Kutub, Naz. Loophole, The. Bloomsbury. 06/2022. 326pp. Fiction. GRADES 7 – 11. ADDITIONAL. $17.99. 978-1-5476-0917-8.
Seventeen-year-old Sayed, an Indian Muslim in Southern California, has been in a daze ever since his boyfriend, Farouk, left him. Sayed’s story, told with a mix of past/present chapters, features complicated issues ranging from his dad’s homophobic actions, to London race riots, to dangerous North African refugee camps. Through a folktale-like story Kutub introduces a genie-type woman named Reggie who offers Sayed three wishes, which take him around the world (England, Turkey, Morrocco) in search of Farouk. While only sometimes fully believable, the interesting story keeps the reader engaged, while also evoking the reader’s emotions and values.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library