internationalreads's Reviews (1.69k)

I picked this up in anticipation of my trip to Algeria and I am glad I did. Assia Djebar wrote these seven stories during the “Black Decade” in Algeria, the 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of Algerians were targeted in assassinations and what amounted to a civil war. I appreciated that these stories centered the voices and lives of women during this time. I also appreciated how she interweaves classical themes in Arab literature, like Scheherazade’s storytelling of One Thousand and One Nights, with the modern plots of her stories. This is a unique voice to pick up if you are trying to read more women in translation, but I wouldn’t start with this one if you are new to Algerian history. It’s a fantastic book to submerse yourself more in the 1990s if you already have a general understanding of the history up to that point.

Delightful romance novella that tackles serious issues well in its limited space. I will definitely be reading this author’s full length novels.

I could not get into this book. The main plot was taking way too long to set up and I didn’t care enough about the characters.

I would have really liked this if there hadn’t been so much anti-Roma racism. Big yikes.

First off, how delightful to read an intergenerational Jewish story that does not revolve around the Holocaust! Ultimately this is a story about the intangible things we pass down through generations, the way secrets and mystery and queerness hide and reveal themselves, the relationships between mothers and daughters.

This story is so incredibly Jewish in the way it is told. While the ending is satisfying, there are a lot of plot lines that are not tidily wrapped up - and that is inherently Jewish. Jewish tradition leaves stories undone, things untold, for readers to discuss and question and search for greater meaning. Literally we spend all year reading and examining one book and then start all over again every year 🙃 As the old saying goes, if you have two Jews in a room, you have three opinions. (That is a saying, right? Or is that just something my dad likes to say??) What I’m trying to say is, this would make a fantastic book for a book club discussion.

At times it felt like the author was trying too hard - does every sentence have to be this flowery and deep? Do we need this much academic research ingrained in the story? - but at a certain point I was too invested in the story for that to bother me anymore. I loved the mysterious elements of this novel and not being completely sure what was happening with the supernatural character/s. I wish we had spent more time with Hannah rather than Shiva, but I think the structure of getting more and more from each passing generation was intentional.

If you’re Jewish and queer, this is a must read, but I recommend it to anyone who enjoys dreamy prose, mysterious elements, and intergenerational stories.

This is a memoir as much about life in general as it is about the author’s life. I love that the title is “how to” - like a user’s guide I want to follow. Part memoir, part travelogue, part manifesto, each chapter of this book pairs a theme with a city. My favorites:

On Sex (LA)

On Privilege (Roosteren, Netherlands)

On Love (New York)

On Time (Mexico City)

Online (Montélimar, France)

On Trafficking (Shanghai)

This is not a book to speed through. I had to read this slowly to truly savor each word and reflect on the themes in my own life. It’s not surprising that the prose was so captivating since Lawson is a poet. Even if you don’t share any of Lawson’s identities - Black, nonbinary, disabled, queer, traveler - you’ll find this relatable in so many ways. 

I’m so mad