Spin-off Saturdays: On Saturdays, I will review a spin-off novel. It is recommended that you read the original novel first in order to get the most out of the spin-off. Here is this week’s offering:
Finding My Way is a spin-off of the I Am Malala
Author: Malala Yousafzai
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Source & Format: Public Library—Audiobook
WARNING: If you have not finished the original series, this review may have spoilers!
My Expectations?
When I read Malala’s debut novel, I Am Malala, I thought it would focus more on her life after her shooting but it was more about her life up to the shooting – which I valued in the end. So I was eager to read this book and understand what her life has been like after her family moved to the UK following her attack in Pakistan.
How Does It Compare To The Original?
One of the things I really appreciated in I Am Malala was how open Malala is about her failures in life, and this book was no different. I find it grounds and brings a depth to who she is as a real person — not just this public figurehead of equal education. And while I couldn’t relate to her struggles back in Pakistan when it came to education, I could relate to her reflections on her university experience (finding the balance between studies, friends and the human experience) — even if she was jetting around the world to speaking engagements with world leaders.
She also takes the time to talk about her global projects and what the state of education is for children around the world. It’s great to get a more current look at all those.
Anything I Didn’t Like?
I found my interest waned a bit in the middle of it, perhaps we didn’t need as much detail as we get with her post-secondary experiences.
My Audiobook Experience:
Unlike her original novel (or at least the version I listened to), Malala actually narrates this book herself. It was great to hear her own words tell her story.
Rating: 4/5
I enjoyed getting this insight and update into Malala’s life after everything happened to her as a teen. I think lots of readers will relate to her college years and the need to find yourself, yourself, despite the pressures of others.
Read if You Like: memoirs
Avoid if You: dislike nonfiction
- I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Synopsis for Finding My Way (from Goodreads):
Thrust onto the public stage at fifteen years old after the Taliban’s brutal attack on her life, Malala Yousafzai quickly became an international icon known for bravery and resilience. But away from the cameras and crowds, she spent years struggling to find her place in an unfamiliar world. Now, for the first time ever, Malala takes us beyond the headlines in Finding My Way—a vulnerable, surprising memoir that buzzes with authenticity, sharp humor, and tenderness.
Finding My Way is a story of friendship and first love, of anxiety and self-discovery, of trying to stay true to yourself when everyone wants to tell you who you are. In it, Malala traces her path from high school loner to reckless college student to a young woman at peace with her past. Through candid, often messy moments like nearly failing exams, getting ghosted and meeting the love of her life, Malala reminds us that real role models aren’t perfect—they’re human.
In this astonishing memoir, Malala reintroduces herself to the world, sharing how she navigated life as someone whose darkest moments threatened to define her—while seeking the freedom to find out who she truly is. Finding My Way is an intimate look at the life of a young woman taking charge of her destiny—and a deeply personal testament to the strength it takes to be unapologetically yourself.
