logo

49 pages 1 hour read

Home Is Not a Country

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | YA | Published in 2021

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Safia Elhillo

Home Is Not a Country

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | YA | Published in 2021
Book Details
Pages

224

Format

Novel/Book in Verse • Fiction

Setting

United States • 1990s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

Lexile Level

NP

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Home Is Not a Country, Nima, a Muslim teenager in America, struggles with her cultural identity, feeling disconnected from her US surroundings and longing for a homeland she has never seen. With her best friend Haitham and inspired by magical realism, she explores her heritage and grapples with racism, ultimately seeking solace and belonging within her diaspora community. This book includes depictions of racism, Islamophobia, and hate crimes.

Melancholic

Nostalgic

Contemplative

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

4.4

4,907 ratings

83%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo is praised for its lyrical prose and evocative exploration of identity and belonging, resonating deeply with readers through its poetic style. However, some critique its pacing and abstract narrative structure. Overall, it's a poignant and thought-provoking debut that tackles complex themes with sensitivity.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Home Is Not a Country?

Readers who would enjoy Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo are likely drawn to poignant, lyrical explorations of identity, displacement, and belonging. Similar audiences appreciate books like The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo and Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, which also feature poetic narratives and themes of cultural identity.

4.4

4,907 ratings

83%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Character List

Nima

The narrator and protagonist who starts with low self-esteem and grapples with her identity. Her journey includes embracing her culture and understanding herself better.

Initially Nima's imagined alternate self who seems perfect and confident. As a jinni, she embodies possibility and transformation.

Nima's quiet and close friend, social and confident, who shares cultural interests with her. His experiences parallel Nima's but he maintains a positive outlook.

Nima's mother, characterized by her grief but also her strength. She deeply loves her daughter and insists on maintaining pride in their cultural heritage.

Haitham's mother, a single parent and Aisha's best friend. She has a complicated past in Sudan but plays a supportive role for her loved ones.

Hala’s mother and a source of cultural wisdom. She offers insights into the past and spirit world while acknowledging the drawbacks of nostalgia.

Book Details
Pages

224

Format

Novel/Book in Verse • Fiction

Setting

United States • 1990s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

Lexile Level

NP

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.