The Thirty Names of Night: A Novel (edición 2020)

This was a treasure of a read. The split narrative reminded me of a tapestry and the way the ornithological symbolism was woven throughout was lovely. There was so much depth to this novel that I know it will end up being a reread for me, maybe even later this year. ( )

Not quite lyrical or mystical enough for me to stick with the glacial pace.

Why I picked it up: Stonewall Award winner.

Why I finished it: Didn't.

I'd give it to: Readers who connect more with the tenuous, interior lives of characters. The lost, haunted figures here are too elusive for me. ( )

The storyline pulled together so beautifully at the end that I totally forgive it for my occasional confusion. Following the lives of three generations of Syrian Americans living in New York City, this isn’t your typical immigrant story. It’s the story of how a community has changed as progress tore apart the old community, but more than that it’s the story of learning self-acceptance for who you are, whether or not you were born into the right sex. As I watched Nadir rebel against his female body and came to the slow realization that his grandmother also cared for a female although remaining traditionally female, I had my first realistic view of what life for people who are uncomfortable in the role society places on them. I struggled with the gender-neutral pronouns, but the more I was immersed in the story the more it became normal. And most of all I found Joukhader to be a compassionate, caring author in making characters come to life. ( )

This book is very lyrical and poetic, but the plot is sketchy and hard to follow. It is not clear that the main character is transgender or what the significance of the found book is. The street scenes of New York are interesting but the storyline is too vague and slow moving to keep my attention. ( )

My review will be published on April 19, 2020

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukadar is going to be a difficult book to review. If you've read the blurb above then you know that at its core, this book is about Syrian Americans: their history, their struggles, their victoria and defeats, their humanity and so much more. But it's also about a few other things. And this is why I think it's difficult to review. It's not hard to write about because it's wanting in any way.

This novel is beautiful. Joukadar's writing is more like poetry than prose and each sentence is like the brush strokes in an impressionist painting. I had to keep reading to uncover more of the image I was being guided through.

There are several themes in this book. Probably one of the most important ones is identity. It's complex in this story. There is the identity we have from a cultural perspective, and from a personal connection with our family and friends. There's also the identity that comes from within us. Who am I? And what makes me who I am? Gender roles, historical significance, culture, Society, normas... there is so much that plays into who we are. Joukadar has taken a complex issue and broken it down so beautifully that it's impossible to stop reading.

This book is also about connections in a way. We are connected ... again ... to our histories and our culture but there are connections all around us that we don't necessarily see day today. We forge bonds with the people around us, the belongings that we cling to and the tasks we give ourselves

This book is written by an "Own Voices" author... and it's so gloriously evident. the main character is a trans boy who is on a journey towards his a name... an identity. Sometimes harsh and visceral, often touching and thought-provoking, this journey is remarkable. ( )