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Rebels By Accident by Patricia Dunn

Rebels by Accident - Patricia Dunn

It was her first party in over a decade; it was a high price to pay for Mariam as she is whisked off to jail before her night was over. Disappointment, shame and trust were lost in those short moments, something that her parents valued greatly. Shipping Mariam off to Egypt to spend time with her Sittu (grandma) was their only solution. The horror stories she heard from her father about the iron-fist that Sittu cast was bad enough but then to drag along her best friend Deanna, another party guest, who also needed to be “straightened around,” seemed unreasonable. This punishment seemed rather extreme to me but I am not from their country nor do I know their culture and it was her first offense. When Mar learned that Deana was going, I thought she would be elated, perhaps thinking about ways they could have fun together in another country but Mar was more concerned about the injustice this punishment was for her friend. This said a lot about the character Mar and her relationship with Deanna. I enjoyed the girl’s relationship as they find their way through Egypt and spent their days with Sittu. They are opposites but the true bond of friendship unites them when they needed it. Landing in Egypt, Deanna is pumped about this journey, she acts as if they are on vacation, on a sight-seeing trip whereas Mar is all doom-and-gloom. Deanna has embraced the culture, reading and learning about their destination, the opposite holds true of Mar. Sittu is not what the girls expected, the image in my mind before the flight and after they landed was totally different. Time changes people and even now, the world is changing and Sittu is embracing the change. Sittu wants the girls to experience Egypt but there’s a risk involved if they get too close. The girls are exposed to Egypt, more so than any of the guidebooks can tell them. I, myself, was soaking up the words and the details, thrilled that I can learn in this environment while reading a wonderful story. 

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.