Want to learn the ideas in A Very Large Expanse Of Sea better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of A Very Large Expanse Of Sea by Tahereh Mafi here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of A Very Large Expanse Of Sea

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on A Very Large Expanse Of Sea, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Tahereh Mafi.

1-Page Summary of A Very Large Expanse Of Sea

Overall Summary

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is a novel about sixteen-year-old Shirin, who is Muslim and wears a hijab. She experiences Islamaphobia in her school and the outside world post 9/11 for wearing her hijab. The novel details Shirin’s experience as she separates herself from others to protect herself, but eventually finds romance with another student named Ocean.

The novel begins with a description of Shirin in high school and her experiences with Islamaphobic classmates. They make fun of her hijab, which they believe makes her a terrorist or someone who supports Muslim extremists. She feels like she’s all alone in the world because she doesn’t have any friends at school and is being targeted for something that she has no control over. Although Shirin tries to ignore what people say about her, it takes its toll on her happiness and social life.

Shirin is passionate about break dancing, and she wants to start a group with her brother and his friends. While performing, Shirin feels free from all of her fears and emotions. However, it’s hard for Shirin to focus on dance when her life is constantly being threatened because of the color of her skin or the fact that she has a boyfriend who happens to be white.

Shirin and Ocean meet in biology class. They become friends, but Shirin is skeptical of him because she’s been hurt by her classmates before. She has a tendency to be unapologetic and headstrong, while he is quiet and apologetic about his actions. However, they have so much in common that their relationship progresses naturally until it becomes a spectacle for the entire student body.

Shirin and Ocean’s relationship is the subject of intense scrutiny once they decide to come out as a couple. Xenophobia, bigotry, and hate are directed towards both of them by students who think their relationship is wrong. They feel guilty for bringing someone into this hateful world with them. However, despite all that hate directed at them, Ocean stays attached to Shirin because he knows how meaningful their differences make their relationship.

Mafi’s novel is partially based on her own experiences as a Muslim woman, and the discrimination she faces because of that. It also draws inspiration from her relationship with Ransom Riggs (a white man). She uses those experiences to write about how people can overcome their differences and find acceptance in each other. The book focuses on growing up as a Muslim woman in America today.

Tahereh Mafi is an Iranian-American author who writes primarily for young adults. She grew up in Orange County, California and has written a number of novels as well as novellas. Her most recent book is A Very Large Expanse of Sea.