Rani Patel In Full Effect
Book by Sonia Patel
Teenagers go through a lot.
A female Gujarati Indian teenager living in Hawaii goes
through hell and back. It may sound like a dream come to true to live in
paradise, but Rani’s paradise is turned upside down as she endures an identity
crisis, a broken family, and the darkness of sexual assault. Thankfully, she
has rap in her life. The one thing that keeps Rani together is her writing and
performing. Little does she know the significance of the words that flow out of
her.
This book takes us on a full journey through the inner
workings of this teenager’s mind. We learn how she thinks, meaning we get a
language lesson on Pidgin (Hawaiian slang) and Gujarati (Indian) words that are
used throughout the novel. The dialogue in the book is relatable. It took me
back to my teenage years when I thought no one could understand what I was
going through, the irritation I felt with my parents, dealing with boys and
school.
Seeing the world through Rani’s perspective is eye-opening.
You learn about more than just crushes and insecurities. We get an inside look
on how sexual assault can change a person. How it is cyclical and the struggle
to get out of it. We learn how people need that kind of “love” even though it
hurts them. This is where the book is frustrating to read because you’re
sitting there screaming at her to leave him but it is too hard for her to do it
then you wish you could climb into that book and tell him yourself but that’s
not how literature works.
The best part about Rani in Full Effect is when we get read
her rap verses. They are creative and deep. Throughout the book you get to see
how her rap hints at events from her past but also foreshadows events of the
future. In her verses, we gain an understanding of her identity struggles. She
is one of the only Indian people on the island and the only girl who performs
rap.
Another interesting aspect of this book is seeing the
character development of her mother. Rani and her mom do not have the best
relationship. It is heart warming to see the changes within themselves and how
they interact with each other. It shows a lot about Indian cultural norms and
concerns most Indian parents/kids have.
Pros: creative, unique, well-developed
Cons: looking words up (glossary in back of book)
Here are a few links on Pidgin:
This book seems very timely and that it could educate young adults in terms of sexual assault and how to cope up with its effects.
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