Kia Abdullah does not pull any punches with this book!

Take It Back follows the story of Zara, an ex-lawyer with addiction problems, who is supporting Jodie through a rape accusation and subsequent trial. Jodie is accusing four Muslim boys from her school of gang-raping her. The problem – or one of the many problems – is that not even Jodie’s own mum or best friend believe her story. You see, Jodie has a severe facial deformity that impacts her ability to speak clearly and also affects her perceived worth as a subject of sexual advances. Despite the fact, clearly noted more than once by the author, that rape is an act of power rather than sex, people struggle with the idea that these handsome and intelligent young men would have ‘chosen’ someone visually ‘imperfect’ to target.

Oh, also, the boys all thoroughly deny her story – all of it!

The trouble is, for Zara and for me, that when we are shown Jodie’s perspective I believe her. But when we are shown the boy’s perspectives, I believe them too (well, some of them). Their stories directly contradict each other, so someone MUST be lying. The question, of course, is who…?

I don’t have to point out that the subject matter is harrowing and could trigger some people, but the author handles it well and treats all of her characters sympathetically and with as little judgement as possible. Not only are Jodie, Zara and the boys all given a chance to show their perspective on events, but this is the first legal-thriller novel I can remember reading where there are no corrupt cops, evil lawyers or incompetent judges. Instead, Kia Abdullah shows us a law enforcement and legal system of decent people trying to do a good job with the information they have available. The prosecution and police aren’t out to ‘stitch up’ the accused and the defense isn’t trying to weasel them out of things unfairly. The real enemies in this story are the tabloids, whipping up their usual feeding frenzy of human misery, and the pack mentality of the general public when presented with partial facts on a subject that invokes strong feelings.

I know the label of ‘thought-provoking’ is something of a cliché, but Take It Back really does force the reader to confront their own unconscious biases, whether related to race, religion, sex, sexuality, disability, addiction or mental health. For instance, you may initially doubt Zara’s ability to do a good job on behalf of Jodie, due to her personal issues with substance abuse. Yet the author shows that such stereotyped views may hold grains of truth but are always more nuanced and complex when it comes to the capacities and abilities of individuals.

Similarly, you may find you lose track of the truth in this story while eagerly chasing the lies. Kia Abdullah has cleverly woven a tale in which the reader follows the same path, and takes a similar mental and emotional journey, as the main character, and emerges both shocked and more socially aware.



The girl was quiet for a moment. Then, in a voice that was soft and papery, said, ‘Five days ago, I was raped.’
Zara’s expression was inscrutable.
Jodie searched for a reaction. ‘You don’t believe me,’ she said, more a statement than a question.
Zara frowned. ‘Is there a reason I shouldn’t?’

– Kia Abdullah, Take It Back

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a powerful storyline about racial tensions and honour. When Jodie, a disfigured 16 year old girl accuses four respectable, Muslim, classmates of rape, not even her mother and best friend believe her. But former barrister and Muslim, Zara, now working for a rape crisis centre, finds truth in her tale and takes on the case. But when the trial begins at the Old Bailey, Zara finds they are battling not only the defence, but also the racial divide.

I found the book compelling reading, and the ending really surprised me, so well had the plot been playing out. My one criticism would be that I found some of the court scenes a bit long winded (I guess in the same way that courts often are!), and at times I skipped a few lines to move on. However, overall a cleverly written story which gave me food for thought.

This has got to be one of my favourite books of the year. It gripped me from start to finish. Zara, ex lawyer, now a sexual assault support worker meets Jodie, a girl that has had a hard life from the moment she was born. Jodie was born with deformity on her face and struggled to fit in in life. One night after a party Jodie says she is raped by four Muslim boys. Zara fights in court for Jodie while the four boys fight for their innocent.
This is a book that is so much more than a court room drama, it hit of morals and judgments and what life if like in different communities. I absolutely loved it and the ending just packed a massive punch.

Take it Back is an explosive and powerful novel of truth and lies, based around the alleged gang rape of a white girl with severe facial deformities by a group of young Muslim boys. Jodie Wolfe is the 16 year old girl in question. Life is hard enough for Jodie already; not only is she used to the mocking stares and comments from her peers, but she also has to contend with living on a rundown London estate with her alcoholic mother who is clearly ashamed of her daughter’s appearance, and openly blames Jodie for her father’s absenteeism.

Zara Kaleel was a young hotshot lawyer from a traditional Muslim family with a shining career and financial rewards aplenty when she upped and left it all behind to work at a charity for abused women, much to the chagrin of her friends and (partially estranged) family. Jodie’s case lands on Zara’s desk and she knows immediately it’s going to be a game-changer. She believes Jodie is telling the truth, and encourages her to step up, and take her attackers all the way through the legal process. Although a courtroom drama in many ways, a lot of the action, and story building takes place outside of the legal arena.

The boys that Jodie accuses, are Muslim boys from hard-working immigrant families who each deny the charges. Jodie is a disabled white girl from a broken home - even her own mother doesn’t believe her. It’s obvious that thanks to the numerous themes running through the case that it isn’t going to play out well in the media or on social media where it’s bound to appear sooner rather than later, injunctions be damned.

The ripples appear quickly and run deep. Zara is branded a traitor to her faith and community. Her personal life comes under intense scrutiny, her integrity questioned, and her life threatened. Jodie is pilloried and mocked so badly online that she wants to stop the process, wishing she could ‘Take it Back’. The accused boys are branded and face seeing their hard-fought for lives fall down around them before they ever really got a chance to get going.

Kia Abdullah is an incredible storyteller. This novel is multi-layered, thoughtful and complex, and as I was reading I was flip-flopping between who I believed. Every chapter I read made me see the characters differently, and I changed my mind so many times. When I got to the end and found out what really happened on that fateful night, it was believable, and sad. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an excellent one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for inviting me to read this novel.

Just finished reading this book

This was such a rollercoaster read! I really enjoyed this book.

The book centres around four Muslim boys who are accused of raping a white disabled girl.

It was a rollercoaster of a ride of who to believe. Did the girl make it up or did the boys actually do it?

I felt so sorry for Jodie and when the truth came out, I just felt so bad for her.

this was a great read and highly recommended for anyone who likes court room dramas!

Totally repetitive story about religion, culture and a possible rape that cruises these boundaries. Not recommended

[REVIEW] "Take it Back" by Kia Abdullah. 4 stars.
.
I finished Abdullah's book on Thursday and haven't been able to review it. How do you review a book you didn't like but at the same time, want to give a high rating to?
.
To say I didnt like this book isn't right either. The story telling is powerful and the prose well written. What I didn't like was the actual story being told and I really didn't like any of the characters.
.
Normally, when reading fiction, there's a kind of unacknowledged barrier. You know some stories are taken from fact but you're always on the outside of the action. In Abdullah's book, the literature version if the 4th wall is demolished. The reader is forced to engage with the text or stop reading.
.
At the end I was angry, I was challenged, I was tired and emotional. The reader does not get to go through this story with half their mind elsewhere.
.
"Take it Back" is a truthful, brutal telling of a story that could be ripped from the papers. I won't say this has been a pleasurable novel but I haven't really been able to stop thinking about it.
.
.
.
.
#takeitback #kiaabdullah #review #bookreview #netgalley #text #racism #extremism #violence #women #books #igreads #instabook

Loved every bit of it from the very start A welcome original plot ( I’m sure you all already have read the blurb but briefly a facially deformed sixteen year old accuses four handsome and popular Asian boys of rape) is told in an exquisite and no holds barred style which thrilled, appalled and saddened me throughout. The oh so believable characters whom Kia Abdullah brings so precisely to life made a huge impact on the story. I hated having to put the book down at any time but hated it more when it was finished. I wanted so much to still have this excellent story to read.
If you only read one book this year make it this one it’s brilliant at every level.

4🌟 I heard alot about this book & I've seen it promoted well, I love a good courtroom drama the subject of this book is controversial to say the least, you have One Victim & four Accused. Who Is Telling The Truth?

You have a Sixteen year old Girl with facial deformities she's neglected by her alcoholic mother. Who accuses the boys of something unforgivable!

The Defendants four handsome teenage boys from Muslim families all with corroborating stories.. I got into this book from the very first page it's a very hard hitting story it really gets to you your view changes as the story goes on you will get to a point you will take sides the plot is very good it's thrilling and edgy but I'll be honest I got to a point where I thought i knew what the out come would be I started to think it was a bit predictable but I was proven wrong I did really enjoy this book I admit the topic of the book isn't for everyone but I think all book lovers should read it, it will have you guessing till the very end..

Zara is helping a young girl with facial deformities bring down the four boys who raped her. They of course say they didn't do anything and it was all consensual. The case goes to trial but it goes beyond just the rape, theres a race issue at hand too. Jodie is white and the boys are Muslim as is Zara putting her in a difficult position but what is the truth?

This was a powerful read. It deals with some very serious issues. The story itself was interesting and built well with some clever twists along the way. The ending was unexpected but added another depth to the story. One last twist to finish the story. This deals with some very dark themes and there's quite a lot of bad language.

I have been hearing and seeing bits and pieces about the book on Social Media for a while now, so I was very pleased to get an invite to the tour and jumped at the chance at a review copy.

What struck me first is the premise of the book, Jodie a disfigured teenage girl is attacked by 4 boys from the immigrant community, to scared to tell the police and not believed by her alcoholic mother, she eventually tells all to Zara, an ex high-powered barrister, now working at a support centre for abused women, like Jodie.

Jodie and the boys are all very convincing characters, it was so difficult to know what to think, who to believe, so good is the writing.

Zara is a brilliant protagonist, while she is both brilliant and fearless, she is also a deeply troubled person, torn between 2 cultures, doing all she can to do the right thing and fighting for justice.

The Courtroom scenes are written excellently, in fact the whole story is.

This book will keep you guessing, changing your mind, supporting one character then the other, desperately turning the pages just to face another ram rod shock.

Very current, especially at the time we are now living in the UK, powerful, so deeply emotional, shocking and upsetting, it draws you in and doesn't let go until THE very last page.

Quite simply a stunning achievement by Kia Abdullah as she embraces the world we are in, British culture, Asian Culture and Teenage culture, seamlessly bonding them together, to deliver one of THE standout books of 2019.

A book I'm so pleased to have read, and the highest of Recommendations.

5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is definitely going on my list of favourite reads of this year. It is an extremely powerful story. The author doesn't pull any punches and when she does take a shot those punches are delivered with such an intensity, power and honesty that it leaves a mark.

It's controversial and the subject matter is more so, but perhaps the controversy lies in the realism. The author speaks from the heart, the mind and from her own personal experiences as a Muslim and as a woman and merges all those elements into her main character, Zara.

Zara has broken free of many restraints of her culture and religion, however it has come at a price. There is a moment in the book when her father says something terrible to her. A sentence that changes the way she defines herself in her family, as a person and as a professional, which haunts her going forward. It's simply indefensible and it can't be justified in any way shape or form.

When a young white girl with terrible facial deformities comes to Zara for support after being sexually assaulted by four Muslim boys, she is determined to get Jodie the justice she deserves. She isn't prepared for the backlash against all of them. The racial Molotov cocktail it becomes and the target it paints on her back is lit by the fury of the sanctimonious and thrown by hypocrites.

The author makes some really poignant points about rape. The why and the imbalance when it comes to the treatment of victim and perpetrator, and what role the choice of victim plays in the rape. In this case the shadow of doubt that hovers over the case just because Jodie is deemed ugly, ergo not worthy of raping.

What Abdullah portrays with a frightening accuracy is the patriarchal society we live in, and the role the parochial attitudes play within the male dominated structures. The subordination of women is expected and any deviance is met with harsh repercussions for said women and girls.

Regardless of empty words about women being revered in certain cultures, and especially in specific religious groups, the reality is completely different. Honour killings, kidnappings, forced 'arranged' marriages and the domination of female gender by males of all ages. The author makes a really important point about the role of other women in this systemic domination and oppression. The majority of them take part in the oppression, because it is easier and safer to do so, but also because they have somehow convinced themselves that winning smaller battles is a victory in itself, even if it is at the expense of their daughters, sisters and fellow women in general.

It's a legal thriller with the precision of a crime, the darkness of a psychological thriller and has the power of women's empowerment at its best. This is an explosive must read as far as I am concerned.

I really enjoyed this book. Shows the reason I love courtroom dramas- I change my mind constantly as new facts come out! So many current themes in it too- disability, race, culture. My only negative would be that there are some punctuation and grammatical errors.

I don't even know where to begin with this book. It was incredible.

The Victim, Jodie accuses 4 boys of the unthinkable, we meet her as she goes to Zara with this claim. Zara believes Jodie, and Zara prides herself on been a good judge of character so will support her all the way.

However, this case blows up, like explosive - not only is it a sensitive subject anyway but then throw in a disabled girl and 4 young men from immigrant backgrounds and Zara who is also Muslim and is facing alot of hate for helping Jodie.



Who is telling the truth? This is one of the tag lines and i really couldn't be 100% sure all along, my opinions swayed constantly and i was left shook, and then again right until the very end.



This book tackles alot of issues, deep sensitive ones in a brilliant way, it addresses how society looks at things. It is a thought provoking and will have you thinking about it long after you have finished reading it. it is more than just a courtroom drama - by a long shot. It considers factors that not all books do, it looks at race, religion and gender. We are presented with a wide array of evidence and left to form our opinions.



I cant stop thinking about this read because it really was incredible. I am so grateful i got to be on this tour because it meant i got to read this. Now you should too



Author Info

Kia Abdullah is an author and travel writer from London. Her new novel Take It Back is out now (HQ/HarperCollins, Aug 2019).

Kia has contributed to The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC and Lonely Planet, and is the founding

I’ve been hearing lots of great things about this book so I had lots of high expectations, which normally means I’m disappointed. This book was an exception to that rule as I found it a brilliantly compelling, tense and thought provoking read which was also incredibly gripping.

This is mostly a court room thriller which has some very tense scenes to it which not only kept me thoroughly gripped but also made me keep changing my opinion on what had happened and who was right. The two sides show two very different groups of society which makes for very intriguing reading as it brings up a lot of current and thought provoking subjects which are, unfortunately, present in modern day Britain. The themes of poverty, racism and bullying are well presented as they are never sensationalised but rather mentioned subtly as almost background information, which I thought was cleverly done.

The characters in the book are wonderful creations that manage to pull on your heart strings and hold your attention. Jodie was a very compelling character and my heart broke as I learnt more about her and everything she has had to deal with. Some of the scenes were very difficult to read about and I had a lump in my throat as they were described. Zara was a great central character and I loved how she came across as so strong in court but had insecurities in her home life. The fact she was from a similar background to the perpetrators, but chose to defend Jodie helped add an interesting slant to the story. I really enjoyed following her story and her fabulous performance in court.

I found this a very intense, gripping read which was very hard to put down as I was so involved in the story. I would sit down to read in the evening and only look up when my husband was poking me to tell me he was going to bed, which is always a sign of a great read. There were lots of twists, sometimes in every court appearance, which made me change my opinion on what happened constantly. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Huge thanks to Lucy Richardson for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book!

I’ve seen Take It Back everywhere lately, it seems to have garnered quite a lot of hype and my expectations were accordingly quite high. Generally these expectations were met but there were some aspects of the book that didn’t totally work for me. Take It Back is, in my opinion, a bit of a mixed bag – but still very much worth reading.

This is an intense book and there is no messing about before diving right into the harshness of this criminal case. Zara is an ex big shot lawyer who now works with sexual assault victims. Zara is the focal point of the story as she supports Jodie, the victim, through legal proceedings whilst also encountering pushback from some in the muslim community for sticking by Jodie who has accused four muslim boys of a shocking crime. The character of Zara is one of the things I had some trouble with. I think we, as readers, are supposed to be impressed by Zara and her bravery. And – honestly – I did admire her strength and confidence but I couldn’t really connect to her character as someone to root for. She is obviously very good looking and intelligent, which isn’t a problem at all, but throughout the book it just felt like she is very much aware of her beauty and thinks it makes her ‘better’ than some people. Maybe it was just me but there was a distinct lack of humility and quite a bit of snobbery in Zara’s personality which consequently made it harder for me to fully empathise with her at times.

Putting aside my issues with Zara, there are also dimensions of Take It Back that I felt were really successful. The court case was smartly written and demonstrated the incredibly harmful ways victims of sexual assault are put through the ringer during a court case. I also think this book is extremely relevant to the current social climate. The issues portrayed in the story concerning race, class and gender were so tense and compelling. It is not an easy to figure out read in the sense that there are so many shades of grey at play. Every time the reader decides who to believe, something else will happen to throw their certainty into question.

Overall, whilst Take It Back was not quite as good as I wanted it to be, there was still a lot to appreciate about it and I think it’s likely to be one of the most discussed books this summer. I’m glad I read it and I would definitely suggest giving it a go, especially if you enjoy crime fiction that doesn’t have easy or neat solutions.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a difficult subject and the author keeps you guessing throughout.
Few of the characters come out squeaky clean but they are all the more real because of their flaws.
My only slight criticism is that there is maybe a little too much thrown into the mix.
On the whole though it’s a good plot and I’d love to see the main character, Zara, in a series.
My thanks to Netgalley, publishers and author for this copy.

Review



Initially, I was apprehensive about completing this book but I am glad I stuck it out to the end. The opening chapter, complete with the graphic description of the crime in question is unsettling. What happens after, as we uncover the thoughts and motivations from Zara, Jodie and the four accused boys from a third person perspective left my sympathies and opinions constantly ricocheting from one side of the other.



As a reader, I essentially felt as part of the jury, being torn to and fro which ultimately made me rush to the end for some sort of resolution! Interestingly, I found Zara to be such a complex and fascinating character. Flawed, of course, but as we become more involved in impact of the case, Kia really did a spectacular job of showing how cases such as these have a far-reaching ripple effect.



In all, I really enjoyed this book, and it would make a really great weekend read. Even as someone who picked it up casually, by the start of the trial, you can't help but want to know (or come to your own conclusion) about who's story is true.

https://thevioletshelf.blogspot.com/2019/08/review-take-it-back-by-kia-abdullah.html

Where to start with this review. It is a very complex multilayered story so brilliantly written that it just goes round in your head. It’s not just a courtroom drama, or a psychological thriller, it’s so much more. It shows how society reacts to ugly divisions and prejudice that’s happening around the world in society today, this could easily be an article we pick up and read in a daily newspaper, incorporating disabilities, race, religion, politics, class. But the story is so well woven around every character in the book. You get so engrossed you just don’t want this book to end.

Jodie is a 16 year old girl who has severe facial disfigurements. She has had an awful life being bullied and name called for as long as she can remember. But at times she comes across as a very strong girl a survivor in a cruel world. Then other times you feel such empathy for her as she seems so broken. All she wants is to be loved. Her own mother an alcoholic doesn’t even like or love her own daughter, she is as bad as the children in the playgrounds would have been as Jodie was growing up. So when Jodie accuses 4 Muslim sixteen year old boys of raping her even her mother calls her a liar and an attention seeker. At no point in the story is her mother there for her. Her best friend Nina turns her back on her and calls her a liar when Jodie tells her what happened on the fateful night of June 27th. Is Nina jealous? Because one of the the accused is Amir Rabbani who Nina has also fancied but he has never shown her any interest. Jodie has had a crush on Amir since primary school and this has never been a secret. Jodie doesn’t tell anyone what happened until nearly a week after the events took place. Why? Jodie is subjected to a lot once the news gets out about the story, the press banging on the door, her mother wondering if she can make some money from selling the story, internet trolls. Making life even harder.

Zara Kaleel a Muslim herself, was a high flying barrister but turned her back on that career to work as a rape counsellor. She had previously agreed with, and went ahead with an arranged marriage which only lasted a very short time. Bringing shame on her family. The story highlights the differences between the men and women in the Muslim community how women are viewed and the difficulties they have. Zara’s father had passed away before she had even had a chance to make up with him, she had always been his favourite from what her mother says, and the fact she had achieved so much. Her brother looks down her and calls her names when she visits home. Her sisters are there for as much as they can be but are repressed and unable to help, or speak openly especially when the brother is there. Zara is not a happy person, she is driven and comes across as very tough and hard, but then you see glimpses of a softer side but they are only very fleeting moments. As a woman and a Muslim she has to work harder. When she takes on Jodie’s case she is accused of many things by the Muslim community because she is representing Jodie, the white girl, against four Muslim boys. Some of the things Zara has to deal with are disturbing and you really feel for her, because she is stuck between a rock and a hard place. In her eyes she is doing her job, if that had been a Muslim girl accusing four white boys I think she would have done exactly the same thing, her job.

We then have the four accused boys Amir Rabbani is a very good looking young man and he knows it, he is very assured for most of the story. He is also the leader of the gang as such, the one the other boys look up to and follow. Hassan Tanweer again comes across as very assured and looks down on women, but is this just his culture, the way these boys are raised to see women as their lesser. Mohammed Ahmed is a follower he goes along with the others because he is scared to a certain extent. Fared Khan he is the only one who was not accused or rape but was watching and did nothing to stop what was happening. But are these boys capable of rape. Or are they just high spirited young boys coming up to manhood. They all come from hardworking immigrant family backgrounds.

The first half of the book is focused on Jodie when she goes to Zara and tells her what happened to her. From then Zara works with her through every step, being there when she goes to the police, visiting the court, explaining what to expect. Zara believes her story, even when Jodie tells the police a slightly different version of events to what she has told her. She still believes her. Jodie has never had anyone on her side before, so this is new to her. We follow the story that Jodie tells, with glimpses of the boys lives intertwined in the chapters. Jodie’s friend Nina’s reaction when she tells her what has happened. She doesn’t believe it and doesn’t stand by her friend at all.

The second half of the book is the trial and it literally feels like you are there. The first half the prosecutors side, the cross examination of Jodie is hard to read, occasional glimpses of the reactions from the jury. You are going back and forth as to who to believe. Is Jodie lying? Has she made it up for attention? Could these boys have done this. Then the defence and the boys behaving like they are all sweet and innocent. Are they?

The reactions outside of the courtroom are as tough as inside when emotions between different cultures erupt. The Muslim community calling Zara a traitor to her religion and many many things more. Other events that happen but I cannot say as they would be spoilers and this is a book you have to read for yourself to actually see the cultural differences.

Then towards the end, the drama escalated further even though you don’t think it is even possible. What will the verdict be? Will anyone come out of this any better than when they went in.

This has to be one of my top books for 2019 and I think it’s one of those books everyone should read to see the difficulties that can be had by different cultures, class and disabilities. How cruel the world can be. Because even though this is a work of fiction as I pointed out earlier in my review this could be something that could easily happen in real life in the society we have today.

I think Kia Abdullah is a writer to watch out for because this is an absolutely brilliant read and can certainly give some of the top names in writing a run for their money. I will be looking out for the next book she writes.

16 yr old Jodie hasn’t had an easy life, with extensive facial deformities she is used to hiding away, she is used to bullying and doesn’t have a supportive family life. When she confides in Zara a women who works for an abused women’s charity, that she has been raped by 4 young Muslim men, Zara also a Muslim believes Jodie and helps support her through a gruelling court case. The book goes through the truth about what happened that night and as a reader you’re kept in the dark about the truth until the end.

A truly emotional book, thought provoking and tense.