My review will be published on April 19, 2020

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukadar is going to be a difficult book to review. If you've read the blurb above then you know that at its core, this book is about Syrian Americans: their history, their struggles, their victoria and defeats, their humanity and so much more. But it's also about a few other things. And this is why I think it's difficult to review. It's not hard to write about because it's wanting in any way.

This novel is beautiful. Joukadar's writing is more like poetry than prose and each sentence is like the brush strokes in an impressionist painting. I had to keep reading to uncover more of the image I was being guided through.

There are several themes in this book. Probably one of the most important ones is identity. It's complex in this story. There is the identity we have from a cultural perspective, and from a personal connection with our family and friends. There's also the identity that comes from within us. Who am I? And what makes me who I am? Gender roles, historical significance, culture, Society, normas... there is so much that plays into who we are. Joukadar has taken a complex issue and broken it down so beautifully that it's impossible to stop reading.

This book is also about connections in a way. We are connected ... again ... to our histories and our culture but there are connections all around us that we don't necessarily see day today. We forge bonds with the people around us, the belongings that we cling to and the tasks we give ourselves

This book is written by an "Own Voices" author... and it's so gloriously evident. the main character is a trans boy who is on a journey towards his a name... an identity. Sometimes harsh and visceral, often touching and thought-provoking, this journey is remarkable.