The Skin and Its Girl is a striking tapestry of lineage, exile, love, and families that are connected through story and myth. 

We follow Betty, a young, queer Palestinian woman who is at a precipice: should she follow her lover to another country and start over? She heads to her Aunt Nuha’s grave to ponder her history. What follows is a swirling tale that connects her bright blue skin to the Rummani family tree, and her love to one of her aunt’s deepest secrets.

Most of the story is told in second person – Betty is speaking directly to Nuha. We unveil each branch of the family tree in order, but the narration flashes back and forth through time and Betty hints about future connections.

It’s got some beautiful, delicate, shining moments. There’s this thread of united mythology: families are connected by the stories they tell and share. The Rummani family is also linked through cycles of exile, and making the choice to head into exile once more for safety or for love. There are themes of motherhood and responsibility, too – and so much incredible and chilling imagery (just wait until you get to the red chandelier). 

However, while the language is beautiful, it can also be quite slow. Since the story begins at (and before) Betty’s birth, there’s a bit of disconnect during the opening chapters, before she adds in her own feelings and memories as she grows up. 

The middle segment was my favorite. The characters each appeared in my mind’s eye so clearly, Betty’s first friend (and crush) were deeply relatable, and the way Nuha’s stories about Palestine and the Rummanis  blended reality and myth were transfixing. Seriously, Nuha has my whole heart. Her flashbacks were easily the best parts. 

But just as we seemed to reach a climax, it disappeared in a wisp of smoke. I was anticipating some sort of reconciliation, and a bit more of a dive into Betty’s current situation. The ending sentences were carefully crafted, but I felt as though they were missing the emotional weight that the earlier segments incorporated effortlessly.

CW: death (child/parent), suicidal thoughts & attempts, mental illness, colonization, fire, bullying, genocide, homophobia, racism, panic attacks, xenophobia, islamophobia, police brutality, classism, war, abandonment, pregnancy

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