I Love, I Hate, I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn

Pages: 146
Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens
Genre: Grief/Culture
Notes for Parents: Violence; extreme religious views

The Inside Cover

Eighteen-year-old Sohane loves no one more than her beautiful, carefree younger sister, Djelila. And she hates no one as much. The two have always shared everything. But now, Djelila is embracing her life as a secular teen, and Sohane is becoming more religious.
When Sohane starts wearing a head scarf, her school insists that she remove it or she’ll be expelled. Meanwhile, Djelila is repeatedly harassed by neighborhood bullies for not following Muslim customs. Sohan can’t help thinking that Djelila deserves what she gets. She never could have imagined just how far things would go.
In the year following Djelila’s tragic death, Sohane struggles with her feelings of loss and guilt, revealing a complex relationship between two sisters, each girl’s path to self-discovery, and the consequences they face for being true to themselves.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Translated from its original French, this novel was first published in France under the title Un Foulard Pour Djelila (A Scarf for Djelila).

What’s good?

Short and easy to read, this is a compelling tragedy about two Muslim sisters growing up in France. The plot is simple but emotional, presenting a realistic sibling relationship and the challenges each girl faces as they try to balance social pressures with a desire for self-expression. The two sisters are beautifully drawn characters, both convincingly sincere in their need to be authentic.
Best Part: The irony of Sohane being kicked out of the meeting.

What isn’t good?

As always, a short and easy read results in a story that lacks depth. All the focus is put on the sisters, so the supporting characters get little attention. The events at the school regarding Sohane wearing a head scarf are skimmed over quickly and even the neighborhood lacks exploration, giving no true explanation as to why the neighborhood bullies have such a problem with Djelila.
Worst part: Too short.

Recommendation þþþþo

I would have loved a longer, more in-depth examination of the attitudes and events that led up to the tragedy, and I would have liked to witness more of the aftermath. However, this brief but poignant tale is skillfully unpretentious and effectively gives us a glimpse of the bravery and risk involved in publically expressing your true self.

Sarn, Amélie. I Love, I Hate, I Miss My Sister. New York: Delacorte Press, 2014. (Hardcover)