67 pages 2 hours read

Tahereh Mafi

A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2018

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.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi follows 16-year-old Shirin, a Muslim girl in post-9/11 America, as she navigates racism and intolerance in her new school. Struggling to protect herself behind emotional barriers, her life changes when she develops a hesitant romance with Ocean, a popular white boy, despite societal pressures and challenges they face together. The novel addresses themes of racial intolerance and anti-Muslim bigotry.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Tahereh Mafi's A Very Large Expanse of Sea offers a poignant portrayal of post-9/11 American life through the eyes of a Muslim teenager. Readers appreciate its emotional depth, authenticity, and representation. Some critiques highlight pacing issues and predictability. Overall, it’s a powerful, engaging narrative on identity and resilience.

Who should read this

Who Should Read A Very Large Expanse of Sea?

Fans of contemporary YA novels dealing with identity and prejudice will enjoy A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi. Comparable to books like Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Samira Ahmed's Love, Hate & Other Filters, this book appeals to readers interested in post-9/11 Muslim-American experiences.

RecommendedReading Age

14-18years

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Family

Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Relationships: Friendship

Genre

Auto/Biographical Fiction

Realistic Fiction

Modern Classic Fiction

Topics

Race / Racism

Period

September 11 Attacks