Love From A to Z

S. K. Ali’s novel Love From A to Z is a young adult novel exploring the complexities of growing up in a Muslim household and claiming one’s Muslim identity in contemporary society. Originally published in 2019, Love From A to Z is Ali’s sophomore novel and was welcomed onto the literary stage with much acclaim. The novel was named a best teen book by Kirkus Reviews, Entertainment Weekly, Good Housekeeping, and Reader’s Digest. Set in the present day, the novel alternates between the protagonists Zayneb Malik’s and Adam Chen’s first-person points of view. The novel’s structure is inspired by Zayneb’s and Adam’s journaling practices, presenting excerpts from their private writing to capture the complexities of their emotional experiences. After 18-year-old Zayneb gets suspended from school for defending her Muslim identity in Mr. Fencer’s social science class, her parents send her to Doha, Qatar, to stay with her aunt, Nandy. On the way, she meets a Muslim boy named Adam Chen. She and Adam immediately connect over their shared Islamic faith and later reunite unexpectedly at a local party. They start to spend time with one another, sightseeing around the city and sharing their joys and sorrows. However, Adam is keeping the secret of a recent medical diagnosis from his loved ones and fears that he can’t pursue a relationship with Zayneb despite his intense feelings for her. Meanwhile, Zayneb is still reeling from the injustices she’s faced at school. These conflicts challenge the way the characters understand the world around them, inspiring the novel’s explorations of the Dynamics of Romance Amid Personal and Societal Challenges, the Impact of Chronic Illness on Young Adults, the Effects of Racism and Islamophobia on Personal Development, and Muslim Identity in Contemporary Society.

This guide refers to the 2020 Salaam Reads paperback edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The novel discusses chronic illness, violence, death, racism, and Islamophobia.

Plot Summary

Fourteen-year-old Adam Chen discovers The Marvels of Creation and the Oddities of Existence manuscript while visiting the museum in Doha, Qatar, shortly after his mom dies from multiple sclerosis. He buys a journal by the same name and starts a private writing practice, which he maintains for the next four years. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Zayneb Malik has been keeping her own Marvels and Oddities journal for two years, too.

Zayneb is living in Indiana with her mom and dad. She’s always had an angry streak and starts speaking up in class when her social science teacher, Mr. Fencer, repeatedly attacks the Islamic faith and Muslim traditions. One day, Fencer sends her to the principal for talking back to him and drawing a knife in her notebook that he finds threatening. The principal suspends Zayneb, and Zayneb’s parents send her to Doha to stay with her aunt, Nandy, through her suspension and spring break.

Zayneb notices Adam on the flight from London to Qatar. Adam notices Zayneb, too, and greets her in Arabic. They share a few conversations but lose track of each other in the airport. The next night, they unexpectedly reunite when Auntie Nandy brings Zayneb to a party with her fellow teachers. Adam asks Zayneb to spend more time together soon.

Zayneb is glad to be in Doha and excited about meeting Adam but continues to worry about her family, school, and friends at home. She keeps in contact with her friend, Kavi Srinkivasan, and hopes that she can combat Fencer’s Islamophobia on her own.

Meanwhile, Adam secretly hides his recent diagnosis of multiple sclerosis from his dad and his little sister, Hanna. Because his mom died of the same disease, he fears causing his family any more pain. He hides the truth from Zayneb as they grow closer, too, and worries that his illness will come in the way of their developing romance.

Finally, Adam decides to ask Auntie Nandy, or Ms. Raymond, for help because she was his mom’s best friend and supported his mom through her illness. Auntie Nandy invites him to take his treatments in secret at her house. One day, Zayneb comes home and finds Adam hooked up to an IV in her aunt’s living room. Adam opens up to her and explains what’s happening. Zayneb offers him her support.

Zayneb and Adam spend more time together, visiting local museums and malls. One day, they get into an argument when Zayneb tries to tell Adam about Fencer, and Adam fails to understand. The teenagers begin to wonder if they have anything in common after all.

Sometime later, Zayneb and Adam reunite outside the local amphitheater and sort through their feelings. They apologize to one another and try to convey the way that they see the world. They admit that they like each other and discuss how to shape a future together.

Zayneb and Adam part on good terms when Zayneb must return to Indiana at the end of her vacation. Adam finds ways to take care of himself through his MS, and Zayneb continues to fight injustice at home. The couple continues to date long-distance for the next four years. Eventually, they get married and build a life together.