Perfect Iranian girls are straight A students, are always polite, and grow up to marry respectable Iranian boys. But it’s the San Fernando Valley in 1996, and Rana Joon is, far from perfect — she smokes weedand loves Tupac, and she has a secret: she likes girls.
As if that weren’t enough, her best friend Louie — the one who knew her secret and encouraged her to live in the moment — died almost a year ago, and she’s still having trouble processing her grief. To honor him, Rana enters the rap battle he dreamed of competing in, even though she’s terrified of public speaking.
But the clock is ticking. With the battle getting closer every day, she can’t decide whether to use one of Louie’s pieces or her own poetry, her family is coming apart, and she might even be falling in love. To get herself to the stage and fulfill her promise before her senior year ends, Rana will have to learn how to speak her truth and live in the one and only now.
Jacket illustration © 2023 by Salini Perera
Jacket design by Karyn Lee © 2023 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
PRAISE FOR RANA JOON AND THE ONE AND ONLY NOW
“Achingly beautiful and devastatingly funny. Rana Joon is the big sister I wish I’d had growing up. Required reading for every Iranian-American teen.”
“This book had me at Tupac Shakur—rap legend and hero to sixteen-year-old Rana and her late best friend, Louie. But Rana Joon and the One and Only Now is about so much more than rap—it’s a story for anyone who’s ever missed someone, who’s wondered when and how to step out of the shadows, who’s turned to art to explain the inexplicable. Deftly written and emotionally honest, Rana Joon and the One and Only Now is nothing if not true to itself, a book as genuine and open-hearted as its heroine.”
“Like the greatest Persian poets, Rana Joon asks big questions: about life and death, love and loss, the pain of a fractured family and the pleasure of a well-tended garden. Shideh Etaat’s debut is a breath of fresh air and punch to the gut all rolled into one.”
“Rarely do we see a main character as real, tough, and refreshingly honest as Rana Joon. As she navigates life after the loss of her best friend, Rana discovers how grief, the pull of first love, and the importance of being true to oneself are all entwined and inevitable in the messy but glorious orbs of our lives. A moving and heartfelt debut. ”
“A vivacious debut [with] a nostalgic vibe and the effervescent air of a summer block party, expertly complementing the heady seasonal California setting. Through Rana’s magnetic POV and striking poetry, Etaat conveys Rana’s anger, desire, and grief, making for a lively and thought-provoking exploration of self-love and self-discovery.”
“Through excerpts of Rana’s poetry, we see how her bold exterior masks the breadth of her pain. The end isn’t tidy or certain, but it offers hope as Rana sees the value in her voice and its demand for truth.”
“Rana is an engaging lead with a satisfying journey of self-growth. . . . [a] lyrical read. ”