Huda F Cares? - Huda Fahmy - ★★★★.½

AUTHOR: Huda Fahmy

SERIES: Huda, #2

GENRE: OwnVoices Graphic Novel.

PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2023.

RATING: 4.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: An excellent standalone graphic novel about sibling bonds/breaks on a road trip. The OwnVoices Muslim-American perspective adds a lot of personal depth. Absolutely recommended!

This is the second book of the Huda graphic novel series, and though this continues into the next stage of Huda’s life, the book works perfectly as a standalone.

Huda, who has just completed her freshman year, is taken aback when her parents announce a road trip to Florida. Travelling with three of her four sisters isn’t going to be easy on a 24-hour long journey, but it is a worthwhile sacrifice in order to see Disneyworld. The journey and vacation cover Huda’s relationship with each of her sisters and her parents, her continued struggles over her Muslim identity, and the difficulty of fitting in as a visible Muslim in a non-Muslim society.

Everything about this graphic novel, right from the dedication to the acknowledgements is written straight from the heart. The background to the key characters is provided in Book One: ‘Huda F Are You?’, but we get to know the individual personalities of the Fahmy sisters in this second book.

The difficulties of a road trip, sibling conflicts and connections, parental partiality, religious identity, and social struggles are just some of the themes this book handles. I love how all the topics come out naturally through the plot and don’t feel forced in. While the themes are intense, Huda balances it with plenty of light moments. Her shoulder angel and devil also offer great comic relief.

This book continues the trend from Book One, depicting Huda’s self-identity issues through captions at the base of a statue pedestal. Again, it works perfectly to indicate Huda’s thoughts about herself after that particular event.

As one of the few (only?) contemporary OwnVoices Muslim graphic novels, this series offers a lot of insight into a practising Muslim’s life without going into information overload. Though the author makes it clear that the events are semi-fictionalised, there is a strong undertone of realism to the narrative. The racism, the culturally-offensive remarks, the offhand comments about the hijab and abaya – all seem to spring from real-life occurrences.

The illustrations are in the same style as always. Simple linework, cartoonish expressions, exaggerated reactions – excellent for the story.

All in all, a great continuation to the series. With a balance between light-heartedness and seriousness, this graphic novel highlights several practical conundrums at the personal, familial, religious, and societal level.

Much recommended to lovers of OwnVoices graphic novels. While the book can be read as a standalone, I’d strongly suggest reading the books in the right order as we get to know the family’s background only in Book One.

4.5 stars. *Huda F* thinks this high rating is an April Fool’s prank?

This was a library read. Moving on to Book Three: ‘Huda F Wants to Know?’