The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Summary: Rukhsana Ali has a lot of good things happening in her life. She just got accepted to Caltech with a full scholarship, she has a great group of friends, an amazing brother, and she’s desperately in love with her beautiful girlfriend, Ariana. Unfortunately, Rukhsana’s parents, who are very strict about their conservative Muslim traditions, don’t view things quite the same way. They are on the fence about her going to California for college, and she knows she could never come out to them. When her mom catches her kissing Ariana, things go downhill quickly. Rukhsana’s parents whisk her away on a family trip to Bangladesh, where they expect her to marry a man before returning home. While there, Rukhsana finds unexpected help along the way, but it’s a long hard road to the acceptance she longs for from her parents. 

Critical Evaluation: The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali is a book that is hard to put down, but that doesn’t mean reading it isn’t a difficult experience. Any librarian or teacher suggesting this novel should be sure to let teens know about multiple trigger warnings, including homophobia, manipulation, rape, and murder. Despite, and perhaps because of, the many dark turns the novel takes, young adults suffering because of lack of family acceptance are sure to find solace in Rukhsana’s story. 

There are several elements that Sabina Khan excels at in the novel. The story is for the most part well-paced, and the themes are treated with the respect that they deserve. The exploration and explanation of Bangladesh culture is stunning, and Khan does a good job of breaking down the stereotype that everyone from a certain culture thinks and feels the same way. She touches on representation and the burden it often carries for people of other cultures living in America. Towards the end of the book, Rukhsana confronts her friends, saying, “you have no idea how hard it is to constantly feel like you have to represent your entire culture. And to try and juggle all these expectations” (Khan, 2019, p. 319). Rukhsana’s complicated relationship with her parents is another important theme that many teens will be able to relate to.

While this book is an important read, there are some areas that fall short. The tone at times can be a bit dry, and switches rapidly from paragraph to paragraph. The novel’s “happy ending” seems a bit rushed and unrealistic. Many of the characters urge Rukhsana to forgive her parents immediately, despite the horrific amount of trauma she has endured. While the conclusion is heartwarming, it’s a quick flip from the heartbreak of death and practically torture, to acceptance, love, and a surprise birthday party. 

Despite this, the novel is ultimately a good one, and is sure to open teens’ eyes to what is happening in other parts of the world, and how nothing is ever black and white. Khan has also written several complex and unique female characters into the novel, which will be appreciated by young women. 

Reader’s Annotation: Rukhsana is a smart and successful student, and in love with her girlfriend Ariana, but things take a turn for the worse when her conservative Muslim parents discover she is dating a woman.