A review by laurenleigh
The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Absolutely brilliant. I was rather blown away by this book. It tells a dual narrative, one in present day New York and one in the 20’s or 30’s, of a Syrian immigrant to NY. Both stories were gorgeously deep queer narratives, full of loss, discovery, and finding your true identity in a world that most often seeks to erase you. The intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and immigration status are a heady mix that feels a bit overwhelming at time, but it gave me a valuable bit of insight into lives so different from my own. I highly recommend print or ebook format here. I think an important unfolding of the plot is lost in audio, though I can’t say more without spoilers! 😊

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