This was a fun read and follows a young Palestinian woman on her adventures primarily around the SWANA region. There was something almost fantastical about the way the story unfolded, perhaps because it was following a similar storytelling pattern as many folktales. It also seemed like Nimr wanted the reader to take something more out of this novel than all the adventures her protagonist goes on.

It was nice following such a witty and resilient Palestinian protagonist, Qamar, who really did what she could to make the most of her situation. I was also reminded of the dual nature of humans, who are capable of doing kind but also terrible things, as the reader discovers from Qamar’s journey. I did feel that the pacing of the fourth and final part of the novel was a bit rough compared to the previous parts, which did make the novel’s ending a little unsatisfying.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised.