A Girl Like That
By Lucinda Dyer,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Compelling tale of teen rebellion, tragedy in Saudi Arabia.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
A GIRL LIKE THAT begins at the end of the story, with the death of 16-year-old Zarin and her 18-year-old friend Porus on the Al-Harameen Expressway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. No one, it seems, is surprised that Zarin -- known as a reckless and rebellious girl -- had her life end in a tragic car accident. It almost seemed fated. She was born illegitimately in Mumbai, India, the daughter of a bar girl and a hit man for the local mob. After her mother's death, she was adopted by her aunt and uncle, who move the family to Saudi Arabia. By 16, Zarin is skipping school and breaking the rules against smoking cigarettes and riding in cars with boys. Not caring about the rules in Saudi Arabia can be a dangerous thing, as the religious police are always on the lookout for teens behaving or dressing in ways not thought appropriate. Zarin dates a boy whose disapproving sister bullies her and gossips about her on social media, and she develops a crush on a popular boy who turns out to be a sexual predator. Only when Porus, a boy she knew from her childhood in Mumbai, reappears in her life do things seem to turn around for Zarin ... if only for a brief time.
Is It Any Good?
This compelling and thought-provoking coming-of-age novel tackles serious issues of religious intolerance, women's rights, and class and racial prejudice. Even though A Girl Like That is set in a country whose rules and traditions will be light-years away from the lives of most teens, the characters still have struggles and challenges they can relate to: mean girls at school, gossip, jealousy, dating, and sex.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strict cultural and religious rules that characters in A Girl Like That are expected to follow. Would you rebel like Zarin or would you follow the rules?
Are there ways in which girls in your school or community are treated as second-class citizens? What's acceptable behavior for boys but not for girls?
What do you have in common with the characters in A Girl Like That? What experiences do teens share no matter where they live?
Book Details
- Author: Tanaz Bhathena
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Book Characters, Brothers and Sisters, High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: February 27, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 384
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 12, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate