A review by mjr313
Awayland by Ramona Ausubel

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a lovely book of short stories reflecting in often surprising ways on the ever-present concept of foreignness. It starts with a clear exploration of this topic- a woman from Lebanon who fails to assimilate to California and in the process becomes foreign even from her own children. It ends with a story of three nationless sailors who, trapped on a desolate island, are foreign even between themselves. I devoured this book in two sittings and will be looking for this author’s name in the future.