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jencolumb0's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This book has languished in my TBR for more than a year but I am so glad I picked it up now. Though the story centers on generational trauma and a woman in her 30s learning to accept certain contours of the human condition (fear, finite moments, etc), the experience of Palestinian refugees since the final embers of the Ottoman Empire burned figure prominently, making this feel like an especially timely read. It was, indeed, the correct time for me to pick up this beautifully woven story. I enjoyed the multifaceted peek into Jordanian history and culture. The migration themes in this book were far less tragic than are typically seen in pop culture depictions of migration (never mind what’s published in the news) and, more deftly than most, reflected the complexity of migration throughout the life of a person and their family. I enjoyed the fact that the story ended in a HFN but found unsatisfying the efforts to resolve through a pair of letters the conflict with the main character’s uncle. I recognize that this resolution hews closer to who he is shown to be (and effectively loops into the bigger themes of migration and generational trauma) but it was not as satisfying as a full-on, airing of grievances, with a side of personal growth. Generally, though, this is a book that I am delighted to have picked up at this moment in time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Infidelity, Ableism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, War, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Minor: Genocide and Forced institutionalization
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