A review by pangnaolin
Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"Palestine was something raw in the family, a wound never completely scabbed over."

This was such an incredibly beautiful read. I loved the way Alyan's style shifted with each character and gave them such unique voices, and the characters themselves were so important to hear the stories of, each one exploring what it means to find a place in the world when your roots have been torn up by war.

I was especially taken by Atef and his gentleness despite it all, especially as a father, but also with his intimate connection with Mustafa and how PTSD and depression ravaged him after the war. I think it's common to treat PTSD as something that will always make you violent, and he was such an important and sad but wonderful depiction of a different story-- especially as a victim of awful things and not the soldiers doing them.

I adored watching young Riham and her young exploration of religion (especially with Salma, and as an escape in some ways from her mother), and was struck by the choice to make her somewhat disappear into the background as an adult. I sort of wish I could've heard/seen more about her relationship with Atef did or didn't continue and how they both felt about it, since the bond was so deep when she was a child.

Each character echoed so many real stories, and I felt with them through every single trauma, family fracture, displacement-- from Palestine to Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United States-- through every generation.

I just really would recommend you read this one. It was so moving, gut-wrenching, & incredibly worth it.