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Skunk Girl
If Nina Khan were to rate herself on the unofficial Pakistani prestige point system – the one she's sure all the aunties and uncles use to determine the most attractive marriage prospects for their children – her scoring might go something like this:
+2 points for getting excellent grades
–3 points for failing to live up to expectations set by genius older sister
+4 points for dutifully obeying parents and never, ever going to parties, no matter how antisocial that makes her seem to everyone at Deer Hook High
–1 point for harboring secret jealousy of her best friends, who are allowed to date like normal teenagers
+2 points for never drinking an alcoholic beverage
–10 points for obsessing about Asher Richelli, who talks to Nina like she's not a freak at all, even though he knows that she has a disturbing line of hair running down her back In this wryly funny debut novel, the smart, sassy, and utterly lovable Nina Khan tackles friends, family, and love, and learns that it's possible to embrace two very different cultures – even if things can get a little bit, well, hairy .
+2 points for getting excellent grades
–3 points for failing to live up to expectations set by genius older sister
+4 points for dutifully obeying parents and never, ever going to parties, no matter how antisocial that makes her seem to everyone at Deer Hook High
–1 point for harboring secret jealousy of her best friends, who are allowed to date like normal teenagers
+2 points for never drinking an alcoholic beverage
–10 points for obsessing about Asher Richelli, who talks to Nina like she's not a freak at all, even though he knows that she has a disturbing line of hair running down her back In this wryly funny debut novel, the smart, sassy, and utterly lovable Nina Khan tackles friends, family, and love, and learns that it's possible to embrace two very different cultures – even if things can get a little bit, well, hairy .
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2009
About the author
Sheba Karim
9 books157 followersSheba Karim is the author of the YA novels Skunk Girl, That Thing We Call a Heart, which made several Best Book lists including Bank Street and Kirkus, Mariam Sharma Hits the Road, a NPR Best Book of the Year, and The Marvelous Mirza Girls, winner of the South Asia Book Award. She is the editor of the South Asian anthology Alchemy: The Tranquebar Book of Erotic Short Stories 2 (Tranquebar Press, 2012). Her fiction and essays have been featured in 580 Split, Asia Literary Review, India Today, Literary Hub, Michigan Quarterly Review, Off Assignment, Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, South Asian Review, The Rumpus, Time Out Delhi and various anthologies in the United States and India.
She has an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has been awarded residencies at Hedgebrook, Ledig House, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts and The Millay Colony for the Arts.
She has an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has been awarded residencies at Hedgebrook, Ledig House, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts and The Millay Colony for the Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
March 1, 2012
This was the kind of book that I sit back and think "what on earth was the point of this?" However, while I was reading it, I enjoyed it. It was interesting to read about a different culture, but the main character, Nina, was not a very interesting person. I think the thing that bothered me the most was that there was no resolution to her initial problem. She just kind of gets over the boy she likes and moves on because she doesn't want to tell her parents. I understand that the resolution is that she accepts herself as a Pakistani Muslim girl, but I feel like I wanted a more tangible ending. I have no suggestions as to what kind of ending I want, because every one I have come up with is incredibly unrealistic and would take about another one hundred pages to explain. I liked the way the book did not have numbered chapters, I liked the subheading that was given every so often. Most of them were really funny and catchy and made me want to continue reading. Overall, I could see how some people would find this book to be good, and I am certainly not telling you to avoid reading it, but it was not satisfying enough for me.
April 16, 2011
Skunk Girl is the emotional journey of a teenager called Nina.
Nina Khan
Nina lives in small-town Deer Hook, population 11,250. In her school, with it’s expected coterie of snobbish cheerleaders, handsome jocks and loving (but sometimes clueless) friends, brown-skinned Nina feels like the odd-one out.
The fact that she is a Pakistani-Muslim and comes from a conservative household means that she’s often envious of the freedom that her friends take for granted. While being a fairly intelligent student herself, she has to constantly face comparisons with her super nerd, Harvard attending sister : Sonia. Nina suffers the secret pangs of being a fairly-hairy teenager and the added shock of discovering a thick strip of soft hair running down the center of her back (ergo, the title). She isn’t allowed out on weekends and is constantly under her parents’ radar, lest she becomes ‘Americanized’ or as her aunt would scathingly put it,”umreecanized”.
So what happens when you throw in an handsome Italian boy called Asher Richelli who despite being wooed by the most popular girl (and Nina’s nemesis), appears to be interested in the go-nowhere Nina?
I liked the book. I really did. Far more than I had anticipated. Coming from a fairly conservative South-Indian family myself, I associated with Nina’s teenage frustrations. And maybe I enjoyed it more for the trips down memory-lane that it took me. I read out snarky sections to my mum and she gave me the cheeky smile cum weary resignation, as we remembered similar incidents.
Many might complain that Nina whined. A Lot. Let me just tell you that it’s NOT an exaggeration. I whined and whinged. An embarrassing LOT! Maybe now, as an adult, I understand where my parents were coming from. Evolved thought-processes have taken their time to settle in. But yep, teendom was an angry canvas of red-faced me, bawling out at the unfairness of it all.
Nina Khan’s story is believable and entertaining. It has a nice vein of self-deprecating humour running through it. The ending could either be termed as realistic or a bit surprising, consider your outlook. Either which way, it’s a story by an author who has immersed herself into her plot and used it to maximum effect.
Nina Khan
Nina lives in small-town Deer Hook, population 11,250. In her school, with it’s expected coterie of snobbish cheerleaders, handsome jocks and loving (but sometimes clueless) friends, brown-skinned Nina feels like the odd-one out.
The fact that she is a Pakistani-Muslim and comes from a conservative household means that she’s often envious of the freedom that her friends take for granted. While being a fairly intelligent student herself, she has to constantly face comparisons with her super nerd, Harvard attending sister : Sonia. Nina suffers the secret pangs of being a fairly-hairy teenager and the added shock of discovering a thick strip of soft hair running down the center of her back (ergo, the title). She isn’t allowed out on weekends and is constantly under her parents’ radar, lest she becomes ‘Americanized’ or as her aunt would scathingly put it,”umreecanized”.
So what happens when you throw in an handsome Italian boy called Asher Richelli who despite being wooed by the most popular girl (and Nina’s nemesis), appears to be interested in the go-nowhere Nina?
I liked the book. I really did. Far more than I had anticipated. Coming from a fairly conservative South-Indian family myself, I associated with Nina’s teenage frustrations. And maybe I enjoyed it more for the trips down memory-lane that it took me. I read out snarky sections to my mum and she gave me the cheeky smile cum weary resignation, as we remembered similar incidents.
Many might complain that Nina whined. A Lot. Let me just tell you that it’s NOT an exaggeration. I whined and whinged. An embarrassing LOT! Maybe now, as an adult, I understand where my parents were coming from. Evolved thought-processes have taken their time to settle in. But yep, teendom was an angry canvas of red-faced me, bawling out at the unfairness of it all.
Nina Khan’s story is believable and entertaining. It has a nice vein of self-deprecating humour running through it. The ending could either be termed as realistic or a bit surprising, consider your outlook. Either which way, it’s a story by an author who has immersed herself into her plot and used it to maximum effect.
July 12, 2009
Nina Khan wants to experience life. Her parents want to protect her from the evils of the world. Nina lives in Deer Hook, New York, a small town outside of Albany. Her dad is a doctor and her mom runs his office. Nina is a junior in high school. She is also living in the shadow of her older sister, Sonia, who excelled in high school and now is attending Harvard. Oh, did I mention that Nina is Pakistani and Muslim? Skunk Girl, written by Sheba Karim, tells the story of Nina’s struggles to fit in socially and still respect her parents’ wishes and her Muslim beliefs.
I really don’t know very much about Muslim beliefs and this book helped me to understand them better. They don’t believe in drinking alcohol and dating is not something young people do. Marriages are usually arranged by the parents and young girls and young boys don’t spend time together. Nina’s mother told her “Nina, remember that you should never be alone with a boy, ever. Because when a boy and a girl are alone together, there is always a third person with them.” That person is Shaitaan or the devil. Nina’s parents don’t let her attend parties and she spends her Friday evenings at home while all her friends are out at parties and having fun. Nina watched the evening news as the police were taking away a serial killer in handcuffs. The reporter stated that the killer was a quiet guy who was a loner and never attended social events. Nina thinks the only people who stay home on Friday nights are serial killers and Muslim girls.
So why Skunk Girl? Nina finds herself one day hairy. She has hairy arms, hairy legs, and hair on her upper lip. It isn’t the peach fuzz type but rather dark black hair. Her mother tells her to bleach it. When Asher, an Italian transfer student, moves to town she falls head over heals for him. But what can she do? Her parents would never let her date a boy! One day while she is sitting on the school bus next to Asher she leans over to look out the window and he notices that she has a steak of hair running down her back. She is mortified! How can she ever face him again?
Will Nina follow her parents’ wishes and not see Asher or will she go behind their backs and have clandestine encounters with him? Skunk Girl was a fast read that tells of accepting one’s own beliefs and one’s own physical nature and being happy in the process.
I really don’t know very much about Muslim beliefs and this book helped me to understand them better. They don’t believe in drinking alcohol and dating is not something young people do. Marriages are usually arranged by the parents and young girls and young boys don’t spend time together. Nina’s mother told her “Nina, remember that you should never be alone with a boy, ever. Because when a boy and a girl are alone together, there is always a third person with them.” That person is Shaitaan or the devil. Nina’s parents don’t let her attend parties and she spends her Friday evenings at home while all her friends are out at parties and having fun. Nina watched the evening news as the police were taking away a serial killer in handcuffs. The reporter stated that the killer was a quiet guy who was a loner and never attended social events. Nina thinks the only people who stay home on Friday nights are serial killers and Muslim girls.
So why Skunk Girl? Nina finds herself one day hairy. She has hairy arms, hairy legs, and hair on her upper lip. It isn’t the peach fuzz type but rather dark black hair. Her mother tells her to bleach it. When Asher, an Italian transfer student, moves to town she falls head over heals for him. But what can she do? Her parents would never let her date a boy! One day while she is sitting on the school bus next to Asher she leans over to look out the window and he notices that she has a steak of hair running down her back. She is mortified! How can she ever face him again?
Will Nina follow her parents’ wishes and not see Asher or will she go behind their backs and have clandestine encounters with him? Skunk Girl was a fast read that tells of accepting one’s own beliefs and one’s own physical nature and being happy in the process.
February 4, 2010
I'm actually going to start this review by telling you a little bit about me. Just trust me and go with it. I read lots of blogs, but I very seldom read through the actual reviews. I hate being spoiled and even though most bloggers give adequate spoiler warnings, I'd rather be completely surprised when I pick up a book. So, you will often hear see me say that I had no idea what a book was about before picking it up. I also never go to the library with a list. I go, pick up any new books I have on hold, and browse the shelves looking for something to catch my eye. This is how I found Skunk Girl. I didn't remember who had read it, what it was about, or if it was even good for that matter. I recognized it, laughed at the inside cover, and placed it in my bag. I was in no real hurry to read it since I had so many other goodies in my pile, but when I finally did, boy was I surprised.
Nina Khan just wants to be a normal teenager, except she's kind of a freak. She's hairy, Muslim, and under lockdown by her very strict, Pakistani parents. Luckily for her though, her American friends love her anyway. Nina is used to the social restrictions her family believes in; however, when cutie Asher Richelli starts paying her attention, she is determined to break away. In the end Nina learns that her family really isn't that bad and that some of the things she wished for are overrated.
I loved Nina's story. She was such a diverse character! I know, I know - it's mostly because she is a person of color with a completely different culture than my own, but I had to say it. Nina's narrative takes us straight into her head and lets us see, and feel, and think the things that she is seeing, and feeling, and thinking. Feeling so close to a character is always a good thing in my book, and her witty humor only added to my love for this debut novel. I hear Karim is working on a new book, and I cannot wait to read it.
I think it is so important for stories like Nina's to be told. Please check out Reading in Color and S. Krishna's Books if you aren't already familiar. Both of these blogs feature books by and/or about people of color, and both hold challenges with tons of suggestions for books like Skunk Girl.
Read more reviews like this one at http://bookmarkedreviews.blogspot.com
Nina Khan just wants to be a normal teenager, except she's kind of a freak. She's hairy, Muslim, and under lockdown by her very strict, Pakistani parents. Luckily for her though, her American friends love her anyway. Nina is used to the social restrictions her family believes in; however, when cutie Asher Richelli starts paying her attention, she is determined to break away. In the end Nina learns that her family really isn't that bad and that some of the things she wished for are overrated.
I loved Nina's story. She was such a diverse character! I know, I know - it's mostly because she is a person of color with a completely different culture than my own, but I had to say it. Nina's narrative takes us straight into her head and lets us see, and feel, and think the things that she is seeing, and feeling, and thinking. Feeling so close to a character is always a good thing in my book, and her witty humor only added to my love for this debut novel. I hear Karim is working on a new book, and I cannot wait to read it.
I think it is so important for stories like Nina's to be told. Please check out Reading in Color and S. Krishna's Books if you aren't already familiar. Both of these blogs feature books by and/or about people of color, and both hold challenges with tons of suggestions for books like Skunk Girl.
Read more reviews like this one at http://bookmarkedreviews.blogspot.com
May 7, 2010
Look authors, if you're about my age and your book for no apparent reason takes place in the 90s, I'm just going to assume you're too lazy to do research on "kids today".
First YA novel is not an excuse for thinly veiled memoir.
This book specific complaint: Holy all of a sudden, 3/4 of the way through the book self-esteem epiphany!
First YA novel is not an excuse for thinly veiled memoir.
This book specific complaint: Holy all of a sudden, 3/4 of the way through the book self-esteem epiphany!
January 23, 2013
I first heard about Skunk Girl after a friend of mine posted the cover on Facebook. I thought it was funny and wondered if Skunk Girl was about a girl who smells. It isn’t. Instead, this is a book about a hairy Pakistani Muslim.
Awesome!
There are not that many books about Muslims out there, so once I saw this at the library, I wasted no time in picking it up. Was it everything that I wanted and more? Sadly, no. But I think this is due to my expectations for this novel. I originally thought it would be about a hairy Muslim teenager coping with Islam in a non-Islamic society. Let me explain: from the synopsis, we can see that she has a huge crush on Asher. She wants him, but in Islam we don’t date. We get married. So the challenges of being like everyone else while still trying to keep your religion in tact is something a lot of us face, and so, I was hoping to see that here.
Instead, this is mostly a story about a teen girl who has strict parents who constantly compare her to her older sister. She has a crush on a new guy who might just like her too. And she has hair…growing…everywhere.
Except that it’s not. There’s no real plot in this novel, just a series of events that are joined together. There are many conflicts that are presented, which are interesting, but they’re never really resolved. And by the end the novel, you’re left wondering, ‘Is that it?”
Even though Nina is one I can easily relate to, I just couldn’t like her or care about her. Wait, wait. I’m not saying this because she wanted to do things that were considered unIslamic. That’s normal for a girl her age. And it’s not that she did unIslamic things either. What I had a problem with was Nina’s interaction with the ‘mean girl’ Serena. Nina hates her and doesn’t hide it at all. Why? Because of an incident when they were kids. This made me sympathize with Serena and made me want to slap Nina a few times.
They do come to a sort of understanding, but the interactions between the two were clearly in Serena’s favour. Was this supposed to happen though? I don’t think so. I think we’re meant to root for Nina, but when it came to these two I just couldn’t.
There are some good points though. Nina’s parents, while strict, are not bad people, nor are they depicted that way. And Nina’s best friends are developed nicely as well. And I did like that Nina discovered a sort of balance at the end and that she learned from her mistakes, I just wish the journey to this was done better. And that Islam and her culture had a bigger role, instead of just being a means to restrict Nina’s freedom.
Awesome!
There are not that many books about Muslims out there, so once I saw this at the library, I wasted no time in picking it up. Was it everything that I wanted and more? Sadly, no. But I think this is due to my expectations for this novel. I originally thought it would be about a hairy Muslim teenager coping with Islam in a non-Islamic society. Let me explain: from the synopsis, we can see that she has a huge crush on Asher. She wants him, but in Islam we don’t date. We get married. So the challenges of being like everyone else while still trying to keep your religion in tact is something a lot of us face, and so, I was hoping to see that here.
Instead, this is mostly a story about a teen girl who has strict parents who constantly compare her to her older sister. She has a crush on a new guy who might just like her too. And she has hair…growing…everywhere.
Except that it’s not. There’s no real plot in this novel, just a series of events that are joined together. There are many conflicts that are presented, which are interesting, but they’re never really resolved. And by the end the novel, you’re left wondering, ‘Is that it?”
Even though Nina is one I can easily relate to, I just couldn’t like her or care about her. Wait, wait. I’m not saying this because she wanted to do things that were considered unIslamic. That’s normal for a girl her age. And it’s not that she did unIslamic things either. What I had a problem with was Nina’s interaction with the ‘mean girl’ Serena. Nina hates her and doesn’t hide it at all. Why? Because of an incident when they were kids. This made me sympathize with Serena and made me want to slap Nina a few times.
They do come to a sort of understanding, but the interactions between the two were clearly in Serena’s favour. Was this supposed to happen though? I don’t think so. I think we’re meant to root for Nina, but when it came to these two I just couldn’t.
There are some good points though. Nina’s parents, while strict, are not bad people, nor are they depicted that way. And Nina’s best friends are developed nicely as well. And I did like that Nina discovered a sort of balance at the end and that she learned from her mistakes, I just wish the journey to this was done better. And that Islam and her culture had a bigger role, instead of just being a means to restrict Nina’s freedom.
April 5, 2009
When you read this review, keep in mind that "Skunk Girl" was written by one of my best friends in the whole world:) I've read a lot of Sheba's writing over the years and I love her style which is so breezy and grounded.
I started laughing from page 1 of SG, and not just because of the Jolene and SAT antonyms and the fact that we're hearing a story about South Asian immigrant lives. Naturally, overbearing traditionalist parents and obsessive academic regimes are resonant themes with me, and it's great to finally get a window open in that house, but more so, the writing in SG is light and witty and humourous and the teenage protagonist, Nina Khan, is actually loveable, as the book jacket promises (prompts?).
The dialogue and pacing is great, and I found myself wanting to know what Nina was going to do or think next, even if it was just a tiny tumult versus a grand upheaval. Her two best friends are nicely depicted (though it took me some time to separate them in my head). I especially enjoyed her father's character.
Some of the interactions and conversations seemed overly mature, but maybe I'm not giving teenagers their due:) That said, SG was an absolute pleasure to read, and I SO wish it had been around 20 years ago when I was 15, and I wouldn't have been felt so much the only lonely hairy girl out there.
I started laughing from page 1 of SG, and not just because of the Jolene and SAT antonyms and the fact that we're hearing a story about South Asian immigrant lives. Naturally, overbearing traditionalist parents and obsessive academic regimes are resonant themes with me, and it's great to finally get a window open in that house, but more so, the writing in SG is light and witty and humourous and the teenage protagonist, Nina Khan, is actually loveable, as the book jacket promises (prompts?).
The dialogue and pacing is great, and I found myself wanting to know what Nina was going to do or think next, even if it was just a tiny tumult versus a grand upheaval. Her two best friends are nicely depicted (though it took me some time to separate them in my head). I especially enjoyed her father's character.
Some of the interactions and conversations seemed overly mature, but maybe I'm not giving teenagers their due:) That said, SG was an absolute pleasure to read, and I SO wish it had been around 20 years ago when I was 15, and I wouldn't have been felt so much the only lonely hairy girl out there.
January 31, 2009
Nina's parents are Pakistani Muslims, while she wants to be an Americanized teenager. She's got two girlfriends, both white, and a crush on the new boy Asher. Problem is, of course, getting her parents to allow her to do anything that might involve boys, dating, dancing, etc., which of course they won't because they want her to be a good girl. Asher appears to like her, though...
The ending is, I think, supposed to let us know that Nina has somehow made peace with her American and Pakistani sides; it just comes across as a tacked-on coda.
Skunk Girl is set in the 1990s, and I'm guessing that is because the author grew up in a similar situation during that time. Because there's no real reason for it to be set then (by which I mean there's no great event or person that would require it to be set in the '90s), the lack of cell phones, texting, computers and all the other teen "stuff" stands out.
The ending is, I think, supposed to let us know that Nina has somehow made peace with her American and Pakistani sides; it just comes across as a tacked-on coda.
Skunk Girl is set in the 1990s, and I'm guessing that is because the author grew up in a similar situation during that time. Because there's no real reason for it to be set then (by which I mean there's no great event or person that would require it to be set in the '90s), the lack of cell phones, texting, computers and all the other teen "stuff" stands out.
May 13, 2013
I'd been wanting to read this for a while, as I've been trying to find more YA books that feature diverse stories. I thought the overall premise of this book was good, but the execution was not. I found myself wanting more character development all around, and plot development as well. It was all just there to read but not really feel. Additionally, I didn't feel as if there was resolution. I can understand why nina made the decision she did, based on my own knowledge of the culture and community she comes from. However, she goes from a conversation with her sister to making the decision, and there really is no overall development to be shown for it. I would've liked to read more thoughts about it.
March 1, 2016
Skunk Girl was actually an eye-opening book for me. It made me realize that my problems are actually really minuscule compared to some. I really enjoyed reading it. I picked it up just because I had finished my book a few hours before my English class. But, I am really glad that I read it. It follows the life of Nina Khan, a Pakistani Muslim girl living in the United States. It shows what it's like to live a traditional Muslim life while being a teenager in America. I think it depicts what most teens and people in general don't think about Muslims. That aside from what the Americans think about them, they have their own set of problems. I would recommend this book to really anyone, honestly. All people need to know about what is shown in this book.
December 4, 2012
Not the best, really...
Read
May 26, 2011I ordered this book for my sister(a teen), as she was fascinated by the title ‘Skunk Girl’. Well, she read it and kept on saying me that this book rocks. It made me curious and I thought of reading it too. So, here I am writing the review of ‘Skunk Girl’.
Let me start with the basic idea of story.
Nina Khan is a sixteen year old Pakistani girl who was born and brought up in Deer Hook. Coming from conservative Pakistani family, she has many restrictions. No sleepovers, no parties, no talking to boys and many more… While her friends enjoy weekend and parties, Nina has to stay at home and study. And more to her frustration, she is hairy!! A long strip of black hair runs down on her back which resembles ‘Skunk’. And guess who saw it? Her crush ‘Asher Richelli’, a cute new Italian transfer student.
Does she stand any chance to impress Asher?
Will her life be more interesting, even after so many restrictions?
Nina is always compared to her elder sister, who is supernerd, and her parents wish Nina excel in exams just like her supernerd sister.
The book starts on interesting note, with Nina giving introduction about her Parents and their love for Pakistani culture. It grabs the readers interest as we keep on turning the pages. The author has done a wonderful job of keeping the readers hooked to each and every chapter by adding all sort of possible humor. I bet you can’t help yourself but to laugh as you go on reading further.
Author has used some cheesy dialogues which will make you giggle for sure.
“Nina, don’t talk to boys or you will get pregnant.” Says Nina’s mom.
“Sonia is in Harvard, but Nina will go to Yale University.” Nina’s parents keeps on saying everyone, making her life more complicated!
“Why is the watering can kept in bathroom? They don’t use toilet papers in Pakistan?”Nina’s American friend ask and she replies “It is called Lota.”
The clash between two culture – traditional Pakistani culture and Modern American culture is perfectly explained. And the protagonist Nina Khan is the sufferer of this clash.
What I liked about the book is beautiful character developments and beautiful way of telling story. Language used is simple yet catchy.
But the book don’t have a proper plot(if you are looking for any) as it is a series of events put together . Though the book is targeted to Young Adults, I loved reading it. A light read and it definitely refreshes the reader with the humor.I’ll give 3.5/5 to the book.
January 11, 2013
Nina Khan is a Pakistani-American, Muslim teenager who feels like her life is slowly being constricted (to death!) by her parents. She’s not allowed to date, she’s not allowed to go to parties, and she’s no longer allowed to sleep over at her best girlfriends’ houses, because none of these things are done by “good” Muslim girls. If that weren’t bad enough, Nina lives in Deer Hook – a tiny town – and she and her family are practically providing all of its ethnic diversity. When Asher moves to Deer Hook (he’s honest-to-goodness Italian from Italy!), Nina falls for his good looks and his great personality, but she knows that under her parents’ restrictions, they can never go out together. This is totally fine while he remains in fantasy territory, but when Asher actually reciprocates and tries to kiss her, Nina freaks out. What should she do? What CAN she do?
Nina’s story raises a lot of questions about relationships, religion, and the personal choices we make. Are Nina’s parents way too strict? Will Nina eventually rebel? Should she date Asher regardless of the turmoil it will cause? Readers, you will not get to find out, because Sheba Karim leaves us in the lurch – wondering what will happen to Nina in Pakistan, and wondering what will happen when she gets back. Realistic? Perhaps. I was still dying to know the answers to both of those questions. This felt a little slow in some places, and I was going to put it aside until I talked to a teen who absolutely loved it. Ok, I decided, I’ll press on! This will be appreciated by readers who like character-driven chick-lit.
Nina’s story raises a lot of questions about relationships, religion, and the personal choices we make. Are Nina’s parents way too strict? Will Nina eventually rebel? Should she date Asher regardless of the turmoil it will cause? Readers, you will not get to find out, because Sheba Karim leaves us in the lurch – wondering what will happen to Nina in Pakistan, and wondering what will happen when she gets back. Realistic? Perhaps. I was still dying to know the answers to both of those questions. This felt a little slow in some places, and I was going to put it aside until I talked to a teen who absolutely loved it. Ok, I decided, I’ll press on! This will be appreciated by readers who like character-driven chick-lit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2009
Nina is a Pakistani-American girl. Her parents are pretty conservative, especially about what she can do. But Nina lives in a small town, where finding a lot of sympathy and support from her friends isn't so easy. She still faces all of the average American teenager situations - a cute boy who is dating someone else, a pretty girl at school who seems to have it out for her, parties with beer, and friends who are spending more and more time with their boyfriends. Nina can't talk to her parents or her sister, so all she is left to do is struggle through things by herself. However, sometimes the fates bring unexpected support: cousins her age, her friends, her sister, and, most surprisingly of all, a cute guy.
I love that this book didn't take the easy way out of Nina's situations. Books about outsiders have been done before, but Skunk Girl avoids the obvious or easy answers and doesn't go for easy laughs (or groans). Nina is thoughtful and the other characters are full of surprises. Not everything is tied up neatly at the end of this book, however, the reader does believe that Nina will find her way through her two worlds.
I love that this book didn't take the easy way out of Nina's situations. Books about outsiders have been done before, but Skunk Girl avoids the obvious or easy answers and doesn't go for easy laughs (or groans). Nina is thoughtful and the other characters are full of surprises. Not everything is tied up neatly at the end of this book, however, the reader does believe that Nina will find her way through her two worlds.
June 23, 2016
Two stars.
The title and the summary on the back cover is very misleading. Sure, Nina Khan has a stripe of hair down her back (much like a skunk's) however, that's not even what the book is centered on. This insecurity is merely mentioned in passing once or twice or thrice. I feel like the book should have a different title.
Moreover, nothing much was happening in the story. There was barely any plot development, miniscule character development, and a very unsatisfactory and flat ending. It's just about an insecure high school girl with strict parents and a massive crush on the hot Italian transfer student. There wasn't anything in the story that made me feel excited or invested enough. To be honest, it's a forgettable story. However, Nina Khan as a character isn't (as are the rest of the secondary characters), if that makes sense. I like her and I like how this book tackles and introduces a different culture. I looove the writing style and Nina's voice. The book made me chuckle a couple of times but the ending was just meh.
So yeah, I did enjoy it but the story's just kinda dull.
The title and the summary on the back cover is very misleading. Sure, Nina Khan has a stripe of hair down her back (much like a skunk's) however, that's not even what the book is centered on. This insecurity is merely mentioned in passing once or twice or thrice. I feel like the book should have a different title.
Moreover, nothing much was happening in the story. There was barely any plot development, miniscule character development, and a very unsatisfactory and flat ending. It's just about an insecure high school girl with strict parents and a massive crush on the hot Italian transfer student. There wasn't anything in the story that made me feel excited or invested enough. To be honest, it's a forgettable story. However, Nina Khan as a character isn't (as are the rest of the secondary characters), if that makes sense. I like her and I like how this book tackles and introduces a different culture. I looove the writing style and Nina's voice. The book made me chuckle a couple of times but the ending was just meh.
So yeah, I did enjoy it but the story's just kinda dull.
February 27, 2010
Bleaching her mustache and missing out on all the best parties are part of what Nina’s come to expect as a Pakistani-American teen with the strictest parents in town. At the start of her junior year in high school, she’s still living in the shadow of her genius older sister and still trying to figure out how to keep up socially in spite of her family’s fear that she’s becoming too “Um-ree-can-ized.”
Then the unexpected happens: Nina meets an attractive Italian exchange student named Asher—and Asher catches a glimpse of the dark line of hair running down the middle of her back. More humiliated than ever, Nina is certain that Asher will prefer button-nosed blond Serena over her scholarly, hirsute self.
Teens of all backgrounds will be able to relate to Nina’s struggle in reconciling her own identity with her family’s culture. While the girl-crushing-on-boy story may be familiar, the funny and touching Skunk Girl is truly a novel of a different stripe.
(Review from http://readingbee.wordpress.com)
Then the unexpected happens: Nina meets an attractive Italian exchange student named Asher—and Asher catches a glimpse of the dark line of hair running down the middle of her back. More humiliated than ever, Nina is certain that Asher will prefer button-nosed blond Serena over her scholarly, hirsute self.
Teens of all backgrounds will be able to relate to Nina’s struggle in reconciling her own identity with her family’s culture. While the girl-crushing-on-boy story may be familiar, the funny and touching Skunk Girl is truly a novel of a different stripe.
(Review from http://readingbee.wordpress.com)
March 19, 2009
several years ago i read Does My Head Look Big In This? and found it cloying and preachy, and the comments on my review got kind of out of control, but whatevs, i digress. what i'm trying to say is that "skunk girl" provides a different perspective on growing up as a teen muslim in the minority, and i personally prefer this view.
nina khan's parents came from pakistan to have their family in deer hook, new york. nina is the only muslim at her high school and is not allowed to attend parties or go on dates. but the rules on her social life don't stop her from getting a crush on asher, a jewish-italian dreamboat who also feels out of place in deer hook. nina must decide how far she's willing to stray from her parents and religion, and also what to do with her rogue body hair. overall, really funny and relatable.
nina khan's parents came from pakistan to have their family in deer hook, new york. nina is the only muslim at her high school and is not allowed to attend parties or go on dates. but the rules on her social life don't stop her from getting a crush on asher, a jewish-italian dreamboat who also feels out of place in deer hook. nina must decide how far she's willing to stray from her parents and religion, and also what to do with her rogue body hair. overall, really funny and relatable.
November 21, 2009
This was a fun read, and this is not at ALL the sort of book I like. Karim's Nina journeys along the familiar YA paths of romance and friendships and school and family. I really enjoyed the non-melodramatic nature of the book; so much of the YA I've read lately has a sinister edge that reading a book without it felt refreshing. This isn't to say that Nina's problems aren't real or that Karim doesn't build up tension, but that these things unfold in natural, plausible ways. This story offers an good look into the life of a Muslim Pakistani American and the forces that pull on her. The pace is quick, the voice easy and honest. It reminds me of an upper-classman, Urdu-version of Melissa de la Cruz's Fresh Off the Boat.
Hope this one finds an audience, as it is wholly charming
Hope this one finds an audience, as it is wholly charming
February 5, 2014
I love this book for a variety of reasons.....it's funny, it's real and it's one of the few Pakistani lead characters in YA lit. Nina is smart, but dorky (boy can I identify with that one). She is also the little sis of a certified genius, which makes school difficult (which, though I am no genius, my younger sister always complained about following me and the expectations that go with). I also love that Nina has problems with her family, but loves them. She's not fighting against her Pakistani heritage or her Muslim mores, she's just trying to fit them in with her own view of life (which is what ALL teens do regardless of upbringing or religion). She's called skunk girl, because she has (to her horror) a stripe of hair going all the way down her back. Luckily the only one who has seen this is the cute boy she likes.......which is also humiliating (who wants a guy to know how hairy you are?). Lovelovelove this book.......try it, you might too!
May 30, 2017
The cover of this book really grabbed my attention when I saw it. It was in a bargain bin so I thought "why not", even though its aimed more at young adult. It was a cute story of a young girl coming of age and dealing/struggling with her cultural differences. Not a great story and a bit predictable in the sense that girl thinks she is uncool for a variety of reasons but has crush on popular boy, boy dates enemy while girl watches their relationship unravel from afar, Boy makes a few minor passes that could be passed off as himself just being a nice guy, Boy and girl get teamed up on a school project, it gets awkward , blah, blah, blah. You get the picture !!!!! A lot of build up for a quick conclusion at the end that really leaves you thinking you missed something. However, it is geared more towards young adults so perhaps I will put it to the side for my young daughter to enjoy at one point when she is a big older.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2009
A good read-alike for "Does My Head Look Big in This?" We need more teen books about being a Muslim in America; in this case being the daughter of Pakistani immigrants. Should resonate with girls going through similar experiences: conflict between the desire to please strict, protective parents who want her to go to an Ivy League school and the desire to pursue her own interests in hanging out with friends and kissing the half-Italian, half-Jewish boy she has a crush on. Also the search for the perfect hair removal method.
That said, I'm an outsider looking at these experiences...and I never felt drawn in. Nina's parents have brought her to this place and said, "Look at all these fun things you can never do or even want to do," and she kind of says, "OK." I wanted some drama, tension, resolution, etc., and got a slice of life.
That said, I'm an outsider looking at these experiences...and I never felt drawn in. Nina's parents have brought her to this place and said, "Look at all these fun things you can never do or even want to do," and she kind of says, "OK." I wanted some drama, tension, resolution, etc., and got a slice of life.
May 19, 2010
Liked it!
Good protagonist, realistic story, not too funny or dramatic, quick to read. The strict parents remain likeable and readers see the good things about their stable and loving home, while still sympathizing with the daughter's frustrations about fitting in or experiencing "normal" teen life.
The book is set in the early 1990s. If readers don't notice the date references, they'll wonder why Nina isn't texting, emailing, or using an iPod. Are they yet more things her strict parents have banned? No--they would merely be anachronisms. Makes me wonder if the book belongs in "historical fiction" because some aspects of teen life have changed so fast. But lots of things about teen life are just the same. Nina obsesses about her crush by watching him after class--isn't that just like stalking him online?
Good protagonist, realistic story, not too funny or dramatic, quick to read. The strict parents remain likeable and readers see the good things about their stable and loving home, while still sympathizing with the daughter's frustrations about fitting in or experiencing "normal" teen life.
The book is set in the early 1990s. If readers don't notice the date references, they'll wonder why Nina isn't texting, emailing, or using an iPod. Are they yet more things her strict parents have banned? No--they would merely be anachronisms. Makes me wonder if the book belongs in "historical fiction" because some aspects of teen life have changed so fast. But lots of things about teen life are just the same. Nina obsesses about her crush by watching him after class--isn't that just like stalking him online?
December 27, 2008
An interesting take on teen angst from a Muslim perspective, with an engaging narrator and a sympathetic portrayal of her strict but loving family. Unlike most mainstream American young adult novels, the narrator struggles to reconcile her own personal desires with the demands of her culture, and finds that sacrifice has its own rewards. This book would probably make a valuable addition to high school libraries, with its likable characters and balanced depiction of Islamic values. As a general read, however, it falters in some key spots. The narrator's sudden and radical burst of self-acceptance, the turning point of the plot, seems to come out of nowhere, and feels false. The ending, too, is a little pat. Overall, good but not great; will probably spark good discussion for students.
March 9, 2010
This short book packs in a lot of discussions of disequilibrium as the daughter of immigrant parents' struggles to negotiate both her teenage American identity and the traditional values of her Pakistani-Muslim family. The quick narrative just gives glimpses of the culture battles with a strong central theme of self-acceptance. None of this story is necessarily new and I wish the discussions about race and assimilation were more developed, but the main character's pessimism lends a genuine teenage voice. I like that the book fights the expectation of an American happy ending while still ending the story so that the character is happy.
I would love to read a sequel about the main character's first trip to Pakistan as she explores her parents' culture.
I would love to read a sequel about the main character's first trip to Pakistan as she explores her parents' culture.
December 3, 2012
Will recommend it for 15+
I thought Sheba explored the identity bit from a different POV. I am so used to the Jumpha Lahiri style of ABCD, you are a misfit and will always be style, after a point it gets boring.
What I liked abt Skunk Girl is that it was optimistic, it is not just the second generation factor that makes some children feel like misfits, but it is often wanting more responsibility to just come knocking without the initiative that goes with it.
I feel that to some extent children in India also need the same lesson - Not doing things because they want to fit in, but to internalize the meaning and do it without losing sight of one's priorities.
I liked the fact that the teenagers are portrayed as teenagers, no extreme back stabbing.
I thought Sheba explored the identity bit from a different POV. I am so used to the Jumpha Lahiri style of ABCD, you are a misfit and will always be style, after a point it gets boring.
What I liked abt Skunk Girl is that it was optimistic, it is not just the second generation factor that makes some children feel like misfits, but it is often wanting more responsibility to just come knocking without the initiative that goes with it.
I feel that to some extent children in India also need the same lesson - Not doing things because they want to fit in, but to internalize the meaning and do it without losing sight of one's priorities.
I liked the fact that the teenagers are portrayed as teenagers, no extreme back stabbing.
January 24, 2013
A fun read about a girl with regular teen girl problems (likes the new boy, unsure of herself, living in the shadow of her brilliant older sister, etc.) compounded by the fact that she is a Pakistani Muslim girl. Her parents won't let her date, go to parties, or sleep over at friend's houses. While navigating teen romance from the outside, she begins to discover more about herself and ultimately becomes more accepting of her "differences". It's refreshing to read a book about a girl who accepts the limitations placed upon her by her parents instead of just whining about them incessantly. Although nothing in the book is particularly earth-shattering, it's a pleasant read about a very likable girl.
April 7, 2009
This is one of those titles that CML was really good at purchasing, in part because they are targeted at immigrant and particularly Muslim teens, a segment of the population that is well represented in that area. I liked this book because I felt that the struggles the protagonist faced against the expectations of her family translated well beyond her particular nationality. This is sort of my big fat Greek wedding for teens, and has that sort of wider appeal. One doesn't need to be Pakistani to understand that the qualities that our families rank us on are not always the ones that we see as the most important. Plus it is a light-hearted book, which saves it from angsty-teen title doom.
September 9, 2009
Nina Kahn and her wry, self-deprecating voice are the stars in this Biryani-flavored "Sixteen Candles-esque" young adult novel. I enjoyed Nina's insights and her observations, the interplay between herself and her Muslim Paskistani parents, as well as the scenes with her sister, Sonia, and her school friends. While Nina pines for her Italian classmate, Asher, she comes to terms with getting comfortable in her own skin (skunk stripe and all), and making smart (and not-so-smart) decisions in her life. All in all, she learns to grow into her own, and accept herself and her background. A funny and smart book, and a promising debut for Karim.
June 13, 2011
Nina is the only Muslim in her small upstate New York high school. She is smart and has some good girlfriends, but is struggling under the academic shadow of her older sister (now at Yale) and has a crush on the part Italian-part Jewish Asher, even though she is aware of her parent's ban on dating. Despite the cultural differences, Nina is identifiable, funny and regular. Her story is sweet, but also somewhat forgettable. Nina's friends have sex, and there is a drinking episode at a party (lessons are at least learned at the party). Despite this, Skunk Girl would be an easy multi-cultural/coming of age story to recommend to most.
December 12, 2012
This book was about a Pakistani Muslim girl named Nina who lived in America. Her parents were extremely strict with her and wanted her to be the smartest girl in the school, like her older sister was. Her parents don't allow her to go to parties, talk to boys, or have sleepovers with her best friends. She finds her life very hard and feels like she isn't actually living life. I throughly enjoyed this book, it was one of my favorites because everything was described and I felt as I was living with Nina through out the whole book. However, the end was really rushed and I didn't really understand it. I wanted the book to be longer and not as rushed.
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