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jinmichae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I'd suggest writing down relationships and names, because this book covers many generations.
Slice of life, but all characters are connected through family. Place is another character, as the family is split and comes together across countries, often moved by war.
A line that especially struck me was the younger generation visiting Jaffa, and thinking of the privilege of families back in Boston who have hundreds of years of generations all buried in the same cemetery, while her ancestor's graves are--by was and against their will--spread across an entire region.
I found it a very compelling read, only held back by my having to remember who was who and related how.
Slice of life, but all characters are connected through family. Place is another character, as the family is split and comes together across countries, often moved by war.
A line that especially struck me was the younger generation visiting Jaffa, and thinking of the privilege of families back in Boston who have hundreds of years of generations all buried in the same cemetery, while her ancestor's graves are--by was and against their will--spread across an entire region.
I found it a very compelling read, only held back by my having to remember who was who and related how.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Genocide, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Dementia, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
robinks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved getting to walk with the Yacoub family through so many years, getting to see how each of them grows internally and in relationship to the others. I believe the fact that Hala is a clinical psychologist allowed the characters to feel real. Also, there were many actual historical references that kept the story rooted in reality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Racial slurs, Vomit, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
turtlebrainlibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
A debut multi-generational (four generations) story of a Palestinian family: the Yacoub family. The family doesn't talk much about Palestine but talk about being displaced and out of place as they move through Nablus, Kuwait, Amman, Paris, Beriut and Boston. Sometimes they move by choice, but sometimes they are uprooted by war (Six Day War of 1967 and Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1990).
We are given the perspective of Salma (1963), Mustafa (1965), Alia (1967, 1988), Atef (1977, 2011), Riham (1982, 1999), Souad (1990, 2004), Linah (2006) and Manar (2014). Four generations of the Yacoub family, their ups and downs, their family dynamics, the generational trauma, the feeling of not fitting in, etc.
The writing is lyrical and easy to follow. You will find many wonderful quotes as you read the book. The narrative does jump between each character, but we do get to see those characters grow and change in the other perspectives, so they are well rounded. It is a character driven novel, which I enjoy.
Also, the author is a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma, addiction and cross-cultural behavior. You can see elements of this knowledge throughout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism and Torture
apple_atcha_reading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Following 5 generations of the Yacoub family, we begin with Salma, the matriarch of the Yacoub family, on the eve of her daughter Alia's wedding to Atif. Salma read the dregs of Alia's tea cup, and sees a hard life, full of instability, loss, and uncertainty. Not wanting to ruin the beautiful wedding, Salma keeps this from her daughter. Shortly following the wedding, the Six Day War of 1967 breaks out; Atif and Salma's son, Mustafa, remain behind to fight.
This is merely the beginning of frequent uprooting, uncertainty, loss, and trauma for the Yacoub family. We follow their movements from the beginning of thr Six Day War, all the way to the near lresent day of 2014 where the Middle East is still in perpetual conflict. Each generation of the Yacoub family through one way or another is sent into exile from what they have come to know as their home, although each character mentions they have no real concept of home or belonging. They are refugees before they are born, and their children inherit their trauma and loss without anyone truly realizing at the time.
The way Alyan crafts such well rounded characters made me want to hug them, hit them, scream at them, comfort them all at the same time. They were real people; complicated but trying their best under the circumstances of their heritage and birth through no wrong doing on their part. Each generation became more and more separated from their lives and connection to Palestine. At times, the younger generations attempt to explain their ethnicity and home country to American or European friends, but they don't understand. How can you be one thing if you've never been there, and you're not this thing even thought you were born there? Each generation was an excellent example of no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your family and their past. The trauma of simply being Palestinian followed each member of the Yacoub family, even those born in Europe or America. They fall into the same patterns and mannerisms, all attempting to cope with never ending war and repeated displacement and never truly belonging for a number of reasons.
All in all, this was an excellent read about one family's generational trauma, but also their resilience and tenacity to overcome and return to their home, wherever that may be for them.
This is merely the beginning of frequent uprooting, uncertainty, loss, and trauma for the Yacoub family. We follow their movements from the beginning of thr Six Day War, all the way to the near lresent day of 2014 where the Middle East is still in perpetual conflict. Each generation of the Yacoub family through one way or another is sent into exile from what they have come to know as their home, although each character mentions they have no real concept of home or belonging. They are refugees before they are born, and their children inherit their trauma and loss without anyone truly realizing at the time.
The way Alyan crafts such well rounded characters made me want to hug them, hit them, scream at them, comfort them all at the same time. They were real people; complicated but trying their best under the circumstances of their heritage and birth through no wrong doing on their part. Each generation became more and more separated from their lives and connection to Palestine. At times, the younger generations attempt to explain their ethnicity and home country to American or European friends, but they don't understand. How can you be one thing if you've never been there, and you're not this thing even thought you were born there? Each generation was an excellent example of no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your family and their past. The trauma of simply being Palestinian followed each member of the Yacoub family, even those born in Europe or America. They fall into the same patterns and mannerisms, all attempting to cope with never ending war and repeated displacement and never truly belonging for a number of reasons.
All in all, this was an excellent read about one family's generational trauma, but also their resilience and tenacity to overcome and return to their home, wherever that may be for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Alcohol
katharina90's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A raw, moving, well-written multigenerational novel with complex characters and realistic family dynamics.
The story pulled me in from the first page, but towards the end I felt less connected to the characters.
I found myself wanting to return to the POV of previous family members rather than focusing on the younger generation.
The story pulled me in from the first page, but towards the end I felt less connected to the characters.
I found myself wanting to return to the POV of previous family members rather than focusing on the younger generation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Colonisation
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, and War
Minor: Alcoholism
mads1706's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and War
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
A perfect book. Beautifully interwoven family story spanning about 50 years. I can’t find the words for how much I loved this. Read it immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual content, and Torture
katievh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Torture, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
perfectplaces's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“I wake up and it feels like my lungs are dropped in ice and I have to count, one two three four, listen to myself taking in air. Sometimes I wonder if this is really the waking world: coffee in a red mug, three children sleeping in three rooms, the television blaring in the background.”
-
hala alyan gets it. like i simply cannot stress enough how much she gets it.
this reminds me of khaled hosseini’s and the mountains echoed which is a book i love for its form if not for its content. except salt houses has much more heart and nuance to its portrayal of war and conflict and cyclical trauma and identity and exile than any of hosseini’s books. like mountains, a lot of the reviews for this book complain about its style of incorporating short vignettes from different povs that make up a multi generational story. but like. i like that. i think it’s fun and good and i just love the yacoub family so much (atefTT_TT) and i started to see myself and the people i know in all of them. so i don’t rly agree with any of the reviews saying we didn’t have time to get to know the characters like yes. we did. the girls that get it get it.
anyway this is a new favorite and i think i will recommend forever.
-
hala alyan gets it. like i simply cannot stress enough how much she gets it.
this reminds me of khaled hosseini’s and the mountains echoed which is a book i love for its form if not for its content. except salt houses has much more heart and nuance to its portrayal of war and conflict and cyclical trauma and identity and exile than any of hosseini’s books. like mountains, a lot of the reviews for this book complain about its style of incorporating short vignettes from different povs that make up a multi generational story. but like. i like that. i think it’s fun and good and i just love the yacoub family so much (atefTT_TT) and i started to see myself and the people i know in all of them. so i don’t rly agree with any of the reviews saying we didn’t have time to get to know the characters like yes. we did. the girls that get it get it.
anyway this is a new favorite and i think i will recommend forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and War
Moderate: Fatphobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcoholism and Vomit
chloehamburn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Rape, and Police brutality
Minor: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Dementia