In June, we’re discussing Salma Hussain’s upcoming young adult book, It’s Not Over Yet (INOY). The book will release in North America this October. INOY is a contemporary young adult book set in Toronto with experiences of a desi family of Pakistani heritage. It’s a coming-of-age story of a teen struggling to come to terms with an unexpected life threatening surgery. Importantly, it’s a story of hope.

Here are more books we will review for the coming months.
Note: Upasna Kakroo wrote this review for Peerbagh and it has no spoilers.

It’s Not Over Yet by Salma Hussain

Much like Wali and K-Man (Kamran), Salma and I do a lot of things together. We host a desi kidlit podcast for parents, discuss books, and support each other’s literary lives. I picked up her first book, Mona Hasan’s Secret Diary, by chance, and invited her for a Varta event on a whim. She’s a friend I’ve discovered in my middle age, and feel deeply connected to. After losing my sister, Salma is a gift the universe gave me to cope with infinite memories of hospital corridors and scans. All this to say that this book is personal because I know how it feels, AND my friend wrote it.

What works in INOY

Many writers of desi books are cautious. The industry feels set in telling us what is appropriate for characters like ours. We rarely talk about the struggles of dealing with an illness in desi settings. As a deeply feeling person and writer, Salma breaks all the rules. This is no half-baked attempt at exploring trauma. There is no holding back on things we don’t openly say. The writing is authentic, poetic, and all in. It’s a book that could only be written by a person who knows how it explodes and has spent enough time wringing out the feelings.

The lead character, Wali, is in many in-between spaces – from being a part of an interfaith household, to third-wheeling his sisters, and experiencing conflict with his BFF. There is also a teenage crush and therapy for an unexpected illness. The book provides a wonderful template for healthy coping. Salma says, “Publishing desperately wants, encourages, and even rewards trauma stories from BIPOC communities. I wanted to write about heavier topics (illness, recovery) but without the ‘trauma porn.’ This is a story of community, love, family, and our resilience. I’ve had various health professionals who were extremely helpful in my journey (like my acupuncturist, therapist), and I wanted to show the value of talking out our anxieties with a mental health professional.”

Handling Trauma

I know how it feels to be the person being scanned and the person caring for the one being scanned. If you’ve not had the experience of desperation with illness, this book is a window into what truly matters. However, trauma is often being milked in books where the writer may or may not have direct experiences. Wali confronts this theme in the story.

Salma says, “I had Wali question using his trauma for his film project. I’m not sure Wali came up with an answer, but he’s exploring the question, and I think that’s imperative. Marginalized writers crave to be understood and accepted beyond the very real, very painful trauma stories people read about us in the news. We want readers to relate to us as full and complex human beings. We are no less confused, brilliant, heroic, or tragic than anyone else. Yes, please cry with us over our tragedies, but laugh with us in our joys too. Ultimately, we want what everyone wants: true love, and there is no space for pity in love. There is only space for love in love. Nothing more, nothing less.”

More please

Often, the criticism of desi people (not just writers) is that we enjoy making fun of others, but have not learned how to take ourselves less seriously. Laughing at our own mad luck feels harder. Most people with chronic illnesses want the same things as everyone else: love, humor, and dignity. The book tackles its varied moments with laugh-out-loud humor.

Whether it’s religion or illness, there’s a lot of calling in and calling out of judgmental subcommunities who claim to care, but really are more invested in building islands of their own. Side characters like the twin sisters are presented with incredible agency. They perhaps (rightfully) realize there’s no winning – not from the white lady curious about the Hijab or the well-meaning desi Aunty curious about the lack of leggings.

Salma explains, “Before I started, I was very apprehensive and wanted to write something safe. But writing is where I am the most honest. I couldn’t write what didn’t feel honest to this character. The scenes with the HP (haram police) aunties felt authentic, justified, and necessary. We need to have the tough talk about toxicity in our communities. As for the sisters, they had to have very strong but distinct personalities. This is a reflection of my two sisters – we’re all very different and strong in our individual ways. Within one Muslim family, there is so much diversity in thought and behavior (and dress!). I wanted to capture this reality.”

Who is it for?

Everyone will eventually deal with illness and the questions of life and the afterlife. Recently, there was a survey that showed many Young Adult books are, in fact, read by adults. This is a book for teens and adults. It’ll make you laugh, break your heart, and then put it all together with a hopeful bow on top. Because that’s what real life looks like, friends.

From a personal writing standpoint, Salma wrote the story specially to honor an inspiring friend. She shared, “My friend’s daughter, Natasha Khan, is 19 and went through multiple brain surgeries as a child. Her strength, hope, and optimism were 1000% my motivation for this story. This story is for survivors like her and me. Our health journeys are never over, and that’s a painful, beautiful thing.”

RECOMMEND: Yes! What’s even the question? 10000% cry, love, and laugh.

If you’ve read any of Salma’s books so far, share your thoughts with us on Instagram.

About Salma Hussain: She is a Pakistani-Canadian writer of books including Mona Hasan’s Secret Diary and the upcoming YA book, INOY. Salma is a recovering lawyer, a poet, and the host of the Zubaani podcast (which finds a mention in the book!). She will be hosting a poetry workshop on July 25th when you can meet her and learn to pour yourself into words.