Take It Back: The thrilling, explosive and shocking novel that has everyone gripped Paperback – March 19, 2020

Love a good thriller and this one keeps you guessing till the end. Loved the main character and felt sympathy for her at the same time. Did not disappoint! Quite timely too with the paparazzi and elements of racism.

Kia Abdullah’s novel, Take It Back is plugged as a “thrilling courtroom drama”, but it is more than that. It tells the story of Zara Kaleel, who is battling her own demons when, having exchanged her career as a high-profile British barrister for a job at a sexual assault referral centre, she takes on the case of sixteen-year-old, facially-deformed Jodie Wolfe. Jodie accuses four classmates of rape. The alleged rapists are the handsome sons of hardworking immigrant families. Like Zara, they are Muslim. Their stories of denial corroborate, but Zara believes Jodie, despite the fact that it is widely known that the girl had a crush on the leader of the four boys.Already distanced from her own family because of her independence and a recent dramatic incident, Zara is branded an “Uncle Tom” by the Muslim community during the trial. The case also reveals larger divisions in contemporary British society and underscores ugly patriarchal sentiment within communities and groups of people.As things heat up and Zara struggles to deal with her fragile personal relationships and health, both Jodie and the accused wish they could “take it back”. But what does that mean? Who is lying? It is difficult to tell. There are several twists and I changed my mind multiple times during the novel.Take It Back is a powerful and thought-provoking book, which examines religion, misogyny, race, privilege, culture and divisions in society. It is pacey and exciting. The story also reveals how, even when you are estranged from your family and culture, and reject many of their beliefs, the ties that bind you to them are strong and it is hard to exist outside the circle.If you enjoyed novels like Anatomy of a Scandal (Sarah Vaughan) and My Sister’s Keeper (Jodi Picoult), you’ll enjoy Take It Back – although I rate Abdullah’s writing above that of both Vaughan and Picoult.

Love the suspense, the story flowed well, a real page turner

GREAT READPage turner and surprise ending. I loved it

Tough subject. I would not recommend this to anyone. Not poorly written but not enjoyable to read.

Great court room drama. Keeps you guessing until the end!

Jodie Wolfe is a sixteen-year-old white girl with facial deformities, who has had a hard life. She lives in a council flat with her alcoholic mother who blames her for ruining her life with her looks. She is also constantly bullied and the family has next to no money.Jodie is surprised when attending a house party that the most popular and sexiest boy in her school, Amir Rabbani, wants to make out with her. He leads her away from the party and to a nearby disused building.When they arrive three of his friends turn up. What happens next is one girl’s word against four young lads words. Jodie accuses three of the boy’s of rape but the boys stories all collaborate and they swear that they never touched Jodie.With rape councillor Zara Kaleel, once a promising young lawyer on her side Jodie prepares to go to court but with doubt creeping in both directions this is going to a huge case, one that has already been leaked to the media and they are having a field day with it, especially when they realise that three Asian lads from immigrant families might just have raped a white girl.All I can say is OMG this book is so amazing. This is how you capture your audience and keep them entertained throughout. The story is explosive and hard to swallow at times, especially when the media get wind of the case and blow everything up for clickbait or to sell more papers.Jodie is a young girl who has had a rough ride. Imagine being the laughing stock of your school, being so poor you can barely eat and having a mother (no father or siblings) that blames you for her life being a mess and is mainly found either drinking or passed out. Her mother also doesn’t believe a work Jodie says and won’t help her with the trial, neither will those she thought were her friends.The four young lads – Amir Rabbani, Hassan Tanweer, Mohammed Ahmed and Farid Khan – three who have been accused of rape, one who was present but didn’t touch Jodie, are all from hard-working immigrant families. They are well respected in their community and their friends and families don’t believe any of them could be capable of rape.Councillor Zara loves her job. she is sometimes reckless, emotionally cut-off from her family and any potential partners and relies heavily on prescription drugs to get her through the day, and sometimes to give her a high. Zara herself didn’t have it easy growing up and after being in an arranged marriage and then getting divorced she became an outsider to her family a disappointment, she is determined that no-one else feels like that, ever.The book deals with all three sides but told in the third person. You are given both sides of what happened regarding the rape and watch it play out. There were things that Jodie did that I questioned and the same with the lads and their families. There are a lot of layers to the book which you have to peel back the further you get into the story. It is one of those books that you really want to get to the end to find out the truth but you don’t as you don’t want the book to finish.The plot will play with your emotions. I don’t mean that it will make you upset but in that, you will feel anger for Jodie at the life she’s led and what has happened to her. Furious with the news outlets who see the court case as a means to sell their papers and they don’t give a damn about anyone’s feelings. Pity for Zara at what she has been through but empathy for the life she created for herself. As I said, it is emotional and also draining at times but it is well worth your time.Book Reviewed on Whispering Stories Book Blog*I received a free copy of this book, which I voluntarily reviewed

This is a story about Jodie Wolfe, a sixteen year old girl with facial deformities who accuses four boys in her class of an unthinkable crime. Four immigrants with parents who have worked extremely hard to survive and support their families in a ruthless foreign land.One night, one incident and two water tight versions. Or are they?  From the very beginning, the razor sharp plot had my attention. The innocent little girl who everyone pities, people only throw her a second glance only in horror. The charming, handsome boy, Amir who every girl dreams of. The characters are sketched complex with each extending into families with their own quirks. A brave, feisty lawyer Zara Kaleel who immediately warms up to her client and believes her innocence when even Jodie's best friend laughs at these incredible accusations.Who is telling the truth? It kept me guessing from the very beginning till the very end. I found myself oscillating between the accused and the defendent, rooting for the other every time. The lawyers banter is dramatic and each time it unfolded something jaw dropping.It left me with answers to many questions,  but I found myself pondering over so many more questions about society, prejudices and the simple act of survival instincts. A must read for all those who enjoy this genre.

I enjoy a book that has lots of twists and turns, which this one does. I will definitely read more from this author. I am taking this book to the cottage this summer for my guests.

A facially deformed 16-year-old white girl with an absent father and an alcoholic mother who accuses four Muslim fellow students of raping her. The boys are from hard working immigrant backgrounds and all have a matching plausible account of what happened.This is a high calibre court case drama. It grips you from the first page, you know that somebody is lying but who ?and why?Kia Abdullah created a wonderful book exploring the social and racial issues with great characters. It is timely and thought-provoking at the same time heartbreaking.If you want a good gripping courtroom drama, this is definitely for you.

Take it Back by Kia Abdullah is a powerful, tightly-orchestrated courtroom drama whose after-effects will remain with me for a long time to come. In fact, I’d say it was one of my favourite reads this summer. But I hesitate to use the word ‘favourite’, because in a way that demeans the heavy subject matter of the novel, as though implying that reading about sexual abuse and prejudice is just a pleasurable pastime. So maybe I should re-phrase that as: Take it Back was one of my most thought-provoking and meaningful reads this summer.Kia Abdullah’s evocative writing style consumed me from the very first page, And what a first page! I want to have it framed for written evidence of the power and beauty of language. Add to this the vivid characterisation of all the cast, and you already have the perfect recipe for a successful novel.The author’s mastery of characterisation especially applies to her protagonist, Zara - an attractive 30-year-old British Muslim woman who has inner struggles not only with her cultural identity, but also with addiction and romantic relationships (though ‘romantic’ is a hardly a term that Zara would approve of). Having given up her well-paid job as a barrister in a prestigious law firm, she now dedicates herself to helping victims from underprivileged society, demonstrating a passion for her work that her white boyfriend would long to see directed towards him instead.When she takes on the case of Jodie, a 16-year-old white schoolgirl with facial deformities who is accusing four Muslim boys in her class of gang raping her, Zara has no idea of the wild and furious storm that is about to assail her from all sides: the Schadenfreude-hungry media, the local Muslim community (accusing her of being a traitor to their religion), and her very own, tradition-respecting family. However, Zara being Zara (I just love that woman!), she throws herself fearlessly into Jodie’s cause, aiming to gain justice at all costs - whether or not the accused boys are of her own faith. Right to the bitter end she believes that she must fight on the side of right, regardless of the consequences to her personal life. And believe me, there are huge consequences. As the court case progresses, the jury, as well as the reader, find themselves constantly ping-ponged between the question: is Jodie really telling the truth? Are the boys really lying, as Zara believes? I won’t give any spoilers here; all I can say is that it’s a heart-stopping riddle that keeps you gripping the edge of your seat right to the very end.If I had to express one little doubt, it would be the very ending of the novel, which left me wondering, was that plausible? Why didn’t Jodie say more when that last-minute blow was delivered to the courtroom? But the fact that this one half-voiced doubt did not even dent my overall appreciation of the book is testimony to what a great novel it is. To sum up, I'd say that Take it Back is a tour de force that has made me think about more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in my philosophy. As Schumann said of Chopin, so I now say of Kia Abdullah: “Hats off, gentleman! A genius!”

3.5 starsClassified as a psychological thriller, it is much more than that. This compelling and disturbing read addresses ugly racial and anti-immigrant feelings that surface in British society, but I felt it could be set in many other Western countries. It explores uncomfortable issues of race, religion, misogyny, cultural beliefs, arranged marriages, rape, and physical disabilities. This is the story about a reported gang rape, the resulting trial, and its ugly related fallout. It contains many lies and very little justice. Jodie Wolfe is a 16-year-old white school girl. She has horrible facial deformities due to neurofibromatosis. She comes from an impoverished home with a hostile, drunken mother who calls her daughter ugly. She blames her daughter’s disability for her misfortunes in life. At school, Jodie is tormented and bullied due to her appearance. Zara Kaleel is a rape counsellor who left a brilliant career as a barrister with its high financial rewards to advocate for victims of sexual assault and its trauma and prepare them for court. A barrister friend is trying to understand why she left a successful legal career to become a victim’s advocate. Zara says that now she can see results and is making a positive difference.He says, “ You could have done anything. You were really something else!” She replies, “Now I am something else somewhere else.” He wonders why she is still looking so sad. Zara, a Moslem woman, had a very short marriage which was arranged by her devout Moslem family. When she left the marriage her family felt disappointed and ashamed. They are resentful and partly jealous that she chose a career over being an obedient housewife and mother. She dulls her feelings with the imprudent use of antidepressant medication and treats men who show romantic interest with hostility. When Jodie reports to Zara that she has been raped by four popular Moslem classmates from hard-working Asian immigrant families, Zara promises to find justice for her. The boys all tell a different story from Jodie, which seems to collaborate their innocence. Someone is lying, but whom? Zara believes Jodie, but her mother and best girlfriend believe she is lying for attention. It is difficult to discern the full truth because both Jodie and the boys keep changing details of what happened. The trial is a sensational one. Zara is treated as a traitor to her race, culture and religion. She is harassed by the press, attacked on social media and physically. The boys are made out to be villains, and their university admissions and future careers in jeopardy. One becomes a victim of a horrific hate crime. Jodie is vilified as a liar. People do not believe that boys who could date any beautiful girl in their school would rape such an unattractive girl. An expert witness is called on to explain the nature of rape, and that the charges are believable. The disturbing story kept me riveted to each page. I did not much like any of the characters and was dissatisfied with the ending. The story seemed very believable, and I thought similar tragic events might occur in real life.