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#Arabicliterature
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Leniverse
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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My current audiobook. I'm only 24% in, so not entirely sure where it's going, but it looks like nowhere good 😅 The MC is an utterly unlikable ball of narcissism and unresolved trauma. I can't help thinking that if the Women's Prize really had to have rich people immigrant problems , this is a better choice than the boring Persians. And if they wanted women being gross and transgressive, All Fours has nothing on this woman's skincare rituals.

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Amor4Libros
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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Bailedbailed

You know how sometimes you‘re reading a book and thinking: Is this a waste of my time? Well, this felt like it. I just couldn‘t get where this story was going…And don‘t get me wrong, I don‘t mind reading about a character‘s day to day, but this just felt like it was leading nowhere.

Bailed at 25%

ChaoticMissAdventures Such a bummer. I had high hopes for this, but people are not enjoying it. I have it out from the library now, so I might try a chapter or two, but it is not looking good! 2mo
IMASLOWREADER love the power of DNF 2mo
squirrelbrain You‘re right to bail - it didn‘t go anywhere and got considerably weirder as it went along. 2mo
Amor4Libros @squirrelbrain Glad I went with my gut instinct! 2mo
56 likes5 comments
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Billypar
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Pickpick

Up until last year, only the 1st book of Ashour's trilogy on the expulsion of Muslim people from 16th century Granada had been translated into English. Luckily, Kay Heikkinen translated all 3 novels, which were released in one volume from AUC Press. Historical fiction that immerses you in the gorgeous detail of Islamic Andalusian society and chronicles the heartbreak of people made to abandon their culture before being forced to leave their home.

41 likes1 stack add
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Hooked_on_books
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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Panpan

I suspected this would not be for me and indeed it was not. It occasionally felt like it was going to veer close to an understandable metaphor, but instead of getting there would then throw in a deliberately provocative sexual statement and I‘m never a fan of that, as I don‘t think it informs the story. #TOBlonglist

Leftcoastzen I was curious about this one , but lots of “so-so”& pan reviews (edited) 4mo
Hooked_on_books @Leftcoastzen There are people out there who love it, so I say grab it from your library and give it a go if you‘re curious. You never know! 4mo
57 likes2 comments
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squirrelbrain
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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Mehso-so

I‘m not really sure I understood this at all. 🤷‍♀️ A wealthy young Palestinian woman arrives in NYC to teach, and slowly starts to unravel, teaching in a very unconventional manner and getting involved in a Birkin bag scam.

She also has a cleaning obsession, and hang-ups with her body, and the final 25% gets *really* weird.

I‘m sure there metaphors / allegories aplenty, but I couldn‘t grasp any of them to make much sense of it.

#ToBlonglist

julieclair Well, this one sounds interesting, to say the least! Great review. 5mo
Ruthiella Often I am drawn to these kinds of narratives in that they can demonstrate the impossible standards that can be placed on women… but it‘s sounds like maybe this one didn‘t have that aim or arc. 5mo
TrishB I love the way you still finished and gave it a so-so. Great review. 5mo
See All 9 Comments
squirrelbrain @julieclair - other reviewers have compared the book to Ossfegh and Broder, if you like those authors. I haven‘t read either author (yet!), so couldn‘t comment. 5mo
squirrelbrain I think it did have that arc in there, but muddled up with others - too many messages I think. @Ruthiella 5mo
squirrelbrain You know me @TrishB - still learning how to bail! And it‘s ON A LIST (ToB) so even more reason to finish and tick a box. 🤪 5mo
Oryx Another one I was considering but will give a miss..I have to say, you are providing a very useful service here 💜😂 5mo
squirrelbrain I‘m not usually the one *stopping* people from reading books - usually the opposite! 🤪 @Oryx 5mo
Oryx @squirrelbrain on balance, I've definitely read more on your recommendation than the other way. 5mo
64 likes1 stack add9 comments
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SamanehMot9731
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I wished to drink tea with you at night, it means to be happy together... ☕🍂

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The_Book_Ninja
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Mehso-so

In war torn Iraq, a man puts together a creature made of body parts left uncollected after suicide bombings & it goes on a killing spree. It‘s more of a horror story than Shelly‘s novel. The use of Frankenstein in the title is misleading as it‘s thematically totally different. There‘s many interesting characters here but the author doesn‘t know what ones to stay with. It also goes from YA to something very dark. Another book with a naff ending.

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Floresj
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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Mehso-so

This book is so different and creative that the synopsis actually works against what this one is. A woman unravels, ravels back in her own way, and I have no idea what it means. So, that makes it intriguing enough to suggest it.

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christhelesbian
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories | Ghass?n Kanaf?n?, Hilary Kilpatrick
Pickpick

Favorites in order

1. The Land of Sad Oranges
2. Letter from Gaza
3. The Falcon
4. A Hand in the Grave
5. Umm Saad
6. If you were a Horse
7. Men in the Sun

1 like1 stack add
blurb
vlwelser
The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher
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Acquired a new treasure. This store in Newburyport MA isn't in the database.

28 likes1 stack add