The Loved Ones: A Modern Arabic Novel (Women Writing the Middle East)

“Ferocious, visceral descriptions . . . give a powerful sense not only of Suhaila’s world but also of the way we make and understand memories.”—Booklist

“Often intense and lyrical.”—Kirkus Reviews

This winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Prize for Literature mingles memories of the past with the shifting voices of the present when the estranged son of an Iraqi exile flies from his home in Toronto to visit her in Paris. As his ailing mother, the once-vibrant Suhaila, lies in a hospital bed, he acquaints himself with her constellation of close friends. Immediately, he becomes immersed in the complex relationships he has fought so hard to avoid: with his mother and his war-torn homeland. Alia Mamdouh weaves a magical tale of the human condition in this stunning and beautifully written novel of faith, family, and hope.