Rarely do I come across a book that alters my thinking and opens my eyes to a new world. This is a story of immigrant parents coming to terms with the adults their children have become. On one hand it is the familiar tale of how first generation children clash with the expectations of their immigrant parents. But those tales have been told using experiences and family relations familiar to someone from American culture. In this story, I was immersed in the life of a Muslim family. The author teaches us the day to day lives of this family: what they eat, how they greet one another, what they wear, what they believe. Not by telling us but by showing the intimate details of their daily lives as they have their children, take them to school, teach them about their faith and, like all parents everywhere, adjust to the adults they become. I came away feeling like I had lived in their world and had my eyes opened and my preconceived ideas eliminated.
In addition to the story, the writing is lyrical. It's the first time I've enjoyed a story where the author goes back and forth between characters. The story is told from each person's viewpoint but in a subtle way that moves the story forward while still going back and forth in time, sharing different perspectives of each character. More importantly, we see a family, loving one another, clashing with each other and coming together. Definitely in my top five for 2024.
Published: 2018 Read: October 2024 Genre: Fiction
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