Rashid’s inner conflict is from his debate on whether he wants to blend in with the other students and become one of them or continue to follow his religious teachings, this means keep growing out his beard and participating in morning prayer. With these two lives, he finds himself the target of constant bullying, name-calling, and inner conflict. Rashid is a boy living two lives: the life of an American and the life of a Muslim. Diana’s main issue, her father is in the works of passing a bill that can take away any student’s right to privacy through their phone and social media accounts. Diana is a member of the majority of the clubs at her school to show her diversity as well as show that she can both maintain a social life while maintaining perfect grades. She has to ensure she maintains the image of perfection: perfect clothes, perfect grades, and a perfect smile. Due to Diana’s father’s profession as a Congressman, Diana has to assume the embodiment of perfection, ensuring he was able to serve another term. She is a perfectionist, or at least her parents aim for her to be. With each character having just as much importance as the other characters, I will introduce them in order of appearance in the book:ĭiana.

The book contains 6 main characters, each with a different backstory and two similarities: they go to the same school, and…each is carrying a book bag. Making readers wonder “What if this happened at my school?” The fact that the school is never named, enables the author to make it seem more realistic, as readers are left to imagine their school building. Through the context that some students can drive and some students are considering their future, it can be inferred that it’s a High School. Time Bomb is placed in an unnamed school. When they hear that someone inside is the bomber, they’ll also be looking to one another for answers. They couldn’t be more different, but before the morning’s over, they’ll all be trapped in a school that’s been rocked by a bombing. A guy who wants people to see him, not his religion. An orphaned rebel who wants to teach someone a lesson. A clarinet player who’s done trying to fit in. A congressman’s daughter who has to be perfect.

Time bomb by joelle charbonneau