American Dervish

A Novel

By: Ayad Akhtar

Narrated by: Ayad Akhtar

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Narration by the Author or Authors, 2013

Hayat Shah was captivated by Mina long before he met her: his mother's beautiful, brilliant, and soulfully devout friend is a family legend. When he learns that Mina is leaving Pakistan to live with the Shahs in America, Hayat is thrilled.

Hayat's father is less enthusiastic. He left the fundamentalist world behind with reason. What no one expects is that when Mina shows Hayat the beauty and power of the Quran, it will utterly transform the boy.

Mina's real magic may be that the Shah household, always contentious and sad, becomes a happy one. But when Mina finds her own path to happiness, the ember of jealousy in Hayat's heart is enflamed by the community's anti-Semitism-and he acts with catastrophic consequences for those he loves most.

©2011 Ayad Akhtar (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

" [A] heartfelt first novel.... Akhtar's characters drive a story that's compelling and believable even at its most alien. American Dervish offers a rich look at a nearby world that many Americans don't know nearly enough about." ( Entertainment)

"Loss of innocence-sexual, of course, but also cultural and religious-is the subject of Ayad Akhtar's poignant American Dervish, set in a Muslim-American community in the early 1980s.... With characters full of contradictions and complexity, this debut novel is refreshing for its lack of the political and religious hand-wringing so common in the post-9/11 world. But it's also resonantly familiar in its depiction of youthful obsession and the desire to belong." ( O, the Oprah Magazine)

"a compelling debut with a family drama centered on questions of religious and ethnic identity.... Engaging and accessible, thoughtful without being daunting: This may be the novel that brings Muslim-American fiction into the commercial mainstream." ( Kirkus, Starred Review)

A beautiful story and performance!

What did you love best about American Dervish?

Really enjoyed this story, especially the insight into the Koran from a American Muslim boy's point of view. Great performance!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Epilogue!

A moving story of one man's journey

A very excellent work I was totally drawn into this book and found myself emotionally connected to the characters to the point of thinking how can I help this person. Islamic beliefs are scary to most Americans and in this work the author does well with interpreting the Quran as well as showing us the parts that give us pause. I wish I could have more but alas every story must come to an end at some point

Voice is strong

The voice is so strong in this story, learning a little bit more about the Koran and cultural we know little about...

illuminating

A young boy grows up with his Muslim faith. As his perception of life around him changes, so does his perception of his religion.

Both completely foreign and painfully familiar

This wonderful novel manages somehow to be both completely foreign and at the same time painfully familiar. The foreignness is expected; the reader opens the book already knowing that it is about a Pakistani boy named Hayat growing up in America. There are many truly lovely passages that reveal the wisdom of the Quran and the Muslim faith. One section recounting Hayat’s trip to a mosque is performed as a chant in the audio book, was so mesmerizing I felt transported to that holy place. Other passages offered equally fascinating glimpses into daily life in a Pakistani household, with benign accounts of exotic foods and unfamiliar (to me) gender roles.

Underlying these scenes of Muslim religious and domestic life is the universal tale of a child growing up. Here is where the strange becomes familiar. I do not say this because Hayat is growing up in my home town, Milwaukee, but because his struggles are those of any child. Hayat, like many children, misunderstands what is going on around him, he misinterprets, he thinks everything is about him . . . in short, he is a normal kid. Through his eyes, we witness the cruelty borne by women in the name of religion or to protect their children. In a funny passage, we see Hayat learn about sex. In a sickening passage, we see him act out the prejudice he has learned from the adults around him. Most readers will find echoes of themselves in Hayat’s continuing struggle to fit in.

[I read this as an audio book, extremely well-performed by the author]

Learned a complex culture in a story well told.

Would you consider the audio edition of American Dervish to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version, but I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version. The accents were very real.

What other book might you compare American Dervish to and why?

A book such as Avalon might be comparable with its myriad characters and complex personalities as they attempt to adapt to American culture.

What about Ayad Akhtar’s performance did you like?

His apparent good accent and appropriate intonations called for in the different settings.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

If one is seeking knowledge about a Muslim family and the impact of their religion on them and the place where they live? This is a very good book for beginners such as I.

Outstanding novel

Where does American Dervish rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the most compelling audio books of the many I have listened to over the years. The author's narration is amazing and the various accents he adds to his characters reflects considerable talent.

What did you like best about this story?

The various interpersonal tensions and challenges were developed with skill and nuance.

What does Ayad Akhtar bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I learned quite abit about the pressures in conservative Islam. At some points, candidly, it was quite disturbing and I am not sure how much is based on fact or fact modified by fiction.

Who was the most memorable character of American Dervish and why?

Hayat

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book.

Stick with it

A slow-starting book that feels predictable, but then builds and spins to deliver something more meaningful and nuanced than expected. Have to admit I groaned when learning the author would narrate, but he was terrific and I can't imagine a traditional reader or actor would do better. Learn about the immigrant Muslim community, learn about the Quran, stay for the human experience. Recommended.

Very Good Novel--

American Dervish was an interesting, eye-opening novel. I enjoyed it very much.

This purchase was one of my many "bargains" that I pick up when Audible offers audiobooks cheap! And I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to it. It has a very good story and is narrated beautifully by the author. I truly enjoyed learning about the Pakistani culture and traditions (or the somewhat Americanized versions). It had some sad parts, but nothing tragic and unsettling. Definitely worth a listen--

an emotional journey, boy to man.

what goes on in a family, love hate and acceptance. remarkably told beautifully written. unforgettable