Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi is just what I needed to read after my latest run of “serious” dystopian books.
I loved the adorably flawed protagonist, the character diversity, and the focus on being (and loving) one’s true self.
Author: Olivia Abtahi
Publication Date: 18 May 2021
Genre: romance, rom-com
Setting: starts and ends in Austin, Texas, USA, but is mostly set in Dubai; just before and during Diwali
Recommended for: Grades 6+
Themes: rom-com, being true to oneself, dating, Iranian Americans, Islamophobia, aunts
Protagonist: American girl, Iranian American, age 14, Muslim
Starred reviews: Booklist and SLJ; Odyssey Award Honor 2022; Texas Lone Star Reading List 2022
Pages: 320
SUMMARY
Rising 9th grader Parvin Mohammadi meets Wesley at the beach during summer vacation and even gets her first kiss! She’s so excited to start the new school year with a boyfriend, and even more excited that Wesley will be a new student at her school.
But at freshman orientation, Wesley’s behavior toward Parvin is confusing. Gone is the fun and funny boy she met at the beach. This Wesley has changed his appearance, met new friends, and even has a new girlfriend now!
THE SHORT VERSION
This was super-cute. Perfect for middle school!
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT PERFECTLY PARVIN
A likeable protagonist! Parvin Mohammadi isn’t at all perfect. She can be awkward and sometimes says the wrong thing. She’s a bit self-absorbed. She doesn’t always think about her words or actions. She’s a realistic 9th grader who makes plenty of mistakes and learns from them.
Character diversity. Parvin’s best friends are Fabian (Mexican American) and Ruth (Korean American). Love interest Matty is Argentinian American. Another boy at school who likes Parvin cues Asian American. Iranian characters include Parvin’s father, Parvin’s beloved Aunt Sara, aquaintance-turned-friend Hanna, and love interest Amir.
Parvin’s summer fling Wesley, his new (and boring) girlfriend Teigan, and Parvin’s mother are white. Two characters are gay, and one is bisexual.
Emphasis on culture. The diverse characters are not simply “token” characters. Perfectly Parvin appreciates a wide variety of cultures, customs, and FOOD!
Parvin and her friends attend a classmate’s quinceanera. Cultural moments at the quinceanera (such as a father-daughter dance and the changing from ballet slippers to heels) make it so much more than a party and opportunity for Parvin to get a boy to like her.
Other cultural mentions in Perfectly Parvin — Iranian poetry and written language, Persian art at the Smithsonian, Persian advancements in math and science, Fabian’s Mexican-influenced suit at Homecoming, Parvin’s weekly Farsi class, lots of Korean and Persian food descriptions, Iranian hair and skin care. And I’m quite certain I’ve left out other cultural items in the story. Abtahi weaves all this into the story seamlessly.
***Some mild spoilers coming up! You’ve been warned!***
Body hair! I love all the talk about Parvin being ashamed of her body hair. She spends a lot of time and effort plucking, waxing, and straightening her hair so that she can “fit in” with her classmates. By the end though, Parvin comes to see the beauty in her Iranian heritage, including her thick, curly hair, her unibrow, and her arm and leg hair. Go Parvin!
Discussion of Islamophobia and harassment and deportation of travelers from Muslim countries. This part made me angry and so ashamed of my government. I am a US citizen living outside the US since 2014. The US media’s and government’s politicization of fear is one of the things that I hate about visiting the US. Fear propaganda against other countries is absolutely everywhere.
***end of spoilers***
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Oh, I don’t know. I really liked Perfectly Parvin overall. Parvin may have been a tad annoying at times, but that’s more because I’m well into my adult years. I think the target audience (middle and high school readers) will find Parvin very relatable and realistic.
DIVERSITY IN PERFECTLY PARVIN
Several Iranian and Iranian American characters. Other major characters are Mexican American, Korean American, and Argentinian American. Two major characters are gay, and one is bisexual.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
No internal illustrations. Front cover is eye-catching and will attract targeted audience.
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Themes: relationships, dating, friendship, being true to oneself, coming out, culture
Would adults like this book? I think adults who work with or have teens will enjoy it. Parvin is a well-written, authentic teen character, so she may be annoying to adults who do not work with teens or have teen children.
Would I buy this for my high school library? YES, though I think it’s appeal is for younger HS students (Grade 9)
Would I buy this for my middle school library? 100% YES! No reservations.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Language: mild; a few “craps” and “damns”; one “bullshit”
Sexuality: mild; some kissing (lips only)
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: none
Other: Iranian discrimination, Muslim country travel bans
MORE CULTURALLY-DIVERSE YA ROM-COMS:
MY LIBRARIAN’S PERSPECTIVE REVIEWS OF THE BOOKS ABOVE:
- Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
- 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
- When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon