A Place for Us is a deeply emotional novel told through the different viewpoints and perceptions of an Indian-American family. Author Fatima Mirza takes us through the struggles and personal turmoil that parents Rafiq and Layla endure as they search for ways to make their children's lives happy but still wholesome in their Muslim faith. As they look back on their lives, they find themselves coping with the decisions they had to make to keep their youngest and only boy, Amar, on the same religious path that they themselves have been on. With this pressure, Amar struggles to find a place in the Muslim community, but perhaps even more within his own family.
I enjoyed the intersecting points of view from each of the family members, but the constantly shifting perspective may be confusing to some. The book ends with a powerful monologue from Rafiq to Amar, his words pained and racked with regret. It was a deeply moving end to this emotionally charged piece of literature.