Written by Sara Farizan, the novel If You Could Be Mine describes the lives of Sahar and Nasrin, two young women living in modern-day Iran. They have wonderful families, and have been the best of friends since they were toddlers. However, they hold a life-changing secret. They have been hiding their love for years, knowing what will happen if they come out. In Iran, homosexuality is seen as a crime, often punishable by death. Sahar will do anything to be with her one true love, no matter the cost. She begins to plan how to leave the country with her lover, only to be stopped by Nasrin’s parents arranging a marriage. At this point, there is one option for Sahar and Nasrin: sex reassignment surgery. Sahar dreams up her life as a man with Nasrin, caring for her, loving her the way she was meant to. Unlike homosexuality, sex reassignment is completely legal, and generally accepted in their society. Farizan goes more into detail about how Sahar thinks, acts, and reacts to the seemingly never-ending struggles stopping her from being her true self. Sahar and Nasrin’s life is almost polar opposite of mine. She is an Iranian lesbian woman, and is treated very differently in her society than I am. Iran’s traditions are very strict and conventional, as this is how it has been for decades. As a teen struggling to being herself in a society where they forbid it, Sahar is impacted greatly. She goes through very tough times internally, and only has one person to talk about it with. The amount of hiding and fear these girls went through seemed almost constant, always being very cautious with each other. I really gained a new perspective on what teens all around the world go through, and how individuality in society can be so hard to reach. After reading this book, I have a better mindset on what is means to be yourself. I have learned to be more accepting and understanding. This book also highlighted how cruel and mean people can be to others who are different than themselves. It makes me think about how high school, a place where you supposedly find who you are and be yourself, can be so constricting and judgemental. I think the biggest take-away I got from this book is how society and tradition influences the way you act. Because of the rules and constrictions of society, Sahar and Nasrin changed the way they would’ve acted because of their fear of ridicule and punishment. I got a lot from this book that can apply into my everyday life. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, because there is something in it that everyone can relate to. “I need an answer from you. Please don’t treat me like I’m some silly girl, because we’re too old for that now. If I were a man, would you be with me? Would you leave him for me?” -Sahar in If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan By Payton S.
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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November 2022
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