In compelling prose that weaves the past and the present, and switches between the perspectives of three very strong, albeit very different, women, Zoya Patel has created a bittersweet narrative about family, tradition, disconnection, and what it means to have a home. After being estranged from her family because of a disagreement of faith, Ayat is summoned home by her sister, Laila, with news of their mother’s ill health. Unsure of what frightens her more, the idea that her mother is unwell or the thought of having to address the issues that had separated them, Ayat returns home to Canberra and her mother, Khadija. It is through this reunion that the three women are forced to confront whether the bonds that connect them can transcend differences of faith, culture, and community. This is a brilliant debut novel by the bestselling author of the memoir No Country Woman.
Share your thoughts: Has there ever been a time where you’ve felt irrevocably separated from your family? What did you do?
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