An Acquaintance

AUTHOR: KRISTEN OBARSKY

An Acquaintance, by Saba Syed, is a young adult novel about Sarah Ali, a hardworking and academically driven student from a small town in Pennsylvania. The novel starts with Sarah navigating a protest on her way to study, where she encounters Jason, who she insists is just an acquaintance—or is he?

Throughout the story, Sarah tries to balance family and friend issues, Islamophobia, and teenage crushes with grace but comes up short and is forced to take a hard look at her actions.

Syed’s writing is clear, crisp and well-structured, balancing various problems Sarah faces in her high school life. One of the most notable aspects of the book is Sarah's courage, as she boldly speaks out against injustices and stands up for herself despite potential academic repercussions. 

Overall, Saba Syed demonstrates her skill at developing Muslim characters in the throes of high school turmoil, capturing their true personalities with depth and relevance. The culmination of plots and subplots and the manner in which it all came together make this novel a compelling read. As a writer, I know that it is challenging to manage various story elements; therefore, I appreciate the skill Syed shows. An Acquaintance would be a good read for teen or tween girls, and I highly recommend it.

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