The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

I don't receive a lot of young adult novels for review, nor do I seek many of them out, so when The Tyrant's Daughter found its way to my doorstep I was skeptical. Add to that my embarrassingly acute inability to wrap my pea brain around the lifestyles enjoyed (read: endured) by Middle-Eastern women and this short novel looked like a buffet of things I either wouldn't engage in or wouldn't understand from my overtly American perspective. Needless worries. I love J.C. Carleson's writing style. The short, to-the-point, ironic voice of the main character adds depth and emotion to the story. Carleson's portrayal of a Middle-Eastern family, torn apart by violence and betrayal and schlepped to the United States for the sake of preserving their lives is an education in empathy and diversity. There is a great deal to consider in Carleson's pages and I would encourage this read to anyone seeking to broaden their perspective on the war-torn countries we see on the news or the shocking cultural changes experienced by new entrants into America. Why four stars and not five? I liked the story enough that I would love a grown-up version. This is appropriately young adult and it isn't the book's fault that YA reads aren't my forte, but alas it suffers the taint of my preferences anyway ;0). I would LOVE to hear what teens think of this one. Despite the young adult tag, there's insight to be offered to all who indulge in The Tyrant's Daughter and I recommend it to readers of all ages.


You will find an official plot line description at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17910573-the-tyrant-s-daughter?from_search=true.