Weekly Rec: In a Perfect World

I've had a lot going on the past few weeks and needed a book to take me out of myself by letting me get lost in another world, and In a Perfect World by Trish Doller DELIVERED. It's about an upper middle class Catholic girl from Ohio who moves to Egypt for her senior year when her mother is hired to start a health clinic in Cairo, where she learns about a totally new culture, confronts her own biases, and falls in love with a working class Muslim boy. It was just enthralling - both the world Doller creates and the character's personal journey and romance - and I didn't want to put it down.

I'll note that I don't know enough about Egypt to evaluate the accuracy of Doller's portrayal, but she clearly did her research and approached the subject matter thoughtfully, especially in regards to questions of religion, class, and privilege. She's not preachy and doesn't offer easy answers, but the book is ultimately hopeful, and the Serious Issues she addresses are integrated very well into the fabric of the story. It's just a lovely, thought-provoking, satisfying read.