"Maybe not all guys were like the immature high school boys who had no respect for the girls they pursued and barely remembered them a year later. And maybe the right person could help you live the life you want... maybe?"
You Only Live Twice by Autumn Allen follows Zakiyyah, a high school senior who wastes no time planning her future. Barely one week into senior year, she’s already mapping out how to skip the rest of high school and head straight to college. Zakiyyah has always been focused, independent, and driven.
But as she dives deeper into her carefully crafted plans, a new thought enters her mind: what if she had someone to share her journey with?
To everyone’s surprise, Zakiyyah decides she wants to get married. Enter Musa. With marriage as their shared intention, they begin getting to know each other. Things seem promising until tragedy strikes Boston. In a moment filled with stress and heightened emotions, Zakiyyah and Musa experience their first major disagreement. Zakiyyah could easily walk away. But the real question becomes: with or without Musa, what does it truly mean for her to live life on her own terms?
If I had to describe this book in one sentence, it would be: too much, too fast, too soon.
At the beginning, we see Zakiyyah struggling to adjust to her senior year. She previously attended an Islamic school, where everything felt familiar and aligned with her values. Now, in a new environment, she finds it difficult to navigate her friends’ lifestyle, one that doesn’t always match her deen. She feels like she can't fit in.
This, to me, was such a strong and relatable theme. Many Muslim teens, especially those living as minorities, face the challenge of balancing faith and high school life. I genuinely hoped the story would explore this tension more deeply.
But instead of fully developing that theme, the story shifts quickly into another major plotline: marriage.
Zakiyyah, who starts off as laser-focused and independent, suddenly becomes set on getting married after seeing a Muslim couple on the bus. Her reasoning feels impulsive, almost as if marriage becomes a “halal way of dating.” While she eventually gains a more mature understanding of what marriage truly means, the decision that leads her there feels rushed and somewhat immature.
I understand why the author included marriage in the storyline. For Muslim characters, romance cannot be separated from faith. Dating isn’t presented as an option, so marriage becomes the framework for exploring relationships in a halal way.
However, the execution felt unrealistic to me. The emotional leap from focused senior student to marriage-ready teenager happens so quickly that it’s hard to fully believe.
Coming from a Muslim-majority country myself, I see many young Muslim women prioritizing independence, financial stability, and emotional maturity before considering marriage. That perspective made Zakiyyah’s urgency feel unfamiliar to me.
That said, I can also imagine that for Muslim teens living in minority settings, constantly surrounded by dating culture, there may be a different kind of pressure. Perhaps seeing peers freely dating could trigger the desire for an early halal alternative. In that context, Zakiyyah’s mindset may resonate more strongly.
One thing I truly appreciated about this book is how consistently the author portrays Zakiyyah’s Islamic values. Her mindset, choices, and internal struggles are rooted in faith. She is written as a practicing young Muslim trying to do the right thing, even though she sometimes doesn’t fully understand what that “right thing” looks like yet.
It’s refreshing to see a Muslim teen character whose identity isn’t watered down. Her deen matters. Her decisions revolve around it. And that representation feels meaningful.
You Only Live Twice had the potential to deeply explore the tension between faith and high school life for Muslim teens. While the story introduces compelling themes, such as identity, independence, love, and self-determination, the pacing makes the emotional journey feel rushed.
Still, readers looking for Muslim representation, halal romance, and a coming-of-age story rooted in Islamic values will find something worthwhile here.
Disclaimer: My review is based on uncorrected text. This copy is the first stage of the printer's proofs, which has not been corrected by the author, publisher, or printer.
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this copy.
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