The cover of the book gives away nothing. It doesn’t prepare you for the rollercoaster of emotions you’re about to go on, in fact you might not even be drawn to the book from the cover. But rest assured this is a title that you need to pick up and read – it’s beautifully strong literary fiction from a very talented Author, exploring mental health, trauma, relationships and family.
This was my first introduction to Etaf Rum’s writing and it absolutely won’t be the last of her books that I pick up. Her writing is simply beautiful. There was so much emotion contained within Yara’s character that spilled out of the pages, and an incredible depiction of mental health. There is so much contained within this including cultural obligation and expectation, displacement and healing and self-compassion. There is much to be taken from this book and so much more to reflect on.
About the Book
The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Woman Is No Man returns with a striking exploration of the expectations of Palestinian-American women, the meaning of a fulfilling life, and the ways our unresolved pasts affect our presents.
Raised in a conservative and emotionally volatile Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur who took her to the suburbs. She’s gotten to follow her dreams, completing an undergraduate degree in Art and landing a good job at the local college. As a traditional wife, she also raises their two school-aged daughters, takes care of the house, and has dinner ready when her husband gets home. With her family balanced with her professional ambitions, Yara knows that her life is infinitely more rewarding than her own mother’s. So why doesn’t it feel like enough?
After her dream of chaperoning a student trip to Europe evaporates and she responds to a colleague’s racist provocation, Yara is put on probation at work and must attend mandatory counseling to keep her position. Her mother blames a family curse for the trouble she’s facing, and while Yara doesn’t really believe in old superstitions, she still finds herself growing increasingly uneasy with her mother’s warning and the possibility of falling victim to the same mistakes.
Shaken to the core by these indictments of her life, Yara finds her carefully constructed world beginning to implode. To save herself, Yara must reckon with the reality that the difficulties of the childhood she thought she left behind have very real—and damaging—implications not just on her own future but that of her daughters.
About The Author
Etaf Rum is a Palestinian American novelist and New York Times best-selling author of A Woman is No Man (2019) and Evil Eye (2023).
Purchase the Book
This book can be purchased in our store either on its own or in a cosy Book Box.
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