Reviews with content warning for Violence - De sterren boven Bagdad

"'It's my fault.' The words leaped from Huda's mouth before there was time to think...
'You're not to blame. And neither was your mom.' She took Ally's hands in hers. 'The informant would have drawn her close. Just like I did to you.'"

No, it's not your fault. Good ownership, but who are you to take blame for actions you were coerced into doing under threat of your and your loved ones' lives?

Something I annotated on page 92:

White women endanger and profit off of the suffering of brown women. Ally's selfish desire to posthumously learn about her mother via her travel log directly correlate to Huda's suffering.

Ally knows she is endangering everyone around her by making this her priority. Huda realizes she is going against her own moral compass by lying, deceiving, and threatening, but feels powerless in the presence of her aggressors -- who regularly visit her home and threaten her family.

I think this kind of writing is dangerous, especially when Huda apologizes to Ally. Glossing over and forgiving Ally's ignorance of others' suffering is detestable to me and an inexcusable tenet of the work.

I understand the author wrote this fictional story based on her real-life experiences working in 2000s Iraq in the OIP as a way to cope/find closure from being "betrayed" by an actual informant. The fact that she writes fictional forgiveness of ignorance on the atrocities world governments inflict upon the peoples that live under them is bullshit.

I admire the context of the story. I was overjoyed that I found a book that could explain through firsthand accounts the tension and danger of the era in this corner of the world. However, the white savior complex written into Ally's character and the ideal that culture can be disregarded -- that we can all live in peace and happiness without reparations or even critical examination of the effects of colonization and racism make this book exactly what it is: coffee table Suburban wine mom garbage reading. It could have been a MUCH better story if Iraqi voices were not merely referenced and consulted but put at the forefront rather than have a third of the novel be a wild goose chase by a well-to-do white woman.

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pagesintranslation's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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kerrireads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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whatskatiereading's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM is listed as historical fiction, but honestly this felt kind of like a thriller to me. The book follows Huda, Raina, and Ally and takes place in Iraq in 2002. The three women’s lives intersect, but they all have secrets that can tear their worlds apart.

This book has a lot of secrets, a lot of “sitting on the edge of your seat” moments where you’re hoping the women find a way to make it out of the situation safely. Each of the women’s stories captured my attention, but I found myself really rooting for Huda especially. The story talks a lot about the secret police under Saddam Hussein’s regime, so there’s some mention of violence that some readers might not feel comfortable reading. Overall I found the book to be really interesting and thought the writing was phenomenal.

One thing I was a little unsure of going into the book was a white woman writing about the experiences of two Iraqi women. The author’s note was really helpful in explaining that the book is drawn on her experiences of living in Iraq in a similar situation that the American/Australian character Ally was in. The author also acknowledges the need for “diverse books, written by diverse authors, in settings and situations that reflect the deep richness of our world”. Reading that put my mind at ease a little bit, but that does not mean this is the only book set in a Middle Eastern country that I will be reading this year. I’m looking forward to reading more books set in the Middle East by authors who are from the region. Thank you Bookish First and Kensington for my copy of WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM

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teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition

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challenging reflective tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

What initially drew me to this story was the cover, and then the synopsis. Based somewhat off the author's own experience, this story tell of life during the Hussain rule, from distantly different backgrounds. One main character is from the west, while the other two are from the east. Together, this meshed for quite an insightful read.

The plot felt like it could be an impactful book, that was emotional and engaging. For me, it did not end like that. The writing was well developed; however, the characters didn't draw me in and engage me. I felt like this would be a dark book, but it felt hazy, like I wasn't truly there and I think that's what it needed, at least for me.

I did find I learned something from this story, which for me is important for a book of this sort. Of a time and place I have no relation to, nor in-depth knowledge.

Than kyou to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

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madelonpaige's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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