A young disabled woman accuses four Muslim teens of brutally raping her. Zara, a successful, glamourous lawyer-turned-victim's advocate believes her and is determined to achieve justice. However, as a Muslim woman, she knows this crime will start a media storm in an age of rampant islamophobia.

Take it Back is one of those novels that gradually sinks under your skin until you cannot stop thinking about it. The next you know you are staying up into the early hours to finish it. I am writing this review a few weeks after finishing it and the novel still plays on my mind, which I think really shows the power of this novel.

This novel is an filled with multilayered and complex story-telling, examining race and the criminal justice system in 21st century Britain. Zara is dedicated to achieve justice for a young victim of rape but, as a Muslin woman, she feels torn with loyalty to her community. Her family and friends feel for the young Muslim boys, who seem to be victims of an islamophobic dialogue as the media is drawn into a fever over the victimisation of a young white victim. Yet Zara stands firm in the knowledge that she is pursuing justice.

However, it soon becomes clear that nothing is black and white, with the victim's account rife with inconsistencies. Zara is left in an uncomfortable position; is the girl lying or is it the ableist society we live in that leads people to doubt whether four good-looking young men would desire a disfigured girl? It is a real whirlwind of a tale, and the tension never lets up. I loved how realistic this novel felt, with an ending that felt just perfect.

Upon first finishing Take it Back, I was satisfied, but now that I have had time to ruminate after setting it down, I am so impressed and moved with what Abdullah achieved with this.

Wow. This book is definitely up there as one of the best books I've read this year.

Jodie is a white teenage girl with facial deformity who accuses four of her male classmates of rape. All of the boys are Muslim. Before contacting the police, she informs Zara Kaleel, a former barrister now working as a rape counsellor, she is also Muslim.

The story is so deep, powerful and thought-provoking. You have Jodie who is used to being bullied and judged her whole life, the Muslim boys and how they are perceived in London and how tough it can be for them and you also hear about Zara's background; how she had been shunned by her family by fleeing her arranged marriage and doing her thing and, in her words, not giving into oppression and standing up for herself.

As Zara is Muslim and on Jodie's side, prosecuting against four Muslim's, the community in London turn against her in scenes that are so emotional and disturbing.

The court scenes are fantastically written and I honestly don't think I can fault this book at all. I'm left wanting more.

Zara is an ex-lawyer who is now a support worker for victims of sexual assault. A young girl, Jodie, comes to see her and says she was raped by some boys from her school. Zara helps Jodie pursue the case through the courts when the boys deny Jodie's allegations.

Zara has her own problems. She has intimacy issues, substance issues, and she has problems with her family too. She is a Muslim woman who doesn't necessarily live how her family think she should. So when she becomes involved in a case with a white girl accusing four Muslim boys of rape, Zara faces a tough decision between her own personal problems and supporting Jodie, and doing her job and what she feels is right. She believes Jodie, and believes she is on the right side of the case, but others believe that she is on the wrong side of a fight against her own people. Honestly, I didn't really like the character of Zara; I felt there was nothing about her to like and she was quite selfish and self-involved.

This is a hard book to read at times. The issues it raises around rape and also around social attitudes are current and important. These are real problems in society happening right now, so I think a book like this is a good thing to bring those issues to attention. The things that happen in this book I am sure will happen to people in the UK on a regular basis, and that's why it's tough to read.

I enjoyed this book because it kept me guessing. I was never 100% sure who was telling the truth, and it was written in a very clever way. It was tense through the entire thing, and it had a bombshell ending which was absolutely fantastic and the perfect ending.

When Jodie Wolfe walks into Artemis House to accuse four young Muslim lads of rape, Zara believes every word she says and takes on the fight for justice.  Jodie suffers severe disfiguration and the four boys are handsome and popular at her school but Zara encourages her to continue with her fight in court.  As the court case starts, Zara realises that Jodie is an adept liar and the boys are full of charm so it keeps you guessing on just who is telling the truth.

Zara's dealing with the case is complicated as she is also a Muslim so faces the backlash from her family and the Muslim community for trying to put four "innocent" boys in prison on the word of a disabled, white girl.  

Its a strong story that does detail the prejudice, anger and hatred towards all the characters from the various viewpoints of the public.

A great read and look forward to more from this author.

This is a legal thriller that is very prescient for our times. Jodie is a sixteen year old girl with neurofibromatosis and she claims to have been sexually assaulted by four muslim boys. This is written in such a way that when you read Jodie’s story you absolutely believe her but then when you read the perspectives of the four boys you believe them. The novel follows the legal case but also the way the community deals with the accusations. This book certainly makes you think and would make a good book club read as it brings up lots of issues that would make for interesting discussions. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me, it just felt like something didn’t quite sit right with me and I can’t even put my finger on what that was. I did enjoy it though and I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading whatever Kia Abdullah writes next.

It takes a highly skilled writer to tackle a subject as controversial as this, but Abdullah has that skill.

A white teenager with facial deformities accuses four Muslim lads of raping her. The case has the potential to devastate the community with tensions high and prejudice against Muslims growing. Yet when the accuser proves herself to be a highly adept liar, questions arise over whether she is telling the truth or if there's something else going on.

Abdullah keeps you guessing in a tale filled with well drawn characters and unexpected plot developments. When I first started this, I thought it would be just a standard legal thriller, but it pulled me and forced me to read it in one sitting because I had to know how on earth the story could be resolved satisfactorily. 

I'll say it again - there's serious amounts of skill within these here pages.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I loved this book. A story of a disfigured white girl who accuses 4 Asian boys of rape. Throughout the majority of the book you wonder who is telling the truth.  One minute you are siding with one if them, then you think they are lying and side with the other. Then 6ou switch again. And again.  Fill of twists and turns with a great ending. Definitely recommend this book!

This took me by surprise as I had no idea it would be as good as it was.

I love good, well written legal thrillers and this certainly ticks the boxes.

It is thrilling and shocking in equal measures as it tackles the contentious issues of race and prejudice and does them exceptionally well.

I won't provide any spoilers but will simply say that this should be a must read for all aficionados of well plotted and written contemporary legal thrillers.

I was quite worried when I started this book that the blurb reads like a lesson in social issues and politics but I do love a good thriller and the reviews encouraged me to give it a go.
Oh my. What a read.
This is one of those novels that you find yourself telling the family all about even though they have no knowledge of the plot and I possibly bored them silly with it. I even missed the end of an important football match because I just couldn't tear myself away.
An incredibly clever plot that will have you changing your mind many times about just who is lying, how much they are lying or if they are telling the whole truth after all
Right up to the end I was completely swayed and just when the truth finally hit me between the eyes, Ms Abdullah delivered another sucker punch which literally left me breathless.
Yes, it was brave (given the issues it illustrated) but more than anything it was entertaining, thrilling and just so darn clever. 
Top five for me this year. Many thanks.

An intense legal drama that explores ethical and moral issues. When a young disabled girl accuses four young boys of rape. Contemporary issues of race, religion, prejudice and social divisiveness are all in evidence in this authentically plotted crime fiction novel.

The first half of the story begins with the rape accusation and the police procedural that follows on from this. Jodie makes her accusation at a rape crisis centre, which brings her into contact to Zara, an ex-barrister, now reinvented as a rape crisis caseworker. Jodie accuses four boys at her school, she is white and suffers from a disfiguring disability to her face, which has laid her open to bullying throughout her young life. The boys are all Muslim, Zara is also Muslim, and so from the outset, there is inevitable tension, between individuals, families and the community.

There is a strong element of family drama in this first part of the story, as we learn more about the victim, her advocate and the four accused boys. The family reactions and the power of social media are all well documented here. Trial by the press and social media are recurrent themes, and everyone is tainted by them.

The second part of the story is the trial. The courtroom drama is portrayed believably. The drama outside the courtroom is disturbing and powerful. The penultimate twist is harrowing, but don't breathe out too soon, there is more, and this is what makes this story resonate.

Complex, contemporary characters, realistic social issues, and a good understanding of the communities and the issues that they face, make this story read like 'true crime' rather than fiction. It is worth reading, even though, sometimes, it's painful to do so.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A most enjoyable read, which raised interesting moral and ethical questions and made you think about how our own lives and innate prejudices can influence our decisions and affect our judgement of others. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes crime fiction and courtroom drama.

A very controversial story about 4 teenage Muslim boys who are accused of raping a disabled white girl. A muslim woman is also representing the young girl.
The storyline is a tough one and had me feeling very uncomfortable. The Author made it feel authentic be it with Muslim culture, the law and society in general. A community divided who to believe. I liked the story and found myself feeling sorry for everyone involved. The characters were that believable. Great read thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is different from my usual kind of book but I found it to be gripping from the start. I couldn't put it down .
Highly recommended

Zara works for a rape crisis centre. An ex lawyer who has turned her back on her Muslim upbringing and wants the nice things in life. Jodie, a 16 year old accuses four Muslim teenagers of rape: is she telling the truth? 

It’s not often I finish a book with wow but this floored me! The pain that all parties are going through and the ferocity of the opposing sides was amazing. What a read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Jodie, a white schoolgirl accuses 4 of her Muslim classmates but who is telling the truth is something Zara (ex barrister, now a counsellor), a Muslim herself has to decide, before involving the police etc.  It’s hard to know what to say about this book with the various subjects which arise, which are dark and unsettling.  I didn’t like the start of this at all and found it a struggle, then it improved when the main characters appeared.  Not easy to feel sympathy for anyone involved in this drama which really is a must in a book such as this plus Zara is particularly hard to like.  It was interesting to see things from another perspective though.

A shocking legal thriller pulling together many strings in a un put down able novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a really good read. It was disturbing and made me uncomfortable at times. 16 year old Jodie Wolfe appears at the Rape counselling centre and former barrister Zara Kaleel is assigned her case where she accuses 4 muslim boys of raping her. Zara believes Jodie, who is a sad girl, with a horrible home life and a facial deformity that has made her life a misery.  Zara, herself muslim, and who has been estranged from her family for walking away from an arranged marriage finds herself at the centre of the news surrounding the case. she is targetted by her own community, and we gradually learn what has brought her to where she is today. The story shows the effect of a serious crime on everyone affected - the victim, the accused, the professionals who are involved like it or not. There were many twists and when it came to the verdict I wasn't sure what I believed. The final twist was explosive!

This has to be one of my favourite if not THE favourite book of the year! I was looking for something different to read and WOW did I find it in this book. Take It Back is so much more than a gripping legal thriller. I was hooked from the first to the last page. I could not decide who was telling the truth and who wasn't. A disfigured white teenager accuses four Muslim teenage boys of rape. It's simply a compelling, outstanding read. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!

Yesss! This is how to write an amazing thriller/courtroom drama I mean in my humble opinion not that I have any expertise on writing 😂
But this is probably one of my favourite books in 2019! I loved it that much!
When Jodie a teenager who has facial deformities and an abusive home life accuses four Muslim boys from good, hard-working immigrant families of an unthinkable horrific attack the race is on to find out if Jodie is telling the truth or if the boys are innocent! 
Zara a Muslim barrister gave up her Career to work with victims of sexual violence at Artemis house takes on Jodie's case but that isn't without repercussions for her.
Let me just say I've not felt so strongly for characters as I did in this book for a while now. I had no idea who was telling the truth and my mind constantly changed.
The humanization of the defendants accused of this heinous crime really added another layer to this story for me it made an impact and made me reserve judgment which is something I didn't expect when I read the synopsis of this.
The author has very cleverly created such an intense compelling read with plenty of twists and turns and I actually read this with my heart in my mouth. It's one of those few books that make you gasp out loud!
It's heartbreaking and upsetting but at the same time it's such an important topic and was dealt with so sensitively this book will stay with me for a long time.

I guess this book is quite apt in the way it is a commentary on recent events that have happened in the UK.
As a Muslim I was hoping to read a book that didn't tar all Muslims with the same brush and mostly the author succeeded yet there were some stereotypes I think she could have researched before hand. 

The story was well written and the ending was a surprise.