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debimorton's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sama and Hadi, married Syrians living in U.S. in 2016. Sama pregnant, early labor starts at hospital. Hadi went back to Syria for fathers funeral, but gets stuck there by Syrian immigration ban.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Islamophobia, Deadnaming, Racism, and Deportation
gendavis's review
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Islamophobia, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Medical content
tnociti's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
madradstarchild's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, War, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Grief
Minor: Medical content, Torture, and Blood
theskyboi's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon and Schuster for the free copy for review.
Documenting the essence of history as it truly happened befalls those of us with a keen intellect and a heavy heart; the stories most worth telling are the ones that require equal parts reflection and discussion.
For me, No Land to Light On reads somewhat like a modern-day Moby Dick. It is a story comprised of the story of human desire and resilience paired alongside scientific accounts of the migratory patterns of birds. As Sama and Hadi are separated by a travel ban that leaves them uncertain of their status as a budding family in the United States, chapters alternate between their courtship in Boston, their past in Syria, and their current dilemma across two continents.
At times too difficult to confront alone, the reality of insufficient measures for asylum seekers is at the forefront of this novel. For what I craved in terms of a solid resolution or more plot-driven scenes, this book was able to make up for in its approach to recording the effects of American policies on global affairs. Similarly, the candid expressions of doubt, frustration, and longing from the protagonists is definitely what propels the story forward.
Although I'm not certain that this book is for everyone, I know that its content is pivotal for both contemporary and future readers. History will be framed not only by the power players, but by the dreamers and writers who dared to pair fact with emotion.
Documenting the essence of history as it truly happened befalls those of us with a keen intellect and a heavy heart; the stories most worth telling are the ones that require equal parts reflection and discussion.
For me, No Land to Light On reads somewhat like a modern-day Moby Dick. It is a story comprised of the story of human desire and resilience paired alongside scientific accounts of the migratory patterns of birds. As Sama and Hadi are separated by a travel ban that leaves them uncertain of their status as a budding family in the United States, chapters alternate between their courtship in Boston, their past in Syria, and their current dilemma across two continents.
At times too difficult to confront alone, the reality of insufficient measures for asylum seekers is at the forefront of this novel. For what I craved in terms of a solid resolution or more plot-driven scenes, this book was able to make up for in its approach to recording the effects of American policies on global affairs. Similarly, the candid expressions of doubt, frustration, and longing from the protagonists is definitely what propels the story forward.
Although I'm not certain that this book is for everyone, I know that its content is pivotal for both contemporary and future readers. History will be framed not only by the power players, but by the dreamers and writers who dared to pair fact with emotion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, Violence, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
booksonadventures's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
You know the feeling when your entire world falls apart? Time seems to slow down, and your life—the moments and decisions that brought you here—run through your mind. Frantic, jumbled, scared. Yara Zgheib captured this panic and heartbreak perfectly in No Land to Light On.
Here, we meet Sama and Hadi. Both characters are Syrian refugees, but their experiences and motivations vary significantly. Hadi has seen the war; he’s jaded and traumatized and looks to Sama for hope and wonder. Together, they’ve made a home, started a family. But when Hadi returns to Syria to bury his father, his flight home to the U.S. lands on the same day as Trump’s infamous “Muslim ban.” Essentially, he’s locked out.
This is not a linear story, as Zgheib slips effortlessly between perspectives and timelines. There is hurt on many levels, from losing your homeland to losing your dreams for the future. Zgheib brings a human face to the refugee crisis and the impacts that political games have on people and families. This may be a short book, but it packs a punch. I recommend reading over a few days so you can feel with these characters and not get overwhelmed.
I enjoyed the floral language and the parallels with bird migration. A stark reminder that borders are arbitrary and the drive to provide a better life for your offspring is primal, and migration is a human right.
Big thank you to Atria for sharing this ARC with me. This is my honest review.
Here, we meet Sama and Hadi. Both characters are Syrian refugees, but their experiences and motivations vary significantly. Hadi has seen the war; he’s jaded and traumatized and looks to Sama for hope and wonder. Together, they’ve made a home, started a family. But when Hadi returns to Syria to bury his father, his flight home to the U.S. lands on the same day as Trump’s infamous “Muslim ban.” Essentially, he’s locked out.
This is not a linear story, as Zgheib slips effortlessly between perspectives and timelines. There is hurt on many levels, from losing your homeland to losing your dreams for the future. Zgheib brings a human face to the refugee crisis and the impacts that political games have on people and families. This may be a short book, but it packs a punch. I recommend reading over a few days so you can feel with these characters and not get overwhelmed.
I enjoyed the floral language and the parallels with bird migration. A stark reminder that borders are arbitrary and the drive to provide a better life for your offspring is primal, and migration is a human right.
Big thank you to Atria for sharing this ARC with me. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
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