“This beautiful, exquisitely written memoir is as revolutionary now in its vulnerability, honesty, and as the gender explorations in Stone Butch Blues were in 1993 . . . a challenging and deeply satisfying and enlightening read.”—Roxane Gay, bestselling author of Bad Feminist
“As funny as it is original.”— The New York Times
“Hijab Butch Blues is a raw and relatable memoir that challenges societal norms and expectations. Through personal experiences, Lamya H navigates the complexities of gender, sexuality and faith as a queer, nonbinary Muslim. The book is a manifesto for self-acceptance and a call to action for dismantling rigid binaries. It’s a powerful reminder that we are all capable of defying labels and embracing our true selves.”—NPR, “Books We Love for 2023”
“There are people who will call this book blasphemous . . . but there will also be those readers whose minds will be opened, their perspectives broadened, and their binary ways of thinking dismantled.”— The New Arab
“Hijab Butch Blues is quite simply a new classic of queer literature, just like its allusive title implies. . . . Smart and compassionately written . . . Every chapter is incredibly moving and unfailingly surprising in the ways it connects Quran passages with Lamya’s life.”—Autostraddle (Best Queer Books of 2023)
“A truly remarkable rupture in the literary fold. With a precision of prose that is at once riveting and clear-sighted, the ethical and spiritual lessons of the holy book are shown to empower [Lamya’s] queerness instead of obfuscating it.”—Bobuq Sayed, Apogee
“Incisive, achingly honest and thought-provoking.”— Shelf Awareness
“By turns joyful and harrowing . . . profoundly generous and full of perfectly observed moments.”— Xtra Magazine
“Reads as an invitation into the turbidity of faith, and gives no easy answers.”— BOMB
“An inspiring vision of a world in which queerness and the Quran are not only compatible but illuminative of one another.”— Electric Literature
“[Lamya’s] determination to fight for a better world is inspiring…will leave readers feeling uplifted and empowered.”— Queer Space Magazine
“A revelation . . . with precision, compassion, and deeply observed storytelling, Lamya H navigates the fault lines of life and love in a queer Muslim body.”—Linda Villarosa, author of Under the Skin
“To be invited into the richness of Lamya’s interior world . . . is no minor gift. Hijab Butch Blues is for anyone coming home to themselves in a world content to disorient us. Lamya H will show us the way.”—Cole Arthur Riley, bestselling author of This Here Flesh