A Very Large Expanse of Sea Summary
Tahereh Mafi

A Very Large Expanse of Sea Overview

Mafi Tahereh's novel, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, is one year in the life of Shirin, a 16-year-old girl who is the daughter of Persian parents. Shirin is accustomed to prejudice because of her ethnicity and her choice to wear a hajib. Though she is worried, she allows herself to begin dating an all-American basketball star named Ocean. Her fears come true when she and Ocean face attacks from those he considered his friends. When Shirin wins a talent contest, the high school students accept her as a member of their ranks. Her relationship with Ocean comes to an end, however, when Shirin's parents decide to move again. The novel's main themes are stereotypes, hope, culture, expectations, and roles in society.