denteaste's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i don't think i have the words to write how beautifully written this book was
the characters are complex and interesting and very human in their flaws and their quest of trying to find a meaning to life itself, the representation feels organic and it is so important to show that LGBTQ+ people were not invented in the 2000s
the two stories were nicely woven in one another, with a touch of a magical realism
the characters are complex and interesting and very human in their flaws and their quest of trying to find a meaning to life itself, the representation feels organic and it is so important to show that LGBTQ+ people were not invented in the 2000s
the two stories were nicely woven in one another, with a touch of a magical realism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Miscarriage, Death, Dysphoria, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Transphobia, Violence, and War
Minor: Dementia
woolgatherer's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
I’m trying to find the words to describe the experience of reading The Thirty Names of Night. For one, Joukhadar delivers beautiful prose, much like he did in The Map of Salt and Stars. There’s a particular vulnerability that Joukhadar shares with the reader that makes every chapter intimate. The pacing is slow, and I would say it’s deliberate as it gestures at the reader to reflect on the experiences of the two protagonists of this novel (whose stories intertwine).
There are two storylines that converge towards the end, but I found that I was far more invested in the story of the young trans man who deals with the complexities of trans identity intersected with cultural identity, as well as being haunted by his dead mother. What I loved about this protagonist’s storyline is how Joukhadar captures the messy feelings and thoughts that come with gender dysphoria. He doesn’t present a binary but, rather, a nuanced and honest perspective of a trans man’s lived experiences—especially identifying as trans himself.
I also appreciated that Joukhadar explored the intersection of being queer and Syrian which spans across the whole novel. Whether past or present, Joukhadar makes clear to the reader that queer people—especially trans people—have always existed. Tangentially, Joukhadar weaves in some history of Little Syria in New York City, which I found eye-opening. Admittedly, there were instances when it read like a lecture (written beautifully, though), but it was clear that he wanted to share the rich history of Syrian Americans.
Returning to pacing, as mentioned earlier, it’s slow. In fact, there were instances when it felt a little too slow for my taste. I had to reread some passages because I would forget what exactly happened. I think it didn’t help that there was a mystery component, which begged for faster pacing (which you do eventually get).
On the whole, The Thirty Names of Night is beautifully written and explores identity in-depth. There is a plot, but it’s quite clear that this is more character-driven than anything else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, and Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia and Violence
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