... meandering and melancholy – but ultimately meaningful ... Sharif's memoir grips you for sure – sending you on international adventures and even to the Oscars stage – and could indeed help someone grappling with their sexuality. But despite shared growing pains, most won't relate to his specific privileges. The book also loses its way in its attempts to capture the weight of who his prolific grandfather was ... He posits a strong point, suggesting the world can't subsist on all-or-nothing ultimatums. But it comes across slightly tone-deaf, in spite of his obvious heroism, given the centuries advocates have spent fighting for equality to receive nothing in return.
[Sharif] uses his grandfather’s inspirational, complex, and poignant advice as a guide through his life’s unique challenges and shares his yearning to fully be himself while also gaining acceptance and accomplishing his goals ... Sharif survives many trials and tribulations on the way to revelation.
... moving ... [Sharif] vividly depicts a youth traveling between Montreal and Egypt ... The memoir captivates with sharp cultural criticisms of the prejudices embedded in the Egyptian political landscape, which keeps gay citizens in a constant state of fear for their personal safety ... The writing is direct, exquisitely personal, and most striking when the author addresses the intense internalized conflict between wanting to return to his homeland and the reality that exile is the only way to survive the repressive, anti-gay 'new Egyptian paradigm' ... An inspirational chronicle of courageous LGBTQ+ advocacy in the face of official repression.
Sharif, grandson of the legendary Egyptian actor by the same name, bares all with his stirring debut, an account of his extraordinary and turbulent life ... Despite the rampant homophobia he suffered early in life; a tumultuous coming-out experience in college with his mother; and multiple sexual assaults by powerful men, Sharif remains sanguine and measured in his reflections. And while his convictions may be tinged by his aristocratic upbringing, he maintains his hope in humanity, making several calls for increased dialogue, tolerance, and patience in Mideast politics. This moving story will appeal to anyone looking for an account of inspiration in the face of oppression.
