Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a novel set in Iran that follows the lives of the Kurds. Leila has dreams of becoming a filmmaker so she can bring more attention to the stories of oppression from her family and the Kurds as a whole. Her brother Chia, inspired by her father’s past of unjust incarceration and torture, slowly becomes more involved in activism. But his activism as a Kurdish man slowly becomes riskier until he disappears one day. Leila sets out to find him – but when she starts posting Chia’s work online, she finds herself in danger too.

“People do not suffer equally in this or any country. Talking about our reality is not spreading hate. It’s inviting understanding.”

Ava Homa’s book is the first work by a female Kurdish writer to be published in English. Despite the many years and generations of injustice and violence against the Kurds, on the basis of no more than their existence, we almost never hear their stories of oppression. And Ava Homa shares these stories with such power and beautiful writing; for this alone, I consider this book a must-read.

I was amazed to learn that Daughters of Smoke and Fire is Ava Homa’s debut work. The way she writes is so descriptive and beautiful, reminding me of classic literary works. Throughout the book, she creates imagery that is often referenced and brings so much power to the themes of the novel as a whole. Images of the color red, violence and unrest, flowers, and others are used by the author to carry so much meaning. Every small detail of this book contributes to the story as a whole in one way or another.

The author’s attention to detail also really helps to set the stage for the novel and so much is done to emphasize their culture. From Persian dishes to religion to language to gender roles in society, so much is explored in such detail in this book, and especially when it comes to the forced assimilation and silencing of Kurdish culture. And throughout this book, there are so many similarities and differences explored across both cultures and nations. While the book primarily centers in Iran, the book also discusses and explores the lives of Kurds in other nations, and how those nations address and treat them there.

Daughters of Smoke and Fire is also one of the most emotionally gripping stories I’ve ever read. A big part of what’s so devastating for the characters in this story is that nobody knows how much they are suffering. They are aware of how little the world knows what is happening to them, and that adds so much to the difficulty that they face in their fight for equality and justice. But the characters are not hopeless; they are strong, and no matter their circumstances, they keep finding ways to continue their activism.

The final point I want to make is a feature included in this book, which is the map of the region of Kurdistan. When I first opened this book, I was surprised to see a map in a book like this. Outside of fantasy novels, the only times I’ve seen maps are in non-fiction books, in topics like investigative journalism, travel, or true crime. But Daughters of Smoke and Fire is likely the first contemporary literary fiction novel I’ve read includes a map – and the likely reason why that map was included speaks volumes to how little people are aware of what is going on in this part of the world.

So with all this in mind, I can very easily recommend Daughters of Smoke and Fire to everybody. From its beautiful prose to the stories that are being told, this book carries so much power. It may be a shorter book, but not one that you spend little time reading. It’s the kind of book that you spend lots of time with, and the kind that carries so much pain and sadness, but also hope, strength, and resilience. It’s also the kind of book whose story will sit with you for a very long time. So please – do read this book.

CW:

Spoiler

Incarceration, Torture, Suicide, Rape, Murder, Medical Procedures, Violence

Find more of my reviews here: www.julieannasbooks.com

afbaird's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

miljes's review against another edition

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4.0

I received an ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway for this book that is due to publish in May 2020. The novel follows a girl Leila who is growing in Iran and describes her family dynamics including her brother, Chia. When her brother goes missing, she tries in any way possible to find him and finds herself in danger also. This novel reminded me of the Kite Runner with its description of family dynamics especially those between Leila, her brother, and father. The subject matter is heavy and this book took me longer to read because of this. It was an engrossing read too and kept me entertained until the end. Rating is 4 stars.

llinds's review against another edition

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5.0

My reading list over the last few years has featured a lot of books with similar themes, many of which were also found in this book—genocide, racism, misogyny. Often that can make for a difficult read, or a desire to set the book down and take a break from the horrors within. Not this time!

I devoured this book faster than anything I’ve attempted in a long time. While the subject matter is challenging and emotional, the story and the writing are so compelling I didn’t want to put it down and take a break.

cassidee_omnilegent's review against another edition

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5.0

“Trees and flowers bloom despite human barbarism. Maybe I can too?”

Happy Release Day to Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa! You can pick this novel up starting today. One of the first novels written in English by a Kurdish woman, this book is a beacon for Kurds everywhere. I was woefully ignorant of their plight beyond minor knowledge of ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. We have all heard of the different customs, torture, and outright genocide, but when you live the US, it’s easy to view these as nightmarish tales used to scare us into valuing our freedoms. This is a deeper look into the things we hear, and while it may not be the experience of everyone, it is certainly the experience of many Kurds. The Kurdish people are an estimated 30-40 million and are stateless, having been denied land, forbidden to speak their own language and practice their own customs.

“I can’t fucking stand the degradation anymore. If you are a leftist, they kill you; if you are an activist, they kill you; even if you don’t believe in anything and just say ‘Yes, sir,” they kill you. Maybe not physically, but they kill you inside.”

Leila is our primary voice and she’s expresses how the only people treated worse than a Kurd, is a Kurdish woman. She lives in a world where women set their own bodies on fire rather than go on living the painful lives they are allowed, where anything traumatic that happens to a woman is only what she deserved, where SHE can be punished for a man raping her. Through Leila’s eyes, I learned about the Peshmerga, a group that fights for security and an independent Kurdish state. They were partly responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein and their name literally means, “those that face death”. They are quite revolutionary for their region. Leila’s brother is an activist that has followed in his father’s footsteps, and though he is younger, Leila looks up to his strength and courage in the face of tyranny. In the US, we make jibes about the government’s ability to make us discreetly disappear if they wanted to, without any real concern of it. Where they live, the government will bust in your house in light of day and shoot you for having banned books or torture you for the slightest bit of “progressive” thinking. Leila and her friend Shiler live under the constant threat of the morality police, that will sentence you as they please for any impure contact with a man. Leila, at one point, is hit by a car and is terrified that she will be ruined in the eyes of her father because of the possibility that her hymen broke from the impact. The world that these women live in is completely different from what I am used to. Leila eventually has an opportunity at life in a new area and she marvels at the differences. She is able to see the beauty in her culture and religion when not surrounded by an oppressive government, the beauty in the choice instead of the cruel hand suffocating her with the requirement of all that she’s supposed to be, all the rules of how a woman must act.

A large part of the novel focuses on her brother’s activism, which is modeled loosely around Farzad Kamangar. Throughout his imprisonment and torture that transpired because of his work, Leila publishes his words and it spreads like wildfire. His words offer hope and a huge focus for him is progressiveness for women. Throughout this, he inspired Kurdish women to fight, protest, and learn more about their forbidden culture and language. Hence, the title Daughters of Smoke and Fire. This novel is a testament to the willpower it takes to fight those who would do anything they can to take away your humanity and leave your life in ruin. It’s a recognition of the women that would rather die a fiery death than live a life where they are barely acknowledged as human.

“Women who lost all reason to live wanted their internalized, burning rage to manifest on the outside too. A dramatic death testified to an agonizing life.”

It’s a novel like this that reminds me why people flee their homes and face judgement for immigrating, or the possibility of being torn from their families because they had to leave too hastily to apply legally. Whatever you feel on the immigration process, you cannot read a book like this and not feel empathy for those that are forced to take this route. Sometimes it’s the choice between an unmarked grave in a oppressive country or a jail cell in a “safe” country. It’s the choice of a country that you know the language and customs, but could be killed at any moment, or a country that offers you security but doesn’t fully welcome you, that wants you to adhere to their customs.

Ava Homa writes a novel that expresses the pain and terror that the Kurdish people experience. It’s heart-rending in its injustice, but it isn’t self-pitying. It’s a novel about finding your strength when it doesn’t seem possible, about making revolutionary moments with simple words and actions, with a gentle hand in contrast to the abuse suffered. This is one of the best novels I will read all year, and easily five stars. Homa writes piercingly and her story will quickly grab hold and set root into your heart. I marvel at the strength and courage it must take to write a novel such as this, the author herself is just as important to the Kurdish cause as she has portrayed her characters as being.

bibliobethreads's review against another edition

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5.0

Hello everyone, today I have a review for you of Daughters Of Smoke And Fire by Ava Homa that I read recently with my good friend @tarheelreader. I’ve been staring at this page for a while now willing the right words to come out and I’m struggling. How can you talk about a book that affected you so much in a concise way that will encourage others to read it? I’m not sure but I’ll do my best.⁣
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This is the story of our lead character Leila, a Kurdish girl living in Iran. Her father has suffered torture and imprisonment for his beliefs in the past and this story follows her family, including her brother Chia as they go about their lives amidst the daily atrocities and prejudice that they are forced to undergo merely for being Kurdish. ⁣
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I don’t want to say too much about the plot for fear of giving too much away but this is a moving, heart-breaking, thought-provoking and intensely eye-opening tale. Tale is too light a word though because the horror of this narrative is that it isn’t really fiction. The Kurdish people are living through this discrimination in real life, right now. ⁣
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This is the very first work of fiction written by a Kurdish woman in English and just that fact alone should make it a “must read.” Even better, this is a truly staggering novel with so much anger and hate yet by the end, the reader is left with a faint glimmer of hope and optimism. ⁣
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I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Leila, her family, the friendships she forms and how her upbringing and personal experiences shape her chance to thrive. We see her struggling to trust, how she manages grief and betrayal and how she views her future dreams and aspirations. It’s not an easy read, not by any measure but it’s definitely worth your time. ⁣
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Five unforgettable stars

papasquish's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn’t know much about Kurds when starting this book, but this book managed to weave an intricate tapestry of Kurdish people and culture.

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