A review by bookswithleigh
Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa

4.0

“Dreams matter, Leila gian.” He nodded, stood behind me, and whispered, “Desires matter. Take them seriously.”

I truly don't know how to begin reviewing this novel, despite the fact that I led a discussion on it only a few hours ago. Though Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a fictional novel, it is true-to-life in many horrific ways. This novel is, according to Ava Homa, an homage to Kurdish women, but as a reader coming to this novel with very little education about Kurdish history, it was also incredibly, excruciatingly educational. I cried several times while reading this novel, both because Homa is an evocative storyteller and makes you truly feel for the characters, but also because the things happening in this novel are overwhelming tragic.

Daughters of Smoke and Fire is also a novel about perception, grief, and how to snatch your life back from the brink of death and reclaim it. Each woman in this novel is complex, flawed, and incredibly brave in very different ways. They are more than mothers and daughters. They are, which, as this novel imparts on us in one of the final chapters, is enough.

If you can handle a substantial amount of heavy content, I would absolutely encourage you to read this book. It is hard. It's a challenge. It's worth it.

4 out of 5 Stars.