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The Good Daughter
Shortlisted for the 2009 Melbourne Prize, Best Writing Award.
Fifteen-year-old Sabiha has a lot to deal with: her mother's mental health issues, her interfering aunt, her mother's new boyfriend, her live-in grandfather and his chess buddy, not to mention her arrogant cousin Adnan. They all want to marry her off, have her become a strict Muslim and speak Bosnian.
And Sabiha's friends are not always friendly. She gets bullied by girlfriends and is anxious about boyfriends, when she just wants to fit in. But two boys, Brian and Jesse, become the allies of this fierce and funny girl.
The Good Daughter is a coming-of-age novel written with sensitivity and humour. It confronts head-on the problems of cultural identity in the day-to-day lives of teenagers. Amra Pajalic has a wonderful ear for idiomatic dialogue and the dramatic moment.
'...a near-perfect rendering of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood who's fighting to be allowed to grow up...the clashing of the old traditional community and its young people is universal.' Canberra Times
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
19 people are currently reading
997 people want to read
About the author
Amra Pajalic
26 books81 followersAmra Pajalić is an award-winning author, educator, and PhD researcher of Bosnian heritage whose work explores how fiction represents the Bosnian genocide.
Amra Pajalić won the 2009 Melbourne Prize for Literature's Civic Choice Award for her debut novel The Good Daughter, now re-released as Sabiha's Dilemma (Pishukin Press, 2022). The anthology she co-edited, Growing up Muslim in Australia (Allen and Unwin, 2014), was shortlisted for the 2015 Children's Book Council of the year awards and her memoir Things Nobody Knows But Me (Transit Lounge, 2019) was shortlisted for the 2020 National Biography Award. Her short story collection The Cuckoo's Song (Pishukin Press, 2022) features previously published and prize-winning stories.
She is the author of the Sassy Saints series, Sabiha's Dilemma, Alma's Loyalty, and Jesse's Triumph, and the forthcoming Seka Torlak historical-mystery series, beginning with the prequel The Tree That Stood Still and the first book in the series Time Kneels Between Mountains. Her companion essay collection Fragments of History: The Essays Behind the Story, examine the legacy of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
She works as a high school teacher and is completing a PhD in Creative Writing at La Trobe University exploring representations of the Bosnian genocide in fiction. Her work blends storytelling with historical analysis to confront dehumanisation and preserve cultural memory. Her website is www.amrapajalic.com.
Amra Pajalic also writes romance under pen name Mae Archer
https://www.goodreads.com/mae_archer
Be sure to follow Amra on BookBub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-...
Amra Pajalić won the 2009 Melbourne Prize for Literature's Civic Choice Award for her debut novel The Good Daughter, now re-released as Sabiha's Dilemma (Pishukin Press, 2022). The anthology she co-edited, Growing up Muslim in Australia (Allen and Unwin, 2014), was shortlisted for the 2015 Children's Book Council of the year awards and her memoir Things Nobody Knows But Me (Transit Lounge, 2019) was shortlisted for the 2020 National Biography Award. Her short story collection The Cuckoo's Song (Pishukin Press, 2022) features previously published and prize-winning stories.
She is the author of the Sassy Saints series, Sabiha's Dilemma, Alma's Loyalty, and Jesse's Triumph, and the forthcoming Seka Torlak historical-mystery series, beginning with the prequel The Tree That Stood Still and the first book in the series Time Kneels Between Mountains. Her companion essay collection Fragments of History: The Essays Behind the Story, examine the legacy of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
She works as a high school teacher and is completing a PhD in Creative Writing at La Trobe University exploring representations of the Bosnian genocide in fiction. Her work blends storytelling with historical analysis to confront dehumanisation and preserve cultural memory. Her website is www.amrapajalic.com.
Amra Pajalic also writes romance under pen name Mae Archer
https://www.goodreads.com/mae_archer
Be sure to follow Amra on BookBub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 15, 2021
A wonderful novel! I have finished reading this book today and forgot about everything around me when I was reading "The Good Daughter" and was transported from my kitchen straight to St Albans, Melbourne, Australia, to live with Sabiha and her Bosnian Muslim family. Or vice versa. Amra Pajalic writes about things, people and places she knows so well about. The protagonists feel real. Amra's writing is sensitive and funny. She is very talented in writing dialogues. And I am a fan of a good dialogue.
April 14, 2011
Mate, Amra Pajalic's Aussie YA novel was such a good read.
I am always hesitant to compare novels but in this case I think a comparison is helpful to give you a good feel for the vibe and quality of the novel. When I think about The Good Daughter it is easy to compare it to Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi and Randa Abdel-Fattah's Ten Things I Hate About Me
It's not just because these novels also feature a non-Caucasian protagonist or a lively multi-cultural cast ~ it is the similarities in how Pajalic manages to thrust you completely into to characters lives and community with such ease and effortless humour.
I found it a bit ironic that the novel is titled 'The Good Daughter' as Sabiha struggles in her role of being a good daughter. She is sassy and often lets her mouth run ahead of her. She's flouncy and feisty and angsty and a perfect lead character ~ flawed and ache-y and confused and fiery all with a generous heart and a conflicted soul. She is a lot of fun. She had me grinning and also cringing ~ she's a whole array of emotions and Pajalic nails writing for teens ~ it was not condescending in any way, it felt like a real teen voice tearing through the pages.
Plot wise I was SOLD. I am always always fond of books that do not feature a OMG inciting incident to create conflict. Instead the conflict is largely internal and driven by the actions of all the people in Sabiha's life. It's about school and family and crushes and being torn between her Bosnian community and wanting to be like every other average Aussie. It's about identity and belonging and growing up.
Some stuff:
Sabiha's mum had bipolar and I LOVED how it was represented in this book. She did an honest and amazing job (speaking from someone who has close personal experience with bipolar). It was not glamourised or used as a plot device to create dramatic conflict.
Sabiha's cousin Adnan. How funny is he? I really loved the guy. OH ~ and he gets on 'The Price is Right' with Larry Emdur. OMG, I was killing myself laughing.
I loved just how Australian this novel was. It is so easy to relate and settle into a book when the cultural references are about our TV shows and our celebs and our current events, etc. This is a novel that will resonate with Aussie teens.
I loved all the little details and funny dialogue. Stuff like Sabiha making a joke about Jesse having copies of the Twilight saga hidden under his bed :D
It is set in Melbourne. What is it with all these awesome Aussie characters roaming around the streets of Melbourne?
Recommended: The thing about this novel is it is just brimming with vitality. It's poignant and truly grin-worthy funny and absolutely heart-felt. Good good stuff.
I am always hesitant to compare novels but in this case I think a comparison is helpful to give you a good feel for the vibe and quality of the novel. When I think about The Good Daughter it is easy to compare it to Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi and Randa Abdel-Fattah's Ten Things I Hate About Me
It's not just because these novels also feature a non-Caucasian protagonist or a lively multi-cultural cast ~ it is the similarities in how Pajalic manages to thrust you completely into to characters lives and community with such ease and effortless humour.
I found it a bit ironic that the novel is titled 'The Good Daughter' as Sabiha struggles in her role of being a good daughter. She is sassy and often lets her mouth run ahead of her. She's flouncy and feisty and angsty and a perfect lead character ~ flawed and ache-y and confused and fiery all with a generous heart and a conflicted soul. She is a lot of fun. She had me grinning and also cringing ~ she's a whole array of emotions and Pajalic nails writing for teens ~ it was not condescending in any way, it felt like a real teen voice tearing through the pages.
Plot wise I was SOLD. I am always always fond of books that do not feature a OMG inciting incident to create conflict. Instead the conflict is largely internal and driven by the actions of all the people in Sabiha's life. It's about school and family and crushes and being torn between her Bosnian community and wanting to be like every other average Aussie. It's about identity and belonging and growing up.
Some stuff:
Sabiha's mum had bipolar and I LOVED how it was represented in this book. She did an honest and amazing job (speaking from someone who has close personal experience with bipolar). It was not glamourised or used as a plot device to create dramatic conflict.
Sabiha's cousin Adnan. How funny is he? I really loved the guy. OH ~ and he gets on 'The Price is Right' with Larry Emdur. OMG, I was killing myself laughing.
I loved just how Australian this novel was. It is so easy to relate and settle into a book when the cultural references are about our TV shows and our celebs and our current events, etc. This is a novel that will resonate with Aussie teens.
I loved all the little details and funny dialogue. Stuff like Sabiha making a joke about Jesse having copies of the Twilight saga hidden under his bed :D
It is set in Melbourne. What is it with all these awesome Aussie characters roaming around the streets of Melbourne?
Recommended: The thing about this novel is it is just brimming with vitality. It's poignant and truly grin-worthy funny and absolutely heart-felt. Good good stuff.
November 24, 2022
I loved this audiobook, narrated by Nina Nikolic.
Nikolic has a wonderful voice, perfectly suited to audiobooks, and particularly this one. I admit to loving the Australian accent anyway, but she is so good with the Bosnian pronunciations, I had to Google her to see if she had lived there.
The plot moves along smoothly, it is ideal for a teen or YA audience as Sabiha tries to find her way in Australian society and takes the reader along for the journey. I looked forward to every listen until I finished it.
I would have liked more 'gasp' ot twist moments, but that's just my preference. I would happily listen to more Pajalic books, and especially if narrated by Nikolic.
Nikolic has a wonderful voice, perfectly suited to audiobooks, and particularly this one. I admit to loving the Australian accent anyway, but she is so good with the Bosnian pronunciations, I had to Google her to see if she had lived there.
The plot moves along smoothly, it is ideal for a teen or YA audience as Sabiha tries to find her way in Australian society and takes the reader along for the journey. I looked forward to every listen until I finished it.
I would have liked more 'gasp' ot twist moments, but that's just my preference. I would happily listen to more Pajalic books, and especially if narrated by Nikolic.
February 20, 2014
The Good Daughter isn’t a one story novel. Fifteen-year-old Sabiha is growing up in Melbourne as a contemporary Australian teenager and as a Bosnian Muslim daughter.
The novel could be about that immigrant story and nothing else. That narrative arc would be sufficient for a well written, coming of age, young adult novel, which this book is. But I’m a greedy reader so I loved the fact that The Good Daughter took me somewhere else, led me into other darker places, without losing its core focus on identity, loyalty, difference and conformity.
Amra Pajalic renders a life that feels genuine. It’s clear that she understands that young adults and adults alike don’t want to read stereotyped characters or find themselves in stories where family exists to provide issues to prop up a narrative. In The Good Daughter, Pajalic draws real people in real cultures in a delightfully familiar setting for those of us who hail from Melbourne.
The novel could be about that immigrant story and nothing else. That narrative arc would be sufficient for a well written, coming of age, young adult novel, which this book is. But I’m a greedy reader so I loved the fact that The Good Daughter took me somewhere else, led me into other darker places, without losing its core focus on identity, loyalty, difference and conformity.
Amra Pajalic renders a life that feels genuine. It’s clear that she understands that young adults and adults alike don’t want to read stereotyped characters or find themselves in stories where family exists to provide issues to prop up a narrative. In The Good Daughter, Pajalic draws real people in real cultures in a delightfully familiar setting for those of us who hail from Melbourne.
May 13, 2011
Raw, gritty, realistic multi-cultural YA set in my home city Melbourne.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
Well-written.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
Well-written.
October 12, 2022
What a brilliant story!
This book follows Sabiha struggling to find her own identity and covers so many topics that face modern teenagers of today.
Sabiha and her Mum moved to Australia (from Bosnia) and now live in a Bosnian community there. After her Grandfather joined them, Sabiha's Mum tries to fit back into the community by being the dutiful, Muslim daughter and expects Sabiha to tow the line too.
Already acting as a carer for her mum - who has medicated bipolar - she now has to learn to love, respect and care for her Grandfather too. All whilst growing up and dealing with friendships and relationships at school.
I have to admit to not loving Sabiha at the start of the book. She came across as rude and disrespectful, spoilt and unfriendly. But the more we learned, I grew to really feel for her.
Having struggled with her mum's condition, trying to 'fit in' in 2 communities where she felt that she just didn't belong and struggling with the usual teenage hormones - things were obviously hard for her.
I loved the way the story developed. The ending of old friendships and the beginnings of the new as well as exploring first crushes and unrequited love. Being part of the gossip and keeping secrets and trying so hard to please everyone around her. It really did bring back memories of just how hard it is to be a teenager - but with the added pressure of extra expectations brought about by learning a new culture too.
A great read which will have you feeling so many emotions throughout. Would be great to see what's next for Sabiha too...
This book follows Sabiha struggling to find her own identity and covers so many topics that face modern teenagers of today.
Sabiha and her Mum moved to Australia (from Bosnia) and now live in a Bosnian community there. After her Grandfather joined them, Sabiha's Mum tries to fit back into the community by being the dutiful, Muslim daughter and expects Sabiha to tow the line too.
Already acting as a carer for her mum - who has medicated bipolar - she now has to learn to love, respect and care for her Grandfather too. All whilst growing up and dealing with friendships and relationships at school.
I have to admit to not loving Sabiha at the start of the book. She came across as rude and disrespectful, spoilt and unfriendly. But the more we learned, I grew to really feel for her.
Having struggled with her mum's condition, trying to 'fit in' in 2 communities where she felt that she just didn't belong and struggling with the usual teenage hormones - things were obviously hard for her.
I loved the way the story developed. The ending of old friendships and the beginnings of the new as well as exploring first crushes and unrequited love. Being part of the gossip and keeping secrets and trying so hard to please everyone around her. It really did bring back memories of just how hard it is to be a teenager - but with the added pressure of extra expectations brought about by learning a new culture too.
A great read which will have you feeling so many emotions throughout. Would be great to see what's next for Sabiha too...
October 15, 2022
I found this book to be a super engaging read.
The novel is by an Australian author and set in St Albans in Melbourne's west.
It was personally relatable to me and presented issues that were familiar in my own high school experience.
Sabiha, the main protagonist, deals with identity, sexuality, fitting in with her family and finding the right friends. She is conflicted with her Australian and Bosnian culture. The novel deals with gender roles, religion, culture, mental illness and growing up.
This book is a bit of a whirl wind and felt like everything was happening at the end. However I think this is symbolic of the adolescent experience.
I would recommend it as an engaging and thought provoking piece of Young Adult Literature.
The novel is by an Australian author and set in St Albans in Melbourne's west.
It was personally relatable to me and presented issues that were familiar in my own high school experience.
Sabiha, the main protagonist, deals with identity, sexuality, fitting in with her family and finding the right friends. She is conflicted with her Australian and Bosnian culture. The novel deals with gender roles, religion, culture, mental illness and growing up.
This book is a bit of a whirl wind and felt like everything was happening at the end. However I think this is symbolic of the adolescent experience.
I would recommend it as an engaging and thought provoking piece of Young Adult Literature.
June 26, 2011
I was lucky enough to hear Amra speak at the Melbourne Wrtiers Festival in August 2010 and though I hadn't read her novel before attending her session, I made sure I raced out and bought it afterwards and am so glad I did as The Good Daughter afterwards as it's a really sharp and insightful read.
What interested me most about The Good Daughter was the way Amra Pajalic explores Sammie’s struggle between the traditional Bosnian-Muslim beliefs of her family whilst navigating adolescence in contemporary Australia. I really went into reading this knowing absolutely nothing about Bosnian/Bosnian-Australian culture and very little about the Muslim faith either, so it was a real eye-opener for me (coming from a Catholic and completely English-Australian background) and I was fascinated by the way Amra used history and culture throughout the story.
The other part of The Good Daughter which really spoke to me was Sammie’s relationship with her bi-polar mother. I haven’t come across a lot of young adult novels which have a teenager trying to deal with a parent’s mental illness (at least in my own reading experiences), so I found this quite a revealing read. Also, as Amra mentioned at MWF, her own mother suffers from bi-polar disorder, so she really brings a first-hand knowledge and honesty to Sammie’s experience, which I felt was clear throughout the novel. I also enjoyed the way Amra explored the concept of ‘the good daughter’ and this clash between home/public life (and how others perceive you) and changing cultural values.
Sammie herself is a fantastic protagonist – she’s gutsy, smart and full of determination. I love that she isn’t afraid to say what she thinks (even if it earns the disapproval of those around her) and isn’t a passive, meek girl who lets things pass by. Sammie has quite a distinctive voice, which stands strong throughout the novel and despite the culturally-centric themes of the story, Sammie is such an identifiable character and easily endears herself to the reader. I also really enjoyed reading about the friendship of Sammie, Brian and Jesse, especially the way their friendship largely stemmed from a love of books and reading.
Amra’s writing isn’t ‘pretty’ – flowery, flourishy writing wouldn’t work for Sammie. It’s simple and honest and easy to really get involved in. Amra does a fantastic job at capturing realistic teen dialogue (something I always look for in YA) and she doesn’t shy away from being painfully honest and at times, quite confronting.
My only issue (if I had to name one) would be that everything in The Good Daughter builds up to pivotal events towards the end of the novel, and then it finished quite suddenly – I really loved these characters and could easily read another hundred or so pages. On the plus side, Amra is currently working on a sequel for The Good Daughter, so there’s surely more to come for Sammie, Jesse and the rest of these well-developed characters. Overall, The Good Daughter is an emotional, honest and quite funny coming of age story and I’m really looking forward to (hopefully) reading more from Amra Pajalic in the not-so-distant future.
This review was originally posted here on my blog: http://my-girlfriday.blogspot.com/201...
What interested me most about The Good Daughter was the way Amra Pajalic explores Sammie’s struggle between the traditional Bosnian-Muslim beliefs of her family whilst navigating adolescence in contemporary Australia. I really went into reading this knowing absolutely nothing about Bosnian/Bosnian-Australian culture and very little about the Muslim faith either, so it was a real eye-opener for me (coming from a Catholic and completely English-Australian background) and I was fascinated by the way Amra used history and culture throughout the story.
The other part of The Good Daughter which really spoke to me was Sammie’s relationship with her bi-polar mother. I haven’t come across a lot of young adult novels which have a teenager trying to deal with a parent’s mental illness (at least in my own reading experiences), so I found this quite a revealing read. Also, as Amra mentioned at MWF, her own mother suffers from bi-polar disorder, so she really brings a first-hand knowledge and honesty to Sammie’s experience, which I felt was clear throughout the novel. I also enjoyed the way Amra explored the concept of ‘the good daughter’ and this clash between home/public life (and how others perceive you) and changing cultural values.
Sammie herself is a fantastic protagonist – she’s gutsy, smart and full of determination. I love that she isn’t afraid to say what she thinks (even if it earns the disapproval of those around her) and isn’t a passive, meek girl who lets things pass by. Sammie has quite a distinctive voice, which stands strong throughout the novel and despite the culturally-centric themes of the story, Sammie is such an identifiable character and easily endears herself to the reader. I also really enjoyed reading about the friendship of Sammie, Brian and Jesse, especially the way their friendship largely stemmed from a love of books and reading.
Amra’s writing isn’t ‘pretty’ – flowery, flourishy writing wouldn’t work for Sammie. It’s simple and honest and easy to really get involved in. Amra does a fantastic job at capturing realistic teen dialogue (something I always look for in YA) and she doesn’t shy away from being painfully honest and at times, quite confronting.
My only issue (if I had to name one) would be that everything in The Good Daughter builds up to pivotal events towards the end of the novel, and then it finished quite suddenly – I really loved these characters and could easily read another hundred or so pages. On the plus side, Amra is currently working on a sequel for The Good Daughter, so there’s surely more to come for Sammie, Jesse and the rest of these well-developed characters. Overall, The Good Daughter is an emotional, honest and quite funny coming of age story and I’m really looking forward to (hopefully) reading more from Amra Pajalic in the not-so-distant future.
This review was originally posted here on my blog: http://my-girlfriday.blogspot.com/201...
August 2, 2011
I finished this book in two days. It is a simple story of a Bosnian refugee family in Melbourne. The main character is a young girl torn between two cultures and struggling with her identity. Maybe there have been more complex books published recently in Australia, such as ' The Slap',or 'Seven types of ambiguity' which touch the issues of the multiculturalism, youth belonging and separation. 'The good daughter,' is a very honest book. The author does not try to sugar-coat the way people feel and think about their roots,communities and religion. It is hard for young generation, many teenagers don't know who they are and have to create a double life, to lie and deceive their families. The world is changing and the old and new ways of life are competing furiously for the hearts and souls of its young.
December 30, 2022
3 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a touching coming of age story about Sabiha, a 16 year old girl living in Australia with her mom. They moved to Australia from Bosnia and lived a typical life there until her grandfather joined them from Bosnia. After that, Sabiha's mother decides to become a dutiful Muslim daughter and fit back into the Bosnian community and wants Sabiha to do the same. Sabiha doesn't want to do that, and can't understand why things can't stay the same. At the beginning of the book Sabiha is a typical spoiled, rude, self-absorbed teenager and isn't very likeable. She is struggling with the changing friendship with the best friend from her former school, fitting into a new school, her first crush, trying to care for her mother, and deal with her interfering family.
This book deals with serious subjects such as religion, culture, mental illness, growing up and finding your place in the world. It is well-written and the story flowed smoothly. I liked learning more about the Bosnian culture and traditions, as well as the Muslim religion. The information was integrated seamlessly into the story without sounding like a lecture or an educational pamphlet. I could relate to Sabiha's teenage struggles and think this would be a good book for teens and young adults to read. I listened to this book and the narrator did a fantastic job.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Love Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a touching coming of age story about Sabiha, a 16 year old girl living in Australia with her mom. They moved to Australia from Bosnia and lived a typical life there until her grandfather joined them from Bosnia. After that, Sabiha's mother decides to become a dutiful Muslim daughter and fit back into the Bosnian community and wants Sabiha to do the same. Sabiha doesn't want to do that, and can't understand why things can't stay the same. At the beginning of the book Sabiha is a typical spoiled, rude, self-absorbed teenager and isn't very likeable. She is struggling with the changing friendship with the best friend from her former school, fitting into a new school, her first crush, trying to care for her mother, and deal with her interfering family.
This book deals with serious subjects such as religion, culture, mental illness, growing up and finding your place in the world. It is well-written and the story flowed smoothly. I liked learning more about the Bosnian culture and traditions, as well as the Muslim religion. The information was integrated seamlessly into the story without sounding like a lecture or an educational pamphlet. I could relate to Sabiha's teenage struggles and think this would be a good book for teens and young adults to read. I listened to this book and the narrator did a fantastic job.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Love Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
November 15, 2022
This was an entertaining coming-of-age novel that followed Bosnian Australian Muslim teen, Sabiha, and her host of friends and family living in Australia after the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. When her mum decides to reconnect with the Bosnian community after some years of estrangement, Sabiha finds she has to navigate her identity as an Australian and balance it with competing identities of being Muslim and Bosnian. She finds there's a lot to learn about her culture and the traumatic history of her family and people. At the same time, she has the usual teenager concerns with negotiating friendships which come and go, potential romantic interests, school, bullying, and assignments. And on top of everything she needs to manage her relationship with her mother who suffers from bipolar disorder.
I thoroughly enjoyed Sabiha's irreverent voice. She has to juggle a multitude of heavy topics yet her sassiness and sense of humour always shines through. The author has done an amazing job at capturing the teenage spirit, all the highs and lows and confusion around being a teenager in a complex world. She especially captures the voice of the child of migrants who have the additional stress of discovering who they are when they are faced with so many different identities vying for attention.
I thoroughly enjoyed Sabiha's irreverent voice. She has to juggle a multitude of heavy topics yet her sassiness and sense of humour always shines through. The author has done an amazing job at capturing the teenage spirit, all the highs and lows and confusion around being a teenager in a complex world. She especially captures the voice of the child of migrants who have the additional stress of discovering who they are when they are faced with so many different identities vying for attention.
November 22, 2022
I received an advance review #giftedgopy and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, Partner @amrapajalicauthor and @lovebookstours.
Sabiha's Dilemma is the first in the Sassy Saints series. In this book, we join Sabiha and her mother who have recently relocated to a Bosian Community in Australia. Sabiha's mother is bipolar and she's been her caregiver for years. Now, she must also learn to care for her grandfather all while doing all she can to ensure her mom is accepted in their new community.
Like many, I wasn't super impressed with Sabiha at first. She was self absorbed and unkind. However, this character grew on me as she came of age. Her character growth was brilliant and by the end I wanted to know more.
The book is well written, flows nicely and I look forward to reading the next installment.
Sabiha's Dilemma is the first in the Sassy Saints series. In this book, we join Sabiha and her mother who have recently relocated to a Bosian Community in Australia. Sabiha's mother is bipolar and she's been her caregiver for years. Now, she must also learn to care for her grandfather all while doing all she can to ensure her mom is accepted in their new community.
Like many, I wasn't super impressed with Sabiha at first. She was self absorbed and unkind. However, this character grew on me as she came of age. Her character growth was brilliant and by the end I wanted to know more.
The book is well written, flows nicely and I look forward to reading the next installment.
November 21, 2022
Sabiha is your typical teenager. In the beginning, I wasn't immediately drawn to her, but as the story develops, you realise that as well as having all the attitude and sass of a young adult, she is also dealing with the pressures that that can bring. And she is dealing with more than most.
As an Australian-Bosnian, she has to embrace her culture and become the “perfect Bosnian daughter” so her mum, a born-again Muslim, can be accepted back into the family and Bosnian community.
The brilliance of Sabiha’s Dilemma is how relatable it is In highlighting the struggles and issues that teens are facing today.
Mental health is something I connect with, so books (for kids) that talk about it openly are invaluable, but what’s great about this book is that it gives the reader an insight into what it can be like when being the child of a parent with a mental health diagnosis.
As well as mental health awareness, it deals with other prominent topics such as peer pressure and sexuality.
I loved being able to sit back, relax and let the narrator, Nina Nikolic, take me in Sabiha’s life. As this is on the younger side of YA, if I was reading it, I might not have finished the book, but the audio allowed me to escape and immerse myself in the book.
On an unrelated note, Sabiha is a beautiful name, and I loved learning about Bosnian/Muslim culture.
Thank you, Love Book Tours, for the audiobook in return for an honest review.
As an Australian-Bosnian, she has to embrace her culture and become the “perfect Bosnian daughter” so her mum, a born-again Muslim, can be accepted back into the family and Bosnian community.
The brilliance of Sabiha’s Dilemma is how relatable it is In highlighting the struggles and issues that teens are facing today.
Mental health is something I connect with, so books (for kids) that talk about it openly are invaluable, but what’s great about this book is that it gives the reader an insight into what it can be like when being the child of a parent with a mental health diagnosis.
As well as mental health awareness, it deals with other prominent topics such as peer pressure and sexuality.
I loved being able to sit back, relax and let the narrator, Nina Nikolic, take me in Sabiha’s life. As this is on the younger side of YA, if I was reading it, I might not have finished the book, but the audio allowed me to escape and immerse myself in the book.
On an unrelated note, Sabiha is a beautiful name, and I loved learning about Bosnian/Muslim culture.
Thank you, Love Book Tours, for the audiobook in return for an honest review.
June 27, 2016
This book was part of book bundle titled - Love on the Edge.
Carlo is a Mafia boss who fled Italy to the U.S. His son Massimo is a sick degenerate. His daughter Marissa was used sexually by her family - loaning her out to anyone that could bring more power to the family. Sandro is an Italian soccer star. In America he meets Nia - a female soccer star - and for Sandro it is instant love. They marry and move to Italy. Carlo makes Sandro an offer he cannot refuse. Sandro hopes it is a one time favor. But it isn't. Sandro takes his family to America. When Carlo and Sandro end up in the same city, Carlo believes it is a sign of their being family, but Sandro decides differently. As all the characters lives and plots interconnect, it is Nia and Daniel - Sandro's wife and young son - that end up in the cross hairs. Who will survive when the FBI and Carlo face off with the other players all in place observing or playing out their own plots.
Carlo is a Mafia boss who fled Italy to the U.S. His son Massimo is a sick degenerate. His daughter Marissa was used sexually by her family - loaning her out to anyone that could bring more power to the family. Sandro is an Italian soccer star. In America he meets Nia - a female soccer star - and for Sandro it is instant love. They marry and move to Italy. Carlo makes Sandro an offer he cannot refuse. Sandro hopes it is a one time favor. But it isn't. Sandro takes his family to America. When Carlo and Sandro end up in the same city, Carlo believes it is a sign of their being family, but Sandro decides differently. As all the characters lives and plots interconnect, it is Nia and Daniel - Sandro's wife and young son - that end up in the cross hairs. Who will survive when the FBI and Carlo face off with the other players all in place observing or playing out their own plots.
May 12, 2014
Realistic enough to make me angry with the choices the young women are facing in this book. The characters are drawn lightly but sympathetically, with the fracture lines of a displaced community showing. The parents attempts to reconnect with Islam fail to give the teenagers a sense of identity, and their attempts at strictness seem to make their daughters liars without protecting them from sexual pressure or helping them excel at school I hated to hear about physical violence from teen bullies and more ambiguously in a "self defence" lesson. The failed cooking lesson- our narrator loves Bosnian food but can't cook or make traditional coffee but is also not doing well at school shows how young people can be left unable to thrive in the modern or the traditional worlds, but the affection between mother and daughter and the narrators strong character keeps the book upbeat.
April 8, 2020
I found this book to be a super engaging read.
The novel is by an Australian author and set in St Albans in Melbourne's west.
It was personally relatable to me and presented issues that were familiar in my own high school experience.
Sabiha, the main protagonist, deals with identity, sexuality, fitting in with her family and finding the right friends. She is conflicted with her Australian and Bosnian culture. The novel deals with gender roles, religion, culture, mental illness and growing up.
This book is a bit of a whirl wind and felt like everything was happening at the end. However I think this is symbolic of the adolescent experience.
I would recommend it as an engaging and thought provoking piece of Young Adult Literature.
The novel is by an Australian author and set in St Albans in Melbourne's west.
It was personally relatable to me and presented issues that were familiar in my own high school experience.
Sabiha, the main protagonist, deals with identity, sexuality, fitting in with her family and finding the right friends. She is conflicted with her Australian and Bosnian culture. The novel deals with gender roles, religion, culture, mental illness and growing up.
This book is a bit of a whirl wind and felt like everything was happening at the end. However I think this is symbolic of the adolescent experience.
I would recommend it as an engaging and thought provoking piece of Young Adult Literature.
December 21, 2013
I started reading this book having noticed its popularity with some of the students at my library. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I had hope.
The Good Daughter share some of the identity and cultural conflict themes found in Looking for Alibrandi and Does My Head Looks Big In This but failed to be as good a read. I had real problem with the story flow. I did not like most of the characters. While I empathise with the main character situation, I could not bring myself to like her. I found her level of teen angst was just too much, especially when she keeps changing her opinion from one moment to the next. .
The Good Daughter share some of the identity and cultural conflict themes found in Looking for Alibrandi and Does My Head Looks Big In This but failed to be as good a read. I had real problem with the story flow. I did not like most of the characters. While I empathise with the main character situation, I could not bring myself to like her. I found her level of teen angst was just too much, especially when she keeps changing her opinion from one moment to the next. .
February 28, 2012
A very promising first novel, this is a great young adult read, and a fresh, excellent look at the cultural clash experienced by many migrant teens - in this case, fifteen-year old Sabiha, whose mother has recently decided to throw herself into regaining her Bosnian and Muslim heritage. Life is further complicated for Sabiha by her mother's mental illness, and by having to change schools. However, Sabiha's strength makes the book ultimately optimistic.
Read
July 25, 2011I enjoyed this story of an inner city teenager growing up. It had lots of issues surrounding friendships, sexuality, ethnic idenitity and particularly families and mental illness. A recommended read for 15year old girls.
Not the best book in this genre I have read, but definitely a worthy addition.
Not the best book in this genre I have read, but definitely a worthy addition.
Read
April 5, 2012martha's book club
December 5, 2016
Well, Adnan. I think you'll like this book.
Read
November 27, 2018I enjoyed this under the radar #LoveOzYA. I liked the writing and Sabiha's voice jumped off the page making it very readable.
November 28, 2022
I was sent a copy of this book for review.
Sabiha and her mother Bahra have always been close, much more than parent and child and more like best friends. They are the ones they turn to in times of need. Since Sabiha's father left, it has mainly been the two of them building a home and life together. Often Sabiha is the caregiver to her mother when she has suffered from debilitating bipolar episodes from time to time. However, their close dynamic changes when their extended family arrives from Bosnia to their home in Australia. Bahra becomes deeply reinvested in her Muslim faith to win favour with her devout relatives and expects Sabiha to do the same.
Sabiha is drawn into a conflict with her family when she must conform to the Bosnian Community's rules and behaviours for women. However, she pushes back against what she feels are sometimes suffocating expectations that result in daily arguments with her mother.
When her mother's health deteriorates, will Sabiha conform to her mother's wishes to be a 'good Muslim daughter' to receive acceptance into their family's Bosnian way of life? Will Sabiha ultimately rebel against the constrictions this places on her to have the life she thinks she wants?
🌟🌟🌟🌟 This was a compelling and emotional story. Sabiha has many complex issues in her life, which constantly worry her. Her mother's mental health and her new obsession with becoming a 'born-again' Muslim have direct and harsh consequences in Sahiba's daily life. She falls for a guy who isn't Muslim, complicating her ability to pursue him. Sabiha also finds it difficult living with her controlling grandfather and the growing expectations of her Bosnian family. Sabiha's journey in this story is a raw and honest portrayal of life within a family spanning generations with different viewpoints while also being a teenager heading into adulthood and trying to figure out what they want for their future. As I listened to the audiobook, I found the narration perfectly brought out the emotional and angst-filled moments.
Sabiha and her mother Bahra have always been close, much more than parent and child and more like best friends. They are the ones they turn to in times of need. Since Sabiha's father left, it has mainly been the two of them building a home and life together. Often Sabiha is the caregiver to her mother when she has suffered from debilitating bipolar episodes from time to time. However, their close dynamic changes when their extended family arrives from Bosnia to their home in Australia. Bahra becomes deeply reinvested in her Muslim faith to win favour with her devout relatives and expects Sabiha to do the same.
Sabiha is drawn into a conflict with her family when she must conform to the Bosnian Community's rules and behaviours for women. However, she pushes back against what she feels are sometimes suffocating expectations that result in daily arguments with her mother.
When her mother's health deteriorates, will Sabiha conform to her mother's wishes to be a 'good Muslim daughter' to receive acceptance into their family's Bosnian way of life? Will Sabiha ultimately rebel against the constrictions this places on her to have the life she thinks she wants?
🌟🌟🌟🌟 This was a compelling and emotional story. Sabiha has many complex issues in her life, which constantly worry her. Her mother's mental health and her new obsession with becoming a 'born-again' Muslim have direct and harsh consequences in Sahiba's daily life. She falls for a guy who isn't Muslim, complicating her ability to pursue him. Sabiha also finds it difficult living with her controlling grandfather and the growing expectations of her Bosnian family. Sabiha's journey in this story is a raw and honest portrayal of life within a family spanning generations with different viewpoints while also being a teenager heading into adulthood and trying to figure out what they want for their future. As I listened to the audiobook, I found the narration perfectly brought out the emotional and angst-filled moments.
April 17, 2023
Identity: More than just your face
Sabiha 's Dilemma written by Amra Pajalic, swims deeply in more oceans than the Tasman Sea near Melbourne, Australia, where the novel is set.
Sabiha Omeroviç, or Sammie as she likes to be called, is of Bosnian heritage but born in Australia. With long, blonde hair and light eyes, she doesn't quite mesh with her Mother, Bahra's family. Not to mention that Sammie and her Mom have just moved from freewheeling Thornbury back to the conservative St. Albans Parish.
Circling deep in the oceans of the story are the casualties of the Bosnian Serb genocide; the long-standing confusion of the Turkish/Bosnian Church converting to Islam; the fall of Communist Yugoslavia and the breakup of the country; the public embarrassment of mental illness and the victims that high schoolers make of each other over differences.
Portrayed through Sahiba's Mother, Bahra, is how vitally important following religious beliefs are when you want to fit in to a tight-knit community. She reflects the shame that being a non-conformist brings as well as the hidden terror of a mental illness.
Sammie's grandfather, affectionately called Dido, wrestles with the ghosts of concentration camps, homeless poverty and the iron rule of Communism. He berates Bahara over every dime she spends and argues with the more liberal members of the community.
Sammie, her friends Jessie and Brian, her cousins Dina and Adnan are dealing with bullying, sexuality, sexual identity and cultural challenges as they effect their days in high school. Tender hearts are breaking while callous behaviours are awakening to the destruction of human beings.
Sahiba's Dilemma is a Tour de Force, just the first in a series of semi-autobiographical stories by Amra Pajalic. Packed with life lessons and homey wisdom, this book has something for any age reader, above the age of 16. I highly recommend it.
Sabiha 's Dilemma written by Amra Pajalic, swims deeply in more oceans than the Tasman Sea near Melbourne, Australia, where the novel is set.
Sabiha Omeroviç, or Sammie as she likes to be called, is of Bosnian heritage but born in Australia. With long, blonde hair and light eyes, she doesn't quite mesh with her Mother, Bahra's family. Not to mention that Sammie and her Mom have just moved from freewheeling Thornbury back to the conservative St. Albans Parish.
Circling deep in the oceans of the story are the casualties of the Bosnian Serb genocide; the long-standing confusion of the Turkish/Bosnian Church converting to Islam; the fall of Communist Yugoslavia and the breakup of the country; the public embarrassment of mental illness and the victims that high schoolers make of each other over differences.
Portrayed through Sahiba's Mother, Bahra, is how vitally important following religious beliefs are when you want to fit in to a tight-knit community. She reflects the shame that being a non-conformist brings as well as the hidden terror of a mental illness.
Sammie's grandfather, affectionately called Dido, wrestles with the ghosts of concentration camps, homeless poverty and the iron rule of Communism. He berates Bahara over every dime she spends and argues with the more liberal members of the community.
Sammie, her friends Jessie and Brian, her cousins Dina and Adnan are dealing with bullying, sexuality, sexual identity and cultural challenges as they effect their days in high school. Tender hearts are breaking while callous behaviours are awakening to the destruction of human beings.
Sahiba's Dilemma is a Tour de Force, just the first in a series of semi-autobiographical stories by Amra Pajalic. Packed with life lessons and homey wisdom, this book has something for any age reader, above the age of 16. I highly recommend it.
November 28, 2022
I listened to this in audiobook and I absolutely adored it.
The book is well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. I found the story to be heartbreaking at times especially when we found out what Sabiha - who I admit I really didn't like at first but I loved her at the end - was going through having to care for her Mother who had mental health issues and then her Grandfather whilst also having to deal with being a teenager and the angst that comes with that, school and trying to fit in.
By far one of the best things for me was the narrator of this book who I could listen to all day long she had such a calming tone and oothing voice, a great choice for this read.
This was a fantastic listen with an emotive feel tht really made me remember how hard it was being a teenager and yet I didn't have Sabiha's homelife or cultural issues to deal with either.
The book is well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. I found the story to be heartbreaking at times especially when we found out what Sabiha - who I admit I really didn't like at first but I loved her at the end - was going through having to care for her Mother who had mental health issues and then her Grandfather whilst also having to deal with being a teenager and the angst that comes with that, school and trying to fit in.
By far one of the best things for me was the narrator of this book who I could listen to all day long she had such a calming tone and oothing voice, a great choice for this read.
This was a fantastic listen with an emotive feel tht really made me remember how hard it was being a teenager and yet I didn't have Sabiha's homelife or cultural issues to deal with either.
November 21, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the narration Nina Nikolic did a great job bringing the story to life.
I have to admit that in the beginning I wasn’t keen on Sabiha I found her to be very whiny, spoilt and unkind. But further into the story as we learn more about her and her life I did really feel for her.
This is a great coming of age story along with one about fitting in a community. Also losing friendships and making new ones with first crushes and unrequited love.
I hope there will be another book I’d love to hear more about Sabiha and her friends.
Thank you to Love Book Tours and the author for having me on the tour and for my gifted audio book.
I have to admit that in the beginning I wasn’t keen on Sabiha I found her to be very whiny, spoilt and unkind. But further into the story as we learn more about her and her life I did really feel for her.
This is a great coming of age story along with one about fitting in a community. Also losing friendships and making new ones with first crushes and unrequited love.
I hope there will be another book I’d love to hear more about Sabiha and her friends.
Thank you to Love Book Tours and the author for having me on the tour and for my gifted audio book.
December 25, 2022
This book will take you back to your high school years. The friendships and all the angst is described so well! Sabiha is a teen navigating her way through a life filled with a neglectful mother and the need to follow traditions that don't feel right to her. I really enjoyed getting to know Sabiha and can't wait to continue following the stories of all of her friends
Trigger warnings for mental illness,parental neglect. I thank Booksirens for this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trigger warnings for mental illness,parental neglect. I thank Booksirens for this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 21, 2023
This book wasn’t what I expected. It was billed as a daughter who served as her bipolar mother’s carer, and I was interested in that perspective, but the mother’s disorder didn’t come into play until about 75% of the way though the book. I think that’s part of the reason the pacing felt a bit weird. It kind of didn’t go anywhere. Otherwise, though, it was a fine coming-of-age, found-family type of story. Not bad, just a bit amateur and not really what I was looking for.
February 2, 2023
De como a vida de uma adolescente muda de forma radical, levando-a a questionar a que espaço ela realmente pertence, e a se descobrir parte de uma família e com novos amigos em quem ela realmente pode confiar. Muito bom.
April 29, 2024
I listened to this on audiobook. Some of the narration was a little annoying because the main character is a teenager and comes off as whiny at times. However, this book had good mental health and Muslim representation.
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