Very Large Expanse Of Sea

'This is a gorgeous book. It's tender and fierce, beautiful even as it depicts some ugly truths. The prose is passionate and honest, unsentimental and big-hearted. The very best books move you to reconsider the world around you and this is one of those. I truly loved it' – Nicola Yoon, bestselling author of Everything, Everything

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary YA novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice

It’s 2002, a year after 9/11, and Shirin has just started at yet another new high school. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments – even the physical violence she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day.

Shirin drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know her. It terrifies her -they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds – and Shirin has had her guard up against the world for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.

Perfect for fans of the Shatter Me series as well as Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Nicola Yoon's The Sun is Also A Star.

About the author:

Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series which has been published in over 30 languages around the world. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, Ransom Riggs, fellow bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, and their young daughter. She can usually be found overcaffeinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere at @TaherehMafi or on her website, www.taherehbooks.com.

Also by Tahereh Mafi:

Shatter Me
Unravel Me
Ignite Me
Restore Me

Praise for A Very Large Expanse of Sea:

'This is a gorgeous book. It's tender and fierce, beautiful even as it depicts some ugly truths. The prose is passionate and honest, unsentimental and big-hearted. The very best books move you to reconsider the world around you and this is one of those. I truly loved it.' – Nicola Yoon, bestselling author of Everything, Everything

'I started reading A Very Large Expanse of Sea on a plane and couldn't put it down until I'd finished the entire thing. Tahereh Mafi's beautiful story touched my heart and taught me so much, I cannot wait for the world to read!!' – Tomi Adeyemi, bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone

'A raw yet astoundingly elegant examination of identity, loneliness and family that is unflinching in its honesty and power. Tahereh Mafi holds nothing back – and the reader is better for it.' – Sabaa Tahir, New York Times bestselling author of Ember in the Ashes

'A Very Large Expanse of Sea reads like a beautiful heart – one that shines and aches and yearns, and above all else, one that loves fiercely against all odds. Years from now, you will remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you experienced this. A transcendent story about truth, love and finding joy.' – Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series.'

Praise for the Shatter Me series:

"Dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense. I dare you to stop reading." – Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series

"Addictive, intense, and oozing with romance. I'm envious. I couldn't put it down." – Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series

"Tahereh Mafi's bold, inventive prose crackles with raw emotion. A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young adult literature – or any literature!" -Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

"IGNITE ME really does ignite all five of your senses. It blows your mind and makes you hungry for more of its amazing characters. It will completely blow your expectations; Tahereh Mafi truly knows how to deliver!" – Teenreads.com

Tahereh Mafi's book 'Release Me' was a No.2 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2026-04-13.

Tahereh Mafi is the #1 New York Times bestselling, #1 international bestselling, and National Book Award–nominated author of over a dozen books, including the Shatter Me series and spinoff series Shatter Me: The New Republic, the Woven Kingdom series, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, and An Emotion of Great Delight. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages. She lives in Southern California with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs, and their family. Visit her online at taherehmafi.com.