Ireland's Reviews > Four Eids and a Funeral

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC

☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

This was my introduction into the audiobook world, and I have to say I am a fan! I had read Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s book Ace of Spades (which I loved), however this was my first time reading/listening to anything from Adiba Jaigirdar, and I was not disappointed.

Tiwa and Said, former friends-turned-enemies, are forced to reunite in their hometown during the summer after the death of a beloved librarian to help save their town`s Islamic center and Eid. During this time they are forced to unearth the reason behind their fallout and figure out whether they truly hate each other or not.

My favourite aspect of the novel was the strong sense of community that is omnipresent throughout the novel. Although the reader may not be Islamic or living in a tight-knit community, the authors do a wonderful job immersing the readers. From petitions to baking sales, Said and Tiwa had their community rallying behind them and giving their unconditional support however they could. Although the book fell into a few YA stereotypes and was at times a little predictable, the unique aspects Àbíké-Íyímídé and Jaigirdar bring to the novel more than make up for it.

Regarding the narration, as this was my first time listening to an audiobook, I didn’t really know what to expect. I really loved the inclusion of separate narrators for both Tiwa and Said, as well as a different narrator for the 3rd person POV chapters. It really brought both characters to life, and I found it much easier to follow along and engage with the story, as it felt much more personable. This experience has definitely encouraged me to seek out more audiobooks in the future. As someone who struggles paying attention to just the audio, I downloaded a couple colour by the numbers apps on my iPad and that really helped!

I’m giving this one 4.5 stars, a great read! This book is the perfect YA coming-of-age story, blending important elements of race, culture and self-discovery that really emphasize why we need diverse reads.