The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Rehman, Bushra. Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion. Flatiron Books, 2022.

Bushra Rehman's novel Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion is written from the main character Razia Mirza's first person point of view. The narrative employs both the past and the present tenses. The novel's overarching structure follows a linear plot trajectory. However, each of the chapters can function as its own independent vignette. For the sake of clarity, the following summary relies upon a more streamlined and linear mode of explanation.

Razia Mirza lived in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York with her mother and father. As a Pakistani Muslim girl, Razia learned from a young age that she was different from her peers. She therefore relied upon her relationship with her childhood best friend Saima for grounding and support. Saima was the only girl Razia's mother approved of, in that she was also a member of the Pakistani Muslim community. Indeed, the girls' fathers had even been friends in Pakistan before moving to the States.

Then one day, Razia overheard her mother gossiping about Saima's uncle. While working for Razia's father, Saima's uncle had stolen from him. Furious, Razia's mother swore never to talk to Saima's mother again. Once the families stopped talking, Razia felt more alone than ever. Losing Saima meant Razia had no one who truly understood her. Although she tried to make amends with her friend, Saima was too offended by what Razia's mother had said about her family to forgive Razia.

Not long later, a new girl named Taslima moved into the Corona neighborhood. Taslima and Razia became friends shortly after their mothers became acquainted at the local grocery store. Razia was grateful for Taslima because she was also Pakistani and Muslim, and because she dulled her sorrow over Saima.

Over the course of the following years, Razia and Taslima became inseparable. Razia spent the majority of her time at Taslima's house. The girls particularly loved to listen to music and dance together. Razia felt more free to engage in these pastimes at Taslima's than at home. Over time, Razia also became close with Taslima's older sister. Aliza loved academia and reading as much as Razia. The two particularly connected over books. Razia also began to respect and admire Aliza's boldness and confidence. Unlike many girls in their community, Aliza was determined to escape Corona and create a life for herself beyond the life prescribed for her by her parents and culture.

When Razia and Taslima finished middle school, they each started high school at different schools. Razia was attending Stuyvesant, a prestigious high school in Manhattan. In order to fit in at their new schools and to maintain their bond, the friends began meeting up in secret at the Goodwill. They were not allowed to buy or wear secondhand clothing, but the clothes granted Razia the chance to express her evolving identity. When her mother discovered the clothes, she discarded them, infuriating Razia.

After the Goodwill incident, Razia began distancing herself from her family and home. She became particularly preoccupied by her new friendship with a Stuyvesant classmate named Angela. Over time, the girls developed romantic feelings for one another. They eventually started dating in secret. Some time later, when Razia's parents learned the truth about her intimate involvement with Angela, they were furious. Razia's mother insisted they would send her to Pakistan to find a husband. Terrified of this fate, Razia fled her house. She rode the train all the way to Grand Central Station. With the help of Angela and Taslima, she made arrangements to leave New York for Boston. Although she longed for deliverance, Razia was afraid. However, when Taslima told her she was making the right choice, Razia bravely ventured into the unknown.