4.5 stars and also why am I crying right now. The ending was so heartbreaking but also uplifting. The grief and uncertainty and excitement are all swirling in my chest together making just a tornado of emotions. What a gorgeous story. My only minor critique was it was slightly hard to keep all the characters straight at the beginning but it got much easier as the story progressed. I love reading books about a life I otherwise would have no way of knowing about. Really stunned me. ( )

A coming of age story of a young queer Muslim girl with immigrant parents in NY in the 80s. This book leads you through Razia's childhood as she navigates her parents and life as she struggles to find her place in religion, her family and social circles as well as navigating the struggles of race, immigration and sexuality. Told through what felt like a compellation of short stories/anecdotes, this style provide a unique perspective that helps you connect with the main character.

All in all I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys queer coming of age genre. ( )

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion follows Razia Mirza, a young Pakistani American teen growing up in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, NY in the 1980s. This queer coming-of-age story is told in a series of vignettes, starting in Razia's childhood and following her to her teenage years at an academic high school. She strains against the restraints created by her strict, traditional Muslim family and community. As a teenager, Razia grows into her identity and strength. The novel explores Razia's friendships and relationships with the women around her, including her girlfriend, Angela. The revelation of her relationship with Angela results in Razia having to make a drastic decision. Other themes explored are women's rights and autonomy, faith, racism and the immigrant experience.
The writing is lyrical and beautiful, Razia's story told so skillfully and realistically, I had to check that it wasn't a memoir. In the third chapter, there is a terrible animal death, and I would recommend readers triggered by this to skip the chapter, but definitely read the book. The ending was heartrending and abrupt, and I hope there will be a sequel.
Thank you to BookSparks and the author for a copy to review.
TW: Animal death, sexual molestation, domestic violence, homophobia, Islamophobia, child marriage
@BookSparks @WriterBushra #BookSparks #BookSparksBookClub #BushraRehman ( )

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion details the emotional and spiritual journey of Razia, a young Pakistani girl learning to make her own way in the world.

Set in the mid-to-late 1980s, this is a story of immigrants, or rather, their first generation American children. While being raised in the old ways, with time-honored tradition reigning, these young men and women have new perspectives, and many dream of lives different from those their parents have led.

This could be a novel about generational warfare, but instead it focuses on Razia’s personal struggles with her parents and culture. Her greatest fear is being sent to Pakistan against her will and forced into marriage, and as she blossoms into her own identity, this threat becomes as real as Razia’s terror.

The story unfolds in a series of vignettes, short essays providing a snapshot of life in Corona, Queens.

There was one thing which I immediately disliked. Within the first two vignettes there are descriptions of elder abuse and animal cruelty ending in the death of a kitten. Without the inclusion of these two scenes I would have been more inclined to enjoy both the characters and the book itself.

It should also be noted that while this novel was not written for a YA audience, the main character Razia ages from eleven to fifteen throughout the events of the novel.

The heart of this book lies in the almost autobiographical feel of the words, wherein it feels as though the author is speaking a personal truth through fiction. This novel is unique, and that, perhaps, will end up being its greatest strength. ( )

After a slow start, Roses in the Mouth of a Lion finds its center with Razia, a strong and unusual character growing up in the Pakistani community in Queens during the 1980s. Author Bushra Rehman excels at descriptions of the neighborhood, food, and popular culture that surrounds Razia as she tries to be a perfect Muslim daughter to her parents while still finding herself. Rehman does a wonderful job aging Razia’s voice as the novel moves forward into her teen years, and manages to capture the anxiety and emotions involved without trending toward the YA melodrama that often befalls coming-of-age stories. There are definitely some odd plot holes and a very abrupt ending, but Roses is still an excellent coming-of-age novel that explores immigrant communities and LGBTQ themes with a deft touch and solid voice. ( )