Final Reading Response To: Sweet Dates in Basra

The coming of age book that I picked is, Sweet Date in Basra by Jessica Jiji. So far I really like most of the book, just not the aspect of the main character, Kathmiya, having to be s slave/worker, to pick up the slack for everybody else in her family. I also don't like the fact that she can't get married because her dad favors her sister of her.

This book is about this girl named Kathmiya Mahmoud who has to work as a maid in an unfamiliar town of Basra. They say that "her only asset is her exquisite beauty, and that brings her more peril than peace". But then this Jewish boy named Shafiq kind of turns her world upside down. From what I've read so far, he is the only one who brings her warmth besides her mother Jamilia. She likes to hang out with him and of course he thinks she is extraordinarily beautiful. But he understands her in a way.

So right now what is going on in the book I don't really like it just yet. I mean it's interesting but it's kind of sad. I think that first Kathmiya's dad needs to stop being so stuck up and annoying. He doesn't even appreciate what she does for the family. Kahmiya's sister needs to stop being a b****. She's always telling Kathmiya that she feels sorry for her that she doesn't get to get married, but you can tell she doesn't mean it. She also treats Kathmiya more like a slave than a sister. So she needs to stop. Now her mom, I like her just fine. She treats her like a daughter. She give Kathmiya love and respect and I like her for that.


Now Shafiq on the other hand has a nice life. He has a mom and dad and brother who loves him, and a friend that loves him like a brother, " I love you like a brother" Omar said. He doesn't have to work at all for anything he does. So compared to Kathmiya he is living the sweet life. 


He really likes Kathmiya and he wants to marry her but he is shy boy and he knows that she might not be able to marry at all. So he does the slightest things that he thinks might make her happy, like teach her how to read and write, so that they can write notes to each other.


Now I think that they should be able to love each other without having to hide it but they can't because their parents are bums. So they are forced to grow up the hard way. They are treated like adults on some things but then like children  on others, which I think is really unfair. I mean it is like the carpet from their childhood was ripped out from under them, and they can't really get back up.