A Woman Is No Man

5/5 stars

This is a powerful read that follows three generations of Palestinian women in America. In 1990, Isra struggles to please her mother-in-law, Fareeda. 20 years later Deya, Isra’s daughter, struggles to do the same while confronting her own identity of being a woman in America. 

This was a moving and heavy read. I often would sit and contemplate passages that forced me to consider what it means to be a woman and how that role differs in families and cultures. There were several passages that could be triggering (TW: domestic violence). This story was so deep, I am struggling to write exactly how it moved me. I’m very impressed this is a debut novel. It’s extremely heavy but very interesting. I really appreciated this diverse read about loyalty, love, family, and finding the fire within you.