#BookReview: The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian

  The Authentics is a fresh, funny, and insightful novel about culture, love, and family—the kind we are born into and the ones we create.

Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage, unlike some of the “Nose Jobs” in the clique led by her former best friend, Heidi Javadi. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real.

But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. It seems everyone is keeping secrets. And it’s getting harder to know who she even is any longer.

With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn’t have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control—can she figure out how to stay true to herself?

Abdi Nazemian's first novel, The Walk-In Closet, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Debut. He has written four produced films, including The Quiet, Beautiful Girl, and Celeste in the City. Abdi is an alumnus of the Sundance Writer's Lab, has been a mentor at the Outfest Screenwriter's Lab, has taught screenwriting at UCLA Extension, and is the head of development for Water's End Productions. He holds a BA from Columbia University, and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. He lives in Los Angeles with his partner and two children. You can find him online at AbDaddy.com.

I really wanted to like this one but there are just some things that didn't work out.  I loved the heritage that was shown and how each person especially Daria identifies as being part of that heritage.  The relationships between the characters was also a plus. We rarely get that kind of thing in young adult novels.   The twist to this one which I didn't see coming was great.  It really turned the life of Daria upside down and that was very interesting.  I really wished that the book would have focused mainly on that topic instead of what it did which I cant say since it would be a spoiler. (sorry) 

The issue with this one is that it gave us this enormous culture shock then almost totally left it behind.    

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Posted in: 2 Stars, Edelweiss, Librarian Reader, Review, Young Adult