories and expectations he left behind come flooding back.
Northern Boy is a deeply moving coming-of-age story that vividly portrays the cultural and societal challenges faced by a young Pakistani boy growing up in the 1980s, a time and place deeply marked by societal changes with the rise of Thatcherism. As Rafi grapples with his traditional upbringing, he becomes acutely aware of the whispers in the neighbourhood, the rumours of lost jobs and the rise in racial harassment. His creative outlets, once a source of joy, are suddenly a burden, and at a young age, he is faced with the growing expectations that he must become the man his family wants him to be. But when the opportunity of a lifetime appears, a chance to sing alongside ABBA, Rafi’s determination not to let his dream pass is palpable.
Northern Boy is written from a dual perspective: Rafi in his youth and Rafi as an adult making the journey to Blackburn, much of which is the plane ride from Australia. For me, this was an example of a book in which the dual perspective did not work in favour of this book. Hussain does well in differentiating the tone between Rafi in different life stages; one moment stuck out to me when Rafi’s childhood innocence did not pick up the situation of his teacher, and then in the later chapters, he looks back on his experience in hindsight. However, for the most part, the narrative feels very skewered. As I read, I found myself really enjoying Young Rafi’s chapter, but whenever it switched over to the present time, older Rafi’s chapters lacked any real progression; those chapters felt like we were just in a waiting game for the Young Rafi chapters to be over before the Present Rafi could finally move on. While the dual perspective approach was not as effective as it could have been, and the timeline became somewhat unclear towards the end, these issues did not significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
In all, Northern Boy is heartfelt and poignant. Hussain’s ability to vividly portray the struggles and triumphs of Rafi’s youth was fantastic to read. Despite my shortcomings with the dual perspective and the adult chapters, the story is still rich in character development, and poignant storytelling shines through. Rafi’s journey and quest for identity resonate deeply, making Northern Boy still a worthwhile read.
In 1981, in Blackburn, young Rafi dreams of the big screen, just like the Bollywood stars he grew up watching. As factory closure threatens his father’s job, Rafi dreads the day he must move to the school down the road, where his musically gifted talents make him a target to the school bullies. Twenty years later, all the way from Australia, Rafi is summoned back home for his best friend’s wedding. For years, he has almost forgotten Blackburn, but as he makes his way back home, the memories and expectations he left behind come flooding back.
Northern Boy is a deeply moving coming-of-age story that vividly portrays the cultural and societal challenges faced by a young Pakistani boy growing up in the 1980s, a time and place deeply marked by societal changes with the rise of Thatcherism. As Rafi grapples with his traditional upbringing, he becomes acutely aware of the whispers in the neighbourhood, the rumours of lost jobs and the rise in racial harassment. His creative outlets, once a source of joy, are suddenly a burden, and at a young age, he is faced with the growing expectations that he must become the man his family wants him to be. But when the opportunity of a lifetime appears, a chance to sing alongside ABBA, Rafi’s determination not to let his dream pass is palpable.
Northern Boy is written from a dual perspective: Rafi in his youth and Rafi as an adult making the journey to Blackburn, much of which is the plane ride from Australia. For me, this was an example of a book in which the dual perspective did not work in favour of this book. Hussain does well in differentiating the tone between Rafi in different life stages; one moment stuck out to me when Rafi’s childhood innocence did not pick up the situation of his teacher, and then in the later chapters, he looks back on his experience in hindsight. However, for the most part, the narrative feels very skewered. As I read, I found myself really enjoying Young Rafi’s chapter, but whenever it switched over to the present time, older Rafi’s chapters lacked any real progression; those chapters felt like we were just in a waiting game for the Young Rafi chapters to be over before the Present Rafi could finally move on. While the dual perspective approach was not as effective as it could have been, and the timeline became somewhat unclear towards the end, these issues did not significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
In all, Northern Boy is heartfelt and poignant. Hussain’s ability to vividly portray the struggles and triumphs of Rafi’s youth was fantastic to read. Despite my shortcomings with the dual perspective and the adult chapters, the story is still rich in character development, and poignant storytelling shines through. Rafi’s journey and quest for identity resonate deeply, making Northern Boy still a worthwhile read.
June 3, 2024
Meet 10-year-old Rafi Aziz, your next Bollywood star! The youngest of three growing up in 1980s Lancashire, England, born to a hard-working father and overly indulgent mother in a traditional Pakistani neighborhood where his mother is always concerned with "what will the neighbors think?". He was born into a patriarchal society filled with cultural taboos and strong family expectations.
Childhood is filled with challenges, and at times trauma - Rafi's is filled with both. Rafi never feels like he fits in with his peers in the neighborhood or school, has few friends, is the target of bullies, loves to sing, dance, and make music rather than play sports, and is quite emotional. His beloved music teacher, Mr. H refers to him as "a butterfly among bricks". He doesn't understand how or why he is "different. His favorite activity with his only friend Shazia is dressing up (makeup and all) as Agnetha from ABBA, singing and dancing in true Bollywood style rather than playing football with the boys as his mother so often suggests.
Rafi's big chance to shine comes when his choir is asked to sing on TV with ABBA. He idolized ABBA, knows every song and dance step, and sees this as a step toward his Bollywood goal. Even though his mother always encourages and often joins in with Rafi's singing and dancing, she refuses to sign his permission slip for the trip. This is the beginning of the negativity he faces as his parents expect him "to be a good boy" who becomes a doctor or accountant, marries Pakistani girl, and has a big family as tradition dictates. Does he conform or break free? He struggles as he realizes he cannot make his parents happy/proud and yet be true to himself.
Follow Rafi's life (in dual timeline form) from age 10 to today as he navigates prejudices, loss, family fractures, success, failure, love, and truly finding peace with himself.
As I read this I frequently wondered how much Rafi's story paralleled the early life of Farrokh Bulsara aka the late Freddie Mercury of Queen. The day I finished reading this I also read that ABBA was awarded knighthood from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. Rafi would have swooned!
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound for the allowing me to read this ARC.
Childhood is filled with challenges, and at times trauma - Rafi's is filled with both. Rafi never feels like he fits in with his peers in the neighborhood or school, has few friends, is the target of bullies, loves to sing, dance, and make music rather than play sports, and is quite emotional. His beloved music teacher, Mr. H refers to him as "a butterfly among bricks". He doesn't understand how or why he is "different. His favorite activity with his only friend Shazia is dressing up (makeup and all) as Agnetha from ABBA, singing and dancing in true Bollywood style rather than playing football with the boys as his mother so often suggests.
Rafi's big chance to shine comes when his choir is asked to sing on TV with ABBA. He idolized ABBA, knows every song and dance step, and sees this as a step toward his Bollywood goal. Even though his mother always encourages and often joins in with Rafi's singing and dancing, she refuses to sign his permission slip for the trip. This is the beginning of the negativity he faces as his parents expect him "to be a good boy" who becomes a doctor or accountant, marries Pakistani girl, and has a big family as tradition dictates. Does he conform or break free? He struggles as he realizes he cannot make his parents happy/proud and yet be true to himself.
Follow Rafi's life (in dual timeline form) from age 10 to today as he navigates prejudices, loss, family fractures, success, failure, love, and truly finding peace with himself.
As I read this I frequently wondered how much Rafi's story paralleled the early life of Farrokh Bulsara aka the late Freddie Mercury of Queen. The day I finished reading this I also read that ABBA was awarded knighthood from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. Rafi would have swooned!
Thank you NetGalley and Unbound for the allowing me to read this ARC.
June 25, 2024
What a joy it was to read this fantastic book- I loved Hussain's writing voice, such an easy-going and witty tone which told Rafi's story brilliantly, with honesty and feeling, whilst giving me some nostalgic moments from being a child growing up in the 80's, I felt like Rafi was so well rounded and accomplished as a character that he could have been a boy I knew in my own comprehensive school in Birmingham. I was hooked from page 1 and devoured the book in less than 24 hours (it helped that I picked it up on a sunny day off) I just didn't want to put it down - if you think you saw me walking down the main road walking & reading, yes you did.
We meet Rafi as he is on his way back to Blackburn to attend the wedding of his childhood friend Shazia - their friendship is introduced to us during their formative years where just a couple of chapters into the book we are sent back to 1981, where Rafi is starting secondary school, and although he wants to spend his time singing along to ABBA, dressing up with Shazia as Agnetha, singing and dancing his way through life, his family and peers are not always so supportive of a boy who doesn't want to kick a football around and conform to gender stereotypes. Rafi is faced with being encouraged to fit in, rather than live to be his true self because it makes him 'stand out', and the family's concern of 'what will the community think/ say'.
In 2001 though, Rafi has a successful career in musical theatre and has carved out a space for himself with where he is secure, accepted and 100% himself, with a supportive boyfriend who loves him exactly how he is....but he has been living in Australia, which means his return to Shazia's wedding in Blackburn will see him confronting his past, and seeing whether he can really be himself at home surrounded by the family and community who didn't always accept or encourage his individuality.
I urge you to pick this book up, I absolutely loved it and felt all the things I want to feel from a book such as this, an important, unapologetic story, told by an author whose voice really should be heard. Thank you to @Randomthings and @Unbounders for the gifted copy of this book for the current blog tour.
We meet Rafi as he is on his way back to Blackburn to attend the wedding of his childhood friend Shazia - their friendship is introduced to us during their formative years where just a couple of chapters into the book we are sent back to 1981, where Rafi is starting secondary school, and although he wants to spend his time singing along to ABBA, dressing up with Shazia as Agnetha, singing and dancing his way through life, his family and peers are not always so supportive of a boy who doesn't want to kick a football around and conform to gender stereotypes. Rafi is faced with being encouraged to fit in, rather than live to be his true self because it makes him 'stand out', and the family's concern of 'what will the community think/ say'.
In 2001 though, Rafi has a successful career in musical theatre and has carved out a space for himself with where he is secure, accepted and 100% himself, with a supportive boyfriend who loves him exactly how he is....but he has been living in Australia, which means his return to Shazia's wedding in Blackburn will see him confronting his past, and seeing whether he can really be himself at home surrounded by the family and community who didn't always accept or encourage his individuality.
I urge you to pick this book up, I absolutely loved it and felt all the things I want to feel from a book such as this, an important, unapologetic story, told by an author whose voice really should be heard. Thank you to @Randomthings and @Unbounders for the gifted copy of this book for the current blog tour.
June 19, 2024
‘The Indian languages don’t even have a word for “gay.” ‘
Our story has 2 timelines. In 1981 Rafi is struggling at school. His famly came over from Pakistan, dreaming of a better future. Rafi dreams of a career in Bollywood. He loves singing and dancing, and David…20 years later Rafi is leaving Australia to attend his best friend’s wedding. He has achieved his dream and has a wonderful boyfriend. But Rafi hasn’t told his family everything, hasn’t introduced his boyfriend and in fact in the opening chapter he doesn’t even give his boyfriend a name..
Northern Boy been referred to as ‘Billy Elliot meets Hollywood’ and has a wonderful uplifting feel with some delightful humour, that sense of a dream in the making and a musical soundtrack. There is even an appearance by ABBA - the group that I also worshipped in my teens! But the soundtrack has a deeper beat. This is 1980s Lancashire where skinheads rule the street and the schools; where Thatcher - or ‘the ironing lady’ rules and redundancies are rife. Life is frustrating for Rafi and it’s scary. His family don’t understand him and the only two people who really know him, leave him…
Rafi is at the heart of the story. He is a wonderful and rather interesting character. As a child frequently frustrated his moods are quite volatile, even physical. He describes himself as ‘frustrated, sad and confused - a hundred and one negative feelings all rolled up into one.’ Not surprising given that he sits between two cultures and his family are suppressing his self-expression and even his grief whilst imposing narratives of their own. The adult Rafi appears confused. Supposedly in a happy relationship, he indulges in a mile-high assignation on the flight and acknowledges his need for the thrill of the chase.’ It’s clear that Rafi hasn’t yet found his true voice. Both narratives keep us guessing and both feed beautifully into each other.
This is a perfect read for Pride Month, indeed any month, with its narrative about individuality, belonging and love. I really enjoyed this book and loved my trip back to the 1980!
Our story has 2 timelines. In 1981 Rafi is struggling at school. His famly came over from Pakistan, dreaming of a better future. Rafi dreams of a career in Bollywood. He loves singing and dancing, and David…20 years later Rafi is leaving Australia to attend his best friend’s wedding. He has achieved his dream and has a wonderful boyfriend. But Rafi hasn’t told his family everything, hasn’t introduced his boyfriend and in fact in the opening chapter he doesn’t even give his boyfriend a name..
Northern Boy been referred to as ‘Billy Elliot meets Hollywood’ and has a wonderful uplifting feel with some delightful humour, that sense of a dream in the making and a musical soundtrack. There is even an appearance by ABBA - the group that I also worshipped in my teens! But the soundtrack has a deeper beat. This is 1980s Lancashire where skinheads rule the street and the schools; where Thatcher - or ‘the ironing lady’ rules and redundancies are rife. Life is frustrating for Rafi and it’s scary. His family don’t understand him and the only two people who really know him, leave him…
Rafi is at the heart of the story. He is a wonderful and rather interesting character. As a child frequently frustrated his moods are quite volatile, even physical. He describes himself as ‘frustrated, sad and confused - a hundred and one negative feelings all rolled up into one.’ Not surprising given that he sits between two cultures and his family are suppressing his self-expression and even his grief whilst imposing narratives of their own. The adult Rafi appears confused. Supposedly in a happy relationship, he indulges in a mile-high assignation on the flight and acknowledges his need for the thrill of the chase.’ It’s clear that Rafi hasn’t yet found his true voice. Both narratives keep us guessing and both feed beautifully into each other.
This is a perfect read for Pride Month, indeed any month, with its narrative about individuality, belonging and love. I really enjoyed this book and loved my trip back to the 1980!
June 27, 2024
‘Northern Boy’ is an exquisite book that filled my heart full of joy! This is a debut novel and an accomplished one at that. Does it have the same themes as ‘Billy Elliot’, yes it does but to say that I think is derivative as this is Rafi’s story. A story which is uplifting if at times confronting. A love story to his family and a love story to being true to one's self.
Rafi is a young asian boy growing up in a terrace house in Blackburn. He loves to sing and dance, perform Bollywood songs and belt out Abba at the top of his voice. He knows he is different but he doesn't mind in fact he is determined to embrace it, even if his family doesn't approve. But when his culture doesn't even have the vocabulary to describe what he is, what hope does he have.
This is a story that is told in three parts. The first section combines Rafi travelling to Blackburn from Australia and his reminiscing about his childhood. The middle section is his time in Blackburn and the final part sees him once again back home with his family. I loved the chapters which dealt with Rafi growing up, sitting between two cultures and struggling to form his own identity. These chapters had a definite voice and clear identity. However, in the present day I found it hard to like Rafi at times as he is stubborn and rude to those around him.
Despite the joy and brightness contained in this novel it also deals with some dark topics and politics from the era. We see how the area and the mills are being decimated by Thatcher’s policies, it deals with identity and sexuality, AIDs and so much more. Yes, it has an innocence but underneath that, there is a nuanced narrative. There are also some heart-wrenching scenes with his family and they really do pack a punch and bring a tear to this reader's eye. I flew through the whole book in one day as I was engrossed by Rafi and his fight for his identity.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
Rafi is a young asian boy growing up in a terrace house in Blackburn. He loves to sing and dance, perform Bollywood songs and belt out Abba at the top of his voice. He knows he is different but he doesn't mind in fact he is determined to embrace it, even if his family doesn't approve. But when his culture doesn't even have the vocabulary to describe what he is, what hope does he have.
This is a story that is told in three parts. The first section combines Rafi travelling to Blackburn from Australia and his reminiscing about his childhood. The middle section is his time in Blackburn and the final part sees him once again back home with his family. I loved the chapters which dealt with Rafi growing up, sitting between two cultures and struggling to form his own identity. These chapters had a definite voice and clear identity. However, in the present day I found it hard to like Rafi at times as he is stubborn and rude to those around him.
Despite the joy and brightness contained in this novel it also deals with some dark topics and politics from the era. We see how the area and the mills are being decimated by Thatcher’s policies, it deals with identity and sexuality, AIDs and so much more. Yes, it has an innocence but underneath that, there is a nuanced narrative. There are also some heart-wrenching scenes with his family and they really do pack a punch and bring a tear to this reader's eye. I flew through the whole book in one day as I was engrossed by Rafi and his fight for his identity.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
July 12, 2024
This is an absolutely delightful tale of Rafi Aziz, a young boy from a working class Pakistani family living in the northern England town of Blackburn. At the age of ten, he dreams of being a Bollywood star and loves nothing better than writing his own songs on his toy piano and dressing up to sing Abba songs with his best friend Shazia. It’s 1981, and he’s in the last year of primary school, living in dread of going to the rough local High School next year, where his older brother has told him he will be beaten up by skinheads for being so girly.
Rafi’s family emigrated to Britain so their children could have a better life and although his mother loves to sing and dance with him in the kitchen, she doesn’t want him to display his talents outside the home, and certainly won’t hear of him becoming anything other than a doctor or an engineer. However, a new music teacher, recognises his talent and not only encourages him to embrace it, but also to always be himself and not someone others want him to be.
Told in two time lines, one in 1981 when Rafi is on the verge of adolescence and one twenty years later when Rafi, now a successful actor and producer in Australia, is flying to Blackburn to sing at Shazia’s wedding, this is an insightful tale not only of one young boy’s journey to be who he yearns to be but also of the immigrant experience in Britain. Rafi’s mother had never wanted to come to England and has never been happy there. Missing both her family and community and her country, she has tried instead to help her children be successful and conform to the cultural expectations of their migrant community. Rafi’s desire to follow his heart will fracture their relationship that was once so close. This is a wonderful read - heart wrenching in places, but also humorous, uplifting, compelling and triumphant. You won’t be able to help falling in love with Rafi and cheering him on.
With thanks to Unbound via Netgalley for a copy to read
Rafi’s family emigrated to Britain so their children could have a better life and although his mother loves to sing and dance with him in the kitchen, she doesn’t want him to display his talents outside the home, and certainly won’t hear of him becoming anything other than a doctor or an engineer. However, a new music teacher, recognises his talent and not only encourages him to embrace it, but also to always be himself and not someone others want him to be.
Told in two time lines, one in 1981 when Rafi is on the verge of adolescence and one twenty years later when Rafi, now a successful actor and producer in Australia, is flying to Blackburn to sing at Shazia’s wedding, this is an insightful tale not only of one young boy’s journey to be who he yearns to be but also of the immigrant experience in Britain. Rafi’s mother had never wanted to come to England and has never been happy there. Missing both her family and community and her country, she has tried instead to help her children be successful and conform to the cultural expectations of their migrant community. Rafi’s desire to follow his heart will fracture their relationship that was once so close. This is a wonderful read - heart wrenching in places, but also humorous, uplifting, compelling and triumphant. You won’t be able to help falling in love with Rafi and cheering him on.
With thanks to Unbound via Netgalley for a copy to read
June 25, 2024
Where do I start? How about I loved this book! The story of Rafi Asiz, a 10 year old boy living in Blackburn with his parents, who moved the family from Pakistan, and his sister and elder brother. Written in multiple timeline the past covering Rafi’s childhood, 20 years later flying from his home in Melbourne, Australia for his childhood best friend Shazia’s wedding and then a further 18 years later when he returns to Blackburn for the first time since the wedding. I was entranced by this book from the very beginning and read it inside a day. Beautifully written and composed this was an emotional and heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking, book with lovely touches of humour.
Briefly, as a child Ravi was different. He loved music and playing with his best friend Shazia. He also loved flamboyant and brightly coloured clothes and whilst his mother actively encouraged him at home she was horrified when he left the house dressed up as a girl, horrified about what people would think. Bullied at school he was dreading senior school until a music teacher took him under his wing and helped him apply for a scholarship to a conservatoire.
It’s clear to the reader from the start that Rafi is gay but in his culture there wasn’t even a word for gay! It broke my heart that his mother couldn’t recognise it and accept him as he was, so concerned about how her community would react. I loved how even as a child he was determined to follow his dreams to make his living as a singer/performer and that he achieved his dream, but it’s sad to see how he virtually cut himself off from his family only returning home for weddings and funerals. There is so much more I could say but really I just want to say read it for yourself. A wonderful story about family and friendship, being true to your identity and following your dreams. A wonderful read.
Briefly, as a child Ravi was different. He loved music and playing with his best friend Shazia. He also loved flamboyant and brightly coloured clothes and whilst his mother actively encouraged him at home she was horrified when he left the house dressed up as a girl, horrified about what people would think. Bullied at school he was dreading senior school until a music teacher took him under his wing and helped him apply for a scholarship to a conservatoire.
It’s clear to the reader from the start that Rafi is gay but in his culture there wasn’t even a word for gay! It broke my heart that his mother couldn’t recognise it and accept him as he was, so concerned about how her community would react. I loved how even as a child he was determined to follow his dreams to make his living as a singer/performer and that he achieved his dream, but it’s sad to see how he virtually cut himself off from his family only returning home for weddings and funerals. There is so much more I could say but really I just want to say read it for yourself. A wonderful story about family and friendship, being true to your identity and following your dreams. A wonderful read.
June 24, 2024
What a beautiful and powerful story this is!
We follow Rafi, a young boy of Pakistani heritage who is clearly destined for a life in showbiz.
The story is split into three parts, with the largest part being the telling of his childhood, interspersed with his journey from his new homeland of Australia back to Blackburn for a friend’s wedding. All of the characters leap from the page, they’re so vividly imagined. My heart couldn’t help but go out to Rafi as he fights for his chance to pursue his dreams, and there was a horrible pit in my stomach at the moments where I understood what was going on more than Rafi did. It was heartbreaking to see the way adult Rafi had to hide himself away, and how that affected his own life, happiness, and relationship.
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I thought it was particularly powerful how Rafi’s relationship with performing was depicted. It wasn’t that he wanted to be on the stage; he needed it. It became a metaphor for his sexuality, and how he would only be able to thrive when he was given the space and the environment to do so.
All of this set-up led to an incredible final few chapters. I couldn’t put the book down, I was desperate to know what happened, and how Rafi reconciled the two aspects of his life. The story takes us almost to modern-day, and the changes that have happened in Rafi’s life, in his community, and in the world at large. It was a powerful and uplifting finale, as we saw the puzzle pieces of Rafi’s life finally fall into place.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
We follow Rafi, a young boy of Pakistani heritage who is clearly destined for a life in showbiz.
The story is split into three parts, with the largest part being the telling of his childhood, interspersed with his journey from his new homeland of Australia back to Blackburn for a friend’s wedding. All of the characters leap from the page, they’re so vividly imagined. My heart couldn’t help but go out to Rafi as he fights for his chance to pursue his dreams, and there was a horrible pit in my stomach at the moments where I understood what was going on more than Rafi did. It was heartbreaking to see the way adult Rafi had to hide himself away, and how that affected his own life, happiness, and relationship.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
I thought it was particularly powerful how Rafi’s relationship with performing was depicted. It wasn’t that he wanted to be on the stage; he needed it. It became a metaphor for his sexuality, and how he would only be able to thrive when he was given the space and the environment to do so.
All of this set-up led to an incredible final few chapters. I couldn’t put the book down, I was desperate to know what happened, and how Rafi reconciled the two aspects of his life. The story takes us almost to modern-day, and the changes that have happened in Rafi’s life, in his community, and in the world at large. It was a powerful and uplifting finale, as we saw the puzzle pieces of Rafi’s life finally fall into place.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
June 20, 2024
As often happens with me, I grab a book based on the cover and my reading mood...and then go in totally blind.
Often, I find a good read! ....Sometimes I find a read that really speaks to me and I absolutelyblobe from the second I open it, right to the last page!
This book was one such read! I absolutely loved it!
Being set in the North, quite close to where I grew up and flipping to and fro between present day and the 80's (my youth!), there was just so much nostalgia and recognition within the pages for me.
Even though the content was far from my own experiences, this still held so many memories as I read through.
Rafi dreamed of becoming a star and all his dreams came true - but returning back home for a wedding means having to navigate the issues of his true self as seen in his home community.
This was so well written and I was completely captivated throughout.
This tells Rafi's story growing up as an immigrant in the 80's and not fitting any stereotypical norms.
Rafi loves music, singing and dancing and as he matures, realises that he is also gay.
I adored Rafi. He totally buried himself into my heart and I was rooting for him the whole way through.
This totally gave me Billy Elliot vibes and as with the film - this had some real heart-wrenching moments as we read through some tough topics - but these were delivered with sensitivity and sometimes humour too.
I raced through this book at such a pace.
I've now discovered that it is a debut novel and am so impressed as the writing style is so polished and the storyline flows beautifully.
I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.
Often, I find a good read! ....Sometimes I find a read that really speaks to me and I absolutelyblobe from the second I open it, right to the last page!
This book was one such read! I absolutely loved it!
Being set in the North, quite close to where I grew up and flipping to and fro between present day and the 80's (my youth!), there was just so much nostalgia and recognition within the pages for me.
Even though the content was far from my own experiences, this still held so many memories as I read through.
Rafi dreamed of becoming a star and all his dreams came true - but returning back home for a wedding means having to navigate the issues of his true self as seen in his home community.
This was so well written and I was completely captivated throughout.
This tells Rafi's story growing up as an immigrant in the 80's and not fitting any stereotypical norms.
Rafi loves music, singing and dancing and as he matures, realises that he is also gay.
I adored Rafi. He totally buried himself into my heart and I was rooting for him the whole way through.
This totally gave me Billy Elliot vibes and as with the film - this had some real heart-wrenching moments as we read through some tough topics - but these were delivered with sensitivity and sometimes humour too.
I raced through this book at such a pace.
I've now discovered that it is a debut novel and am so impressed as the writing style is so polished and the storyline flows beautifully.
I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.
June 19, 2024
Northern Boy flips between now, where successful TV star and singer, Rafi, is heading to England from his home in Australia to attend his best friend's wedding and 1980's Blackburn where Rafi is trying to forge his own identity, despite the wishes of his uber-strict parents. Rafi loves Abba, flamboyant clothes and singing, and has his sights set on a boarding school for creative kids. His mother, on the other hand, considers this lifestyle frivolous and not befitting a young man and wants him to study hard at high school so he can train to be a doctor or a lawyer.
It's a brilliant story, and you will cheer Rafi on from the get-go. His love for ABBA knows no bounds and the band's tie in to the story is wonderful and a pure nostalgia trip for me. I grew up on ABBA and there is a moment that features my favourite ever ABBA song, Eagle, which took me by surprise as it is not their best known hit. There are so many laughs throughout the book and I found the time setting and the Northern-ness so relatable.
It's a beautifully told story, despite an abundance of ugly topics - homophobia, racism, sexism and classism all get covered - but at heart it is a love story about being true to yourself. I really hope this has TV/film options as it is so vibrant it deserves the technicolour treatment. it's got Billy Elliot/Mama Mia vibes but with a Bollywood backdrop!
It's a brilliant story, and you will cheer Rafi on from the get-go. His love for ABBA knows no bounds and the band's tie in to the story is wonderful and a pure nostalgia trip for me. I grew up on ABBA and there is a moment that features my favourite ever ABBA song, Eagle, which took me by surprise as it is not their best known hit. There are so many laughs throughout the book and I found the time setting and the Northern-ness so relatable.
It's a beautifully told story, despite an abundance of ugly topics - homophobia, racism, sexism and classism all get covered - but at heart it is a love story about being true to yourself. I really hope this has TV/film options as it is so vibrant it deserves the technicolour treatment. it's got Billy Elliot/Mama Mia vibes but with a Bollywood backdrop!
April 29, 2024
This is a very enjoyable debut.
On one level, you could take it as a Bollywood version of Billy Eliot. On many others, it is a meditation on family, being yourself, and the perils (real or perceived) of returning to your roots after forging your own life.
It's the early 2000s, Rafi Aziz, a successful, queer, Aussie-based producer of stage musicals, is returning to the UK for the wedding of his best friend. A long, long flight is broken up by a succession of scenes from his childhood in 1980's Blackburn as a first generation Pakistani immigrant. Rafi knows he's different. At first his mother indulges his love of singing and dancing. This changes abruptly when Rafi announces (with help from an inspirational music teacher) that he wants to make performing his life.
Iqbal Hussain writes with affection for growing up in a first-generation Pakistani household living in the mill towns of 1980's South Yorkshire. Affection but also a clear-eyed view of the difficulties of growing up queer at that time and as part of that community. Through this book, I thoroughly enjoyed being invited into the heart of a community I'm not part of.
On one level, you could take it as a Bollywood version of Billy Eliot. On many others, it is a meditation on family, being yourself, and the perils (real or perceived) of returning to your roots after forging your own life.
It's the early 2000s, Rafi Aziz, a successful, queer, Aussie-based producer of stage musicals, is returning to the UK for the wedding of his best friend. A long, long flight is broken up by a succession of scenes from his childhood in 1980's Blackburn as a first generation Pakistani immigrant. Rafi knows he's different. At first his mother indulges his love of singing and dancing. This changes abruptly when Rafi announces (with help from an inspirational music teacher) that he wants to make performing his life.
Iqbal Hussain writes with affection for growing up in a first-generation Pakistani household living in the mill towns of 1980's South Yorkshire. Affection but also a clear-eyed view of the difficulties of growing up queer at that time and as part of that community. Through this book, I thoroughly enjoyed being invited into the heart of a community I'm not part of.
May 17, 2024
This is an emotionally charged novel about a young Pakistani boy growing up in Bradford. Often attired in dresses he is not averse to comments about his sexuality. His lifetime ambition is to become a movie star and this is further encouraged by an American music teacher in his junior school amidst the background of a community who do not tolerate different behaviours. As Rafi matures his individual character develops and to escape the tensions and prejudices he moves to Australia and rekindles his relationship with his childhood friend David.
Beautifully written, with empathy and compassion, this novel shows the struggles of a Muslim Pakastani family separated by distance and a lack of acceptance to modern relationships.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this engaging e-ARC in return for an independent review.
Beautifully written, with empathy and compassion, this novel shows the struggles of a Muslim Pakastani family separated by distance and a lack of acceptance to modern relationships.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this engaging e-ARC in return for an independent review.
June 6, 2024
Hurrah – a book set north of the Watford Gap. I enjoyed the descriptions of life in Blackburn, having personal knowledge of the area. Rafi is encouraged by his mother to emulate the Bollywood stars of her youth. As he becomes ready to enter the senior school system he is suddenly expected to “man up”, become a macho man which is totally against his nature.
In a series of flashbacks his back story unfolds and explains how he leaves the hard environment of his home area to become a star performer residing in Australia.
It is a well written novel but there are no surprises – no “I didn’t see that coming” moments.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
In a series of flashbacks his back story unfolds and explains how he leaves the hard environment of his home area to become a star performer residing in Australia.
It is a well written novel but there are no surprises – no “I didn’t see that coming” moments.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 8, 2024
I am ambivalent about this book. I was drawn to the subject matter. But , at first, I found the lenghth and overly-frequent descriptions of what people were wearing distracting and redundant..and the story was slow to start. I almost gave up on the book several times (something I never do). But because I'd committed to writing review of it, I forced myself to continue. And I'm glad I did. The book became far more engaging about a third of the way into it. The final two thirds of the book were very engaging and the storyline picked up. I'd recommend this book for its moving and sometimes humerous recounting of the experienced of an immigrant child recognizing he is different from the mainstream cultural and gender norms and struggling to find his place.
June 13, 2024
What a great debut novel by Iqbal Hussain! Northern Boy is a heartfelt story briming with vibrant characters that will steal your heart and will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for this family, especially young Rafi. I hope to see these characters come to life someday in movie or mini tv series. I enjoyed the structure of this story and the way the story switched between the 70s and early 2000s. If you are looking for a queer book to read for pride month I’d highly recommend. This is described as the perfect uplit read this year and I totally agree!
Many thanks to NetGalley & Unbound for the ARC.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Unbound for the ARC.
July 21, 2024
As a child Rafi had big dreams of becoming a Bollywood star and to pursue a career in the arts. Fast forward to the present and Rafi is returning to his hometown of Blackburn for his best friends wedding. Is it time for Ravi to reveal not only to his family but also to the community who he is?
Northern boy was a book that wasn't on my radar but as soon as I saw that it was about a South Asian character who wanted to be a Bollywood star I knew it was a book I needed to read.
When I read this book I felt every emotion on the spectrum from happiness to sadness to anger to disbelief. I felt like I was on Rafi’s journey with him and it’s one I can only describe as extraordinary. Rafi is a character that many from a South Asian background can relate to especially because of some of the things he goes through and has to deal with.
The story is narrated by two versions of Rafi, his younger version in the past and an older Rafi in the present. As Rafi is on his way to Blackburn he reflects on his life experiences growing up. It's very difficult to describe this story but essentially it's a story about hopes, dreams and identity. Rafi has a big love of music and wants to be a Bollywood star but those dreams are discouraged. Although he has been raised by his mother to embrace singing, dancing and Bollywood when it comes to pursuing this as a career his mother and family don't see this as a proper career and see this as more of a hobby. One of the biggest influences in Rafi’s life was Mr H and it's through Mr H that he realises what he could be capable of but that does mean going against his parents wishes.
There were a lot of themes in this book including racism and homophobia, but the biggest theme was identity and belonging. Rafi finds himself in a position where not only is he not accepted by his own community but he is not accepted by people outside of his community. Anyone who reads this who is of South Asian heritage will understand that feeling Rafi has of not belonging. The racism that Rafi experiences is not only from people who have a different skin colour to him but also from within the community that he lives. Rafi is also targeted by those who are homophobic. They see him as someone who is different to them because he likes to sing and dance. They see that as different and because they don’t understand him he is targeted. Although young Rafi was part of the LGBTQI+ community but he didn’t realise it until he was older.
There were many memorable scenes in this book. The scene with Mrs Kapoor especially when Rafi was dressed up like Agnetha from Abba and wasn’t recognised did make me giggle. But the scene that will stick with me and that broke my heart was the reunion between Rafi and his mother because that's a scene that will stay with me whenever I think of this book. I would describe Rafi as his mother’s favourite but when he decided to pursue his career which took him to Australia it did put a big distance between Rafi, his mother and the rest of his family. In some ways Rafi was hiding in Australia, hiding from his past and hiding from his family. In order to overcome this he had to confront that he was hiding from not only his family but also from himself and it also made him realise how much he had missed out on.
By the time I’d finished reading I’d left a little piece of my heart behind with Rafi and his story.
A heartwarming and heartbreaking read about identity and finding your place in the world.
Northern boy was a book that wasn't on my radar but as soon as I saw that it was about a South Asian character who wanted to be a Bollywood star I knew it was a book I needed to read.
When I read this book I felt every emotion on the spectrum from happiness to sadness to anger to disbelief. I felt like I was on Rafi’s journey with him and it’s one I can only describe as extraordinary. Rafi is a character that many from a South Asian background can relate to especially because of some of the things he goes through and has to deal with.
The story is narrated by two versions of Rafi, his younger version in the past and an older Rafi in the present. As Rafi is on his way to Blackburn he reflects on his life experiences growing up. It's very difficult to describe this story but essentially it's a story about hopes, dreams and identity. Rafi has a big love of music and wants to be a Bollywood star but those dreams are discouraged. Although he has been raised by his mother to embrace singing, dancing and Bollywood when it comes to pursuing this as a career his mother and family don't see this as a proper career and see this as more of a hobby. One of the biggest influences in Rafi’s life was Mr H and it's through Mr H that he realises what he could be capable of but that does mean going against his parents wishes.
There were a lot of themes in this book including racism and homophobia, but the biggest theme was identity and belonging. Rafi finds himself in a position where not only is he not accepted by his own community but he is not accepted by people outside of his community. Anyone who reads this who is of South Asian heritage will understand that feeling Rafi has of not belonging. The racism that Rafi experiences is not only from people who have a different skin colour to him but also from within the community that he lives. Rafi is also targeted by those who are homophobic. They see him as someone who is different to them because he likes to sing and dance. They see that as different and because they don’t understand him he is targeted. Although young Rafi was part of the LGBTQI+ community but he didn’t realise it until he was older.
There were many memorable scenes in this book. The scene with Mrs Kapoor especially when Rafi was dressed up like Agnetha from Abba and wasn’t recognised did make me giggle. But the scene that will stick with me and that broke my heart was the reunion between Rafi and his mother because that's a scene that will stay with me whenever I think of this book. I would describe Rafi as his mother’s favourite but when he decided to pursue his career which took him to Australia it did put a big distance between Rafi, his mother and the rest of his family. In some ways Rafi was hiding in Australia, hiding from his past and hiding from his family. In order to overcome this he had to confront that he was hiding from not only his family but also from himself and it also made him realise how much he had missed out on.
By the time I’d finished reading I’d left a little piece of my heart behind with Rafi and his story.
A heartwarming and heartbreaking read about identity and finding your place in the world.
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