“Narrator Kyla Garcia recounts the ups and downs of a teenager who is experiencing identity issues…Garcia captures all the teenage turmoil in a fresh and genuine style. She carries listeners along as Daria ignores the ‘nose jobs’ of a rival group of Iranian-American girls and struggles to stay close to the friends she calls ‘her authentics.’” AudioFile
Description
Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage, unlike some of the “Nose Jobs” in the clique led by her former best friend, Heidi Javadi. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real.
But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. It seems everyone is keeping secrets. And it’s getting harder to know who she even is any longer.
With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn’t have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control—can she figure out how to stay true to herself?
Praise
“Narrator Kyla Garcia recounts the ups and downs of a teenager who is experiencing identity issues…Garcia captures all the teenage turmoil in a fresh and genuine style. She carries listeners along as Daria ignores the ‘nose jobs’ of a rival group of Iranian-American girls and struggles to stay close to the friends she calls ‘her authentics.’” AudioFile
“A beautiful and compelling story about identity, race, and family love.” Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author
“The ferociously authentic Daria is a memorable protagonist, narrating in a trenchant, self-aware past tense that carries readers through her personal cultural minefield…Full of surprises both cultural and emotional and narrated in the strong voice of a memorable protagonist…A tale of integrity, identity, family, love, and sacrifice that is sure to satisfy.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“In the sequence of surprises along the way, Daria continually reevaluates the meaning of identity and authenticity. Nazemian weaves a network of diverse supporting characters that further explore these themes…Nazemian keeps it all real by focusing on the strength of emotional bonds that transcend all external differences…Daria’s thought-provoking journey will resonate with teen readers of all backgrounds.” Booklist (starred review)
“Will resonate with readers who have felt like they don’t know where they belong or who they want to be, and certainly with the children of immigrants who feel caught between worlds.” Publishers Weekly
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Dec 21, 2017 |
| Release Date | December 22, 2017 |
| Release Date Machine | 1513900800 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Teen & Young Adult, Politics, Society & Current Events, History & Culture, Children/YA, YA, Fiction - All, Fiction - Child |
Author Bio
Abdi Nazemian is the author of Like a Love Story, which was named a Stonewall Honor Book, and The Authentics. His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers and the television series The Village and Almost Family. He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me by Your Name, Little Woods, and The House of Tomorrow. Find him online at www.abdaddy.com.
Narrator Bio
Kyla Garcia is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. Born and raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, she discovered acting at the age of eight when she played Lady Macbeth in a children’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy. She made her off-Broadway debut at fifteen when she played Dorothy in Oz: A Twisted Musical. Eleven years after she discovered her passion for acting, she would go on to play Lady Macbeth once again in London at the Globe Theatre, where she studied Shakespeare during her third year at Mason Gross School of the Arts. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers University.
Overview
Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage, unlike some of the “Nose Jobs” in the clique led by her former best friend, Heidi Javadi. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real.
But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. It seems everyone is keeping secrets. And it’s getting harder to know who she even is any longer.
With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn’t have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control—can she figure out how to stay true to herself?
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