In the Name of God

Paula Jolin's In the Name of God is a look at one young woman's struggle to find her a way to make a difference in her world.

Nadia lives in Damascus, Syria. She lives with her mother and one brother and is striving to be a good Muslim. The world around her is a combination of Islam, religious and secular law, the imposition of Western ideals, and a government with secret police who limit the speech of its citizens.

As Nadia watches her friends and extended family members try to balance the laws of Islam with the need to go where there are jobs. More and more people are becoming less religious in the name of making a living - or just being influenced by the lax way of life they see others enjoying.

Nadia becomes more devout in reaction to her family. She has one cousin, Fowzi, who may be striking back at the problem. But when he speaks up at a picnic, someone turns him into the secret police. When he is arrested, Nadia goes from being a devout Muslim to crossing the line into Islamic fundamentalism.

With a friend of Fowzi's, Nadia begins to plot about what she can do to strike back at the corruption - to make people rethink their behavior. When hints are dropped about a suicide bombing she does not turn away. But will she go along with the plan? Do the people "helping" her even have the same goals in mind as what Nadia thinks her final statement to be?

Jolin has written a well-researched, well thought out book that makes extreme decisions almost understandable in certain situations. She will make readers think about how easy it is to be pushed over the line when you already believe something strongly. Her book is a must read for anyone living in our world today - and a perfect book for a book club, as it will spark much discussion.

Jolin, Paula. (2007). In the Name of God. New York: Square Fish.