'Me, In Between' follows a girl as she adapts to life in Europe, after escaping her home country as an asylum seeker.

The writing of the book is brilliantly done, and I love the front cover.

I only managed to get halfway through this book, simply because it wasn't for me. I just couldn't get myself into it. However, even though I couldn't get into this book. I would still highly recommend it, as the story is authentic, beautifully written, and allows you to understand a perspective that isn't generally seen mainstream.

Rated: 3.5 stars

Thank you to netgallery for allowing me to read this insightful story.

I had no idea what to expect from this book other than heartache and perhaps some eye-opening revelations. I can definitely say it gave me both of those alongside a beautiful story.

Madina and her family have fled the violent horrors of their homeland to seek asylum in Europe. Now, Madina must learn to slot into a new culture, a new language, make friends and find happiness. But this proves extra difficult when she is haunted by the horrific things she saw back home, the unstable position her family are in and the increasing control her father is trying to exert over her.

The long, arduous, trecherous process of being granted asylum is something that most of us will never know but I felt that it was depicted in such a heartfelt manner. I could really feel the anxiety and despair that the family were going through. Rabinowich has clearly done extensive research into the emotions of refugees and their struggles. It reads very authentically and therefore, it was easy to love and relate to Madina as a real girl.

The realities of the conditions that asylum seekers live in are shocking and this was an eye-opening experience. There are untrustworthy characters around vulnerable people, disapproving decision-makers and very limited space for what seemed like a large number of people. As Madina says, some of her neighbours begin to take on animalistic behaviours and I wondered whether that could reflect how they’re being treated.

Of course, Madina and her family have seen harrowing things and their memories are forever scarred by them. Her father is a doctor who treated anyone and everyone, which made him a traitor in the eyes of some people in their home country. This is why it’s extra dangerous for them to ever return. Madina’s father is a complex character because he clearly has kindness in his heart but his actions later in the book angered me so much. But of course, he is a product of his culture and upbringing too and in fact, the whole novel is about everyone’s struggle to adjust to their new, enforced situation.

Madina is a teenage girl and as well as the extra challenges she faces as a refugee, she has to deal with the same issues that every teen girl goes through. These include body image, crushes, friendship tension and of course, her studies. She is constantly comparing herself to her friend Laura, a girl from a completely different family and culture to her own. It’s almost as if Madina is noticing her differences for the first time and really learning who she is and how she fits in.

Of course with the painful past and ongoing turmoil that her family are going through, it’s easy to see why Madina just wishes she was someone else. She wants nothing more than a simple, quiet life like her friends have and my heart broke when she just kept being delivered more and more drama. Although I don’t know the exact pain that Madina is going through, I know the feeling of just wanting all the bad things to go away but being powerless to stop them coming.

Me, In Between is a powerful, eye-opening novel that feels very personal. Madina is a very authentic character and as the book is told through her diary entries, I felt like I got to know her very well. There is a lot of emotion and beautiful sentiments that came through wonderfully in Claire Storey’s translation of the book. Although it is just a portrait of what it’s like to be someone like Madina, there is a lot of educational exploration of her culture and her story that everyone would benefit from reading.

I really enjoyed this book and I think that it is an important book for young adults, and in fact anyone, to read. It was so raw and real and also so beautifully written. with a storyline that is affecting so many people in these current times. A great read that I will definitely reread.