The first day you come to a new country, you have to adjust to the new culture. The lifestyle, language, and how life goes. What about the next day, while trying to deal with the new life, you are discovered to be a model? That’s what happened to the main character Khadija. This novel, Where I Belong, by Gillian Cross, is a book for high fashion lovers and readers who love thrillers.
Where I Belong, by Gillian Cross, is about a Somali girl who gets discovered by a fashion designer to become a model. The book starts off with Geri, a Somali native who changes her name to Khadija to moves to the UK and help her family by getting an education. She lives with a family. When she gets discovered to model, she hopes to use the money to bring her family to the UK. Despite this wonderful opportunity, her identity must be hidden. But when her brother is captured, she’ll have to use the money to free him. Will she save him? Read to find out!
There are many positive things about this book. Firstly, the book takes three perspectives. Different perspectives explore different events. Also, there are few words in Somali, so the reader will learn a new language. Lastly, there are many different settings.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. This novel is very interesting, and keeps the reader making constant guesses. But there are some flaws. The book has some words translated in Somali that may be hard for some people. Also, the different perspectives can be confusing. Otherwise, it’s a great book.
Think about your loved ones when making important decisions. That is the theme for the book. Khadija represents this. When Khadija looks for work, she hopes to use the money to bring her family. Also, when her brother is captured, she’ll use the modeling money to free him.
To wrap up, Where I Belong is a book that combines high fashion and thrillers into one great story. You will be asking many questions while reading this book. Will her brother be saved? What if her identity is revealed? Will she make the money she needs? There’s only one way to read to answer these, and that is to read this book!