A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
Published June 12th 2018 by SJP for Hogarth
385 pages | Goodreads
Description: “A Place for Us unfolds the lives of an Indian-American Muslim family, gathered together in their Californian hometown to celebrate the eldest daughter, Hadia’s, wedding – a match of love rather than tradition. It is here, on this momentous day, that Amar, the youngest of the siblings, reunites with his family for the first time in three years. Rafiq and Layla must now contend with the choices and betrayals that lead to their son’s estrangement – the reckoning of parents who strove to pass on their cultures and traditions to their children; and of children who in turn struggle to balance authenticity in themselves with loyalty to the home they came from.
In a narrative that spans decades and sees family life through the eyes of each member, A Place For Us charts the crucial moments in the family’s past, from the bonds that bring them together to the differences that pull them apart. And as siblings Hadia, Huda, and Amar attempt to carve out a life for themselves, they must reconcile their present culture with their parent’s faith, to tread a path between the old world and the new, and learn how the smallest decisions can lead to the deepest of betrayals.
A deeply affecting and resonant story, A Place for Us is truly a book for our times: a moving portrait of what it means to be an American family today, a novel of love, identity and belonging that eloquently examines what it means to be both American and Muslim — and announces Fatima Farheen Mirza as a major new literary talent.”
MY RATING: ★★★★✩ (4/5)
REVIEW
This is an emotional and amazingly-written story. I savored it and invite you to do the same.
A PLACE FOR US is a novel about family, love, faith, community, and tradition from the perspective of a Muslim-American Family. The characters are complex and well-developed, and I could relate to each of them at different points of the story.
The author did an excellent job at drawing you in from the start. The novel opens up with a richly-depicted wedding. After years of being estranged from his family, Amar has returned to attend his sister’s wedding. From then on, the author takes us on a journey from present to past and back to the present.
We learn and grow with the characters, there were intricate descriptions about the dynamics, foods, customs, Urdu words, and much more.
Overall, a wonderful, rich story. I recommend it to all.
*I read this book with the Traveling Sisters. Our discussions made my experience more enriching and interesting*
Thanks to SJP for Hogarth, the author Fatima Farheen Mirza, and Penguin Random House for kindly providing and ARC in exchange for an honest review
