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Dunya!: The do or die
In 1971, Khalid Muhammad spoke out against the violence and drugs that plagued the Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn community. Tragically he lost his life as a result, soon after, a bitter, violent vortex encircles the lives of his family. Despite his wife Waseema’s struggles against all odds to hold the family down, it wasn’t enough. Their oldest son, Mustapha, resorts to selling drugs; their son Rasheed gets caught up robbing drug dealers and their daughter Shaheeda, falls prey to the crack-cocaine and prostitution that ravages the once proud and thriving Bushwick-Hylan Projects.
To make matters worse, Rasheed and his crew rob a larger than life stash of cash and drugs from one of Brooklyn's top dope pushers. In the complex web of events that take place next, Rasheed unwittingly stumbles on a break involving his father's death. The web is further tangled by the betrayal of his lover, and best friend hindering his quest to avenge the persons responsible. Meanwhile his crew, and family unite attempting to break the clutches of a psychotic drug king-pen named Carlos.
In the all too thrilling, Houdini-like finish, his father's past threatens to hold onto secrets that may one day set Rasheed free from his demons. But all is not lost when Khalid's last words are revealed; an Arabic translation for the melodramatic lunacy of Rasheed's crazed world-the only clue...Dunya!
To make matters worse, Rasheed and his crew rob a larger than life stash of cash and drugs from one of Brooklyn's top dope pushers. In the complex web of events that take place next, Rasheed unwittingly stumbles on a break involving his father's death. The web is further tangled by the betrayal of his lover, and best friend hindering his quest to avenge the persons responsible. Meanwhile his crew, and family unite attempting to break the clutches of a psychotic drug king-pen named Carlos.
In the all too thrilling, Houdini-like finish, his father's past threatens to hold onto secrets that may one day set Rasheed free from his demons. But all is not lost when Khalid's last words are revealed; an Arabic translation for the melodramatic lunacy of Rasheed's crazed world-the only clue...Dunya!
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2019
7 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 23, 2020
This book is written professionally (don’t think scholarly! Think it is void of grammar and spelling issues). The plot line is solid. The character development was decent. This book portrayed how jealousy can ruin friendship groups and how things from the past can definitely have something to do with things in your present or future. How will one handle that jealousy? How will one deal with the revelation of their past, present, and future being connected? One might answer: dunya! to do or die lol
December 22, 2019
Do or Die
In order to really understand this book there is 2 things you need to know and understand. The 1st thing you need to do is look up the meaning of dunya. The 2nd thing is that this book is based off of the time period when the crack epidemic really started taking off. When the crack epidemic took off it was one of the craziest and wildest times. Although this is a work of fiction for some people this was a reality. This book grabs and holds your attention from beginning to end. It is filled with murder, deceit, jealousy and secrets. The storyline fits the title. You will understand if you looked it up. If you love street lit books then you will want to read this one.
In order to really understand this book there is 2 things you need to know and understand. The 1st thing you need to do is look up the meaning of dunya. The 2nd thing is that this book is based off of the time period when the crack epidemic really started taking off. When the crack epidemic took off it was one of the craziest and wildest times. Although this is a work of fiction for some people this was a reality. This book grabs and holds your attention from beginning to end. It is filled with murder, deceit, jealousy and secrets. The storyline fits the title. You will understand if you looked it up. If you love street lit books then you will want to read this one.
February 24, 2020
Good Read
This is my first read by this author, but not my last. Held my attention from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. It was full of drama, action, lies, deceit, murder and betrayal, then throw in all the secrets with twist and turns made it an interesting and entertaining read. Enjoyed the storyline and these characters. It flowed really well at a fast, but steady pace. Haven't read a street lit book in awhile, this was definitely worth it. Looking forward to reading the next installment. Highly recommend this book. Great job Dean Hamid.
This is my first read by this author, but not my last. Held my attention from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. It was full of drama, action, lies, deceit, murder and betrayal, then throw in all the secrets with twist and turns made it an interesting and entertaining read. Enjoyed the storyline and these characters. It flowed really well at a fast, but steady pace. Haven't read a street lit book in awhile, this was definitely worth it. Looking forward to reading the next installment. Highly recommend this book. Great job Dean Hamid.
December 8, 2019
Very good
..."I immediately loved how fast paced it was. I liked the rawness and it’s actually one of the few street lit books that I read in a long time that made me feel like I can see each scene play out!"
..."I immediately loved how fast paced it was. I liked the rawness and it’s actually one of the few street lit books that I read in a long time that made me feel like I can see each scene play out!"
November 24, 2023
A huge thanks to Dean Hamid for providing me with the opportunity to read and review ᴅᴜɴʏᴀ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴏʀ ᴅɪᴇ. This is the very first street lit book that I’ve read and I just couldn’t put it down. The title portrays exactly what’s inside the book; Dunya is an Urdu word that means ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. This world is a pretty messed up place. The story revolves around a Muslim family; they lost their father at a young age, who was killed by the bad guys because he refused to support violence and drugs. The character development is outstanding; the plot is solid and the storyline is phenomenal and it perfectly fits the title. The author has done an amazing job at highlighting the bitter reality that this world is nothing but a mere trap and how easily humans fall for it. They join the race of greed and become heartless and selfish to fulfill their worldly desires. Due to this worldly lust, many innocent people fall prey. This Dunya is temporary and empty. The story is impelling; it mainly shows the clutters of crime and how it affects everyone around. The author calls attention to another important aspect that is jealousy; how jealousy ruins strong friendships. This book will keep you hooked from the start to the end. It’s filled with thrill, crime, secrets and amusement. So glad I read this book. The author has done a great job.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews