I've never read a novel from the UAE before, at least as far as I know, and this was an excellent one to start with. It's historical fiction, set in the 1950s, about a young woman married off to a much older man as a third wife, while in the background the demise of the pearl fishing industry takes place. There's not a great deal of the unexpected here, I have to say: Noora's actions and emotions are about what would be expected from someone in her position, as far as I can imagine anyway, not ever being in that position myself. I very much enjoyed the book but was not surprised by the plot, if that makes sense. I did appreciate, however, that Noora ultimately chose to work within the restrictions of her culture instead of running off with the love interest, which might have taken place in a lesser book. Gargash chose the more realistic path for her here, I think, and made it sympathetic and relatable.

If the plot doesn't especially stand out, however, the language is lovely. It's really beautifully written, and I gobbled it down in a single day because I just didn't want to stop reading. I don't know if Gargash has written any other novels, but if she has I want to read them.