UNBECOMING

Two Muslim high schoolers seek to help other teens access safe abortions in this fiction debut by medical doctor and journalist Yasmin.

In a Texas where abortion is illegal and anyone attempting to get one (or help someone else get one) risks imprisonment, best friends Laylah Khan and Noor Awad are determined to write an “inclusive, straightforward, and helpful guide” for teens who need to find an abortion clinic. Indian American Laylah, who’s a practicing Muslim, wants to go to medical school and specialize in obstetrics and gynecology. Palestinian American Noor wants to become a journalist; she identifies as pansexual and culturally Muslim. Alternating chapters from the girls’ points of view capture their thoughts and emotions as they each hide something from each other. The pace escalates toward the end as the friends open up to one another. Laylah reads about her grandmother’s personal experience with a compulsory sterilization program in Indira Gandhi’s India that was pushed by the U.S.—information that offers valuable context for her family’s supportive attitudes. However, because a major plot point comes fairly late in the story, the ending feels rushed, not allowing enough space for the leads and their relationship to change and grow. Laylah and Noor are strong characters with clear goals and aspirations; Yasmin weaves in their opinions on Islam and relationships, emphasizing the importance of being able to make the choices that affect one’s life.

Timely, important subject matter; uneven execution.