YA book review: Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel
Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel
When we meet sixteen year-old Rani Patel, she has just discovered that her father is having an affair with a young woman not much older than Rani. In protest, Rani shaves her head, a symbolic gesture showing her father is dead to her. More significantly, Rani is a victim of
sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Rani’s parents have a traditional arranged Indian
marriage, and Rani’s dad wants his new girlfriend to move in with the family.
sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Rani’s parents have a traditional arranged Indian
marriage, and Rani’s dad wants his new girlfriend to move in with the family.
It’s 1991 on the small Hawaiian island of Molokai. Rani’s great passion is hip-hop rap, and
she writes lyrical rap that expresses her emotions that have no other outlet. As MC Sutra,
Rani gets invited to audition for the 4Eva Flowin’ hip hop crew that performs on the island.
The leader of the crew is a good looking but much older man named Mark, who Rani
develops a crush on and decides to date when the better choice, her friend Pono, doesn’t
return her affections.
she writes lyrical rap that expresses her emotions that have no other outlet. As MC Sutra,
Rani gets invited to audition for the 4Eva Flowin’ hip hop crew that performs on the island.
The leader of the crew is a good looking but much older man named Mark, who Rani
develops a crush on and decides to date when the better choice, her friend Pono, doesn’t
return her affections.
Rani makes some poor choices, and readers will likely be yelling through the pages to try to help guide Rani to make better choices. However, we see Rani grow stronger as a result of her experience. Similarly, Rani’s mom, who works tirelessly at the family store, eventually
learns to stand up for herself when confronting her cheating husband.
learns to stand up for herself when confronting her cheating husband.
Rani Patel in Full Effect is a multi-cultural novel set a generation ago, when Run DMC and
Salt N Pepa were at the height of their influence. The novel introduces a number of
languages to most readers, and there is a helpful guide in the back of the book to help readers with some phrases from Gujarati and Hawaiian Pidgin.
Salt N Pepa were at the height of their influence. The novel introduces a number of
languages to most readers, and there is a helpful guide in the back of the book to help readers with some phrases from Gujarati and Hawaiian Pidgin.
In the author’s note following the story, first-time author and full-time Psychologist Sonia
Patel admits that Rani is able to overcome the shock, pain, and trauma of incest faster than the average victim would. But like a real-life victim, Rani makes poor choices in an effort to mask the pain and betrayal, and those choices lead to more poor choices. As readers, we
can see the downward spiral and feel somewhat helpless for her. But we also see her pick
herself up, resolve to make better life choices, and become a strong young woman with
a sense of purpose and a sense of self.
Patel admits that Rani is able to overcome the shock, pain, and trauma of incest faster than the average victim would. But like a real-life victim, Rani makes poor choices in an effort to mask the pain and betrayal, and those choices lead to more poor choices. As readers, we
can see the downward spiral and feel somewhat helpless for her. But we also see her pick
herself up, resolve to make better life choices, and become a strong young woman with
a sense of purpose and a sense of self.
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