I have a soft spot for prose written by poets, so when I saw the author of the poetry collection If They Come for Us was publishing a novel, I was beyond excited. This debut novel featuring a trio of orphaned sisters who are adopted by a neglectful relative did not disappoint, and Asghar’s lyrical style shines in the experimental writing and unique structure of the book.

I'm so glad I read this book. It was heartwrenching and absolutely beautifully written. I loved the glimpse into Muslim culture, especially from the perspective of those who are still attached to their roots and their heritage trying to survive in a harsh world. The writing was, as many have said, quite fragmented and poetic, which sometimes made it challenging to fully immerse in the story; however, it was just such an artistic and moving experience to read this book. Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

This is a powerful book. It's highly literary, with a number of poetic tangents. I think this was beautifully done, but it can be intimidating for readers who usually stick to genre fiction. A great deal is left open to interpretation, and I initially found it a bit frustrating, as I craved more explanation regarding the motivations of each sister. With time and reflection, I've become more comfortable with the author's nuanced approach, but in some ways, I do wish they had given the reader just a bit more insight. Overall, however, this is an emotional and beautifully told story.

A beautifully lyrical story of grief told through a poets voice, the story of three orphaned muslim girls who must navigate a world of racism and abuse in the care of their neglectful uncle. A story of the power of sisterhood, told in prose. A story about coming of age and finding a place. A story of what it means to carry grief.

A coming of age story focused on 3 orphaned sisters living under unspeakable conditions in the “care” of their uncle. The narrative is told from the point of view of the youngest sister and leaves the reader heartbroken for her. She continues to grasp for belonging and security in those around her, only to be consistently let down. The lyrical nature of the writing made the story more interesting even though the story did not stay with me as much as I would have liked.

What can I say about this lyrical, non traditional, heartbreakingly beautiful book? Three orphaned girls in a culture that doesn’t consider girls as much - devastating - the youngest who just wants to be loved - heartbreaking - growing up, moving on, remembering and memories all skewed - well done! Read this book. It’s not traditionally written, and I feel that’s exactly what this story and these emotions needed. This is my second read by this author and I can’t wait to see what’s next! 📖 🤓

I ended up tearing through this in the space of two days, partially because of end of year winter holidays and also because of how well written it is. We get the point of view of the youngest of three Muslim American sisters who are orphaned after their father is murdered, and they are shoved off into the care of a shitty, abusive uncle who threatens them constantly and tries to keep them hidden from the wider community, against poetic sections where their dead mother and father talk about their early life together. The writing is gorgeous and haunting, and you can tell why it was longlisted for a National Book Award. Pick it up if you get the chance.

I have read If They Come for Us by Fatimah Ashgar and loved it, so I was pleased to have the opportunity from NetGalley to check out When We Were Sisters. This lyrical novel is a hard read, but so well-written and beautiful. Ashgar clearly has a way with words and I couldn't put this down.

Three orphaned Muslim sisters are essentially left to raise themselves in America when their parents die in the excellent book When We Were Sisters.
The author takes us through life with the three girls who are sent to live with a neglectful uncle. His authoritarian rule is heartbreaking and this story is heart wrenching.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous it's almost poetic its so good. I could not put this book down and highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review.

thank you so much to netgalley for the arc!

i cant say i enjoyed this novel exactly, it was really difficult to read and so heartbreaking. the prose was incredibly lyrical and unique, and i applaud the risks the author took in crafting a story that feels too moving and disjointed to be contained to the pages of a book. although i don’t think the form worked for me all of the time, i loved getting to read this because it was unlike any other book i read this year, and i imagine it is unlike any other book i will read for a long time.

When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar is a lyrical novel that will challenge the reader both with the content and fragmented style. At face value, the story is about three Pakistani sisters who are tragically orphaned and are left to be raised by their uncle. The book unfolds as they develop an inseparable bond and navigate their way through the world as they grow up together. This book feels raw, honest, and original. Don't miss it!

Thank you to Netgalley and One World for the ARC. When We Were Sisters is out now!

There were some things I really liked about this book, but others left me feeling that it was fragmented. Three sisters, Noreen, Aisha and Kauser, lose their father when he is murdered. Already having lost their mother, the sisters are now orphaned. When their Uncle takes them in, he does the minimum to keep them fed and housed. The story is told from Kauser’s viewpoint,as she grows up and begins to understand her relationship with her sisters, as well as trying to make sense of her life. At times moving and heartbreaking, at other times a bit confusing. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Content warnings: parent death, child abuse, sexual assault, racism, Islamophobia

An orphan grapples with gender, family, and identity in this coming-of-age novel. Kausar is orphaned at a young age, and she and her two older sisters are now “taken care of” by their uncle. But they soon realize they only have each other and must look after themselves.

The way this book was told was so unique. It seemed fragmented at times, which was so fitting for Kausar’s journey. The writing was so beautiful and I felt like I was reading poetry the whole time (without all the symbolism that can sometimes be confusing). I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more by this author and I recommend this book to anyone who’s okay with the content.

I cannot believe this was a debut! This was a tough book to read but wow I am thankful I read it. I'm so glad this book is being recognized as it should.

Special thanks to the author, publisher, & netgalley for my advanced readers copy.

What a beautiful yet eccentric way to express emotions through fictional characters. This novel was a lyrical combination of storytelling and poetry. The writing style was very different than what I’m used to. Lots of fragmented sentences and short paragraphs. But because there were sections that contained poetry I got through this rather quickly.

The novel follows the life of 3 sisters now orphaned after losing their last living parent. Hurt that it seemed nobody wanted to take them in until their mothers brother shows up to save the day. Assuming this would be a good option for them. They soon realize living with their uncle may not be what they expected after all.

Placed into an apartment basically to fend for themselves. While their uncle chose when and how he’d take care of them. Which was rarely ever yet he lived comfortably at their expense. The uncle really irked my nerves because he was mean, controlling, abusive, selfish, and uncaring. Basically taking the girls in was for his own financial gain.

Of all the sisters I felt Kausar got the worst experience being the youngest. No parental guidance caused them all to rely on each other. But that also started to form a wall between them as they struggled through the problems they were facing. Days with no food,
clean clothing, or basic necessities. It’s hard to stick together when you’re struggling to survive.

The author covered some heavy topics from self-discovery, family, gender, depression, identity, physical and emotional abuse, childhood trauma, and sexual assault.

Apart from it seeming to be rushed the ending seemed a bit off with the timeline jump. After reading about such a traumatic experience. The author tried ending on a lighter note but I don’t really see the upside to everything that occurred. I kind of want to know what the author’s intentions were with this. Can’t really say if this one is worth recommending. Not that it’s a bad story but I wasn’t left 100% satisfied.

DNF - I couldn't muster the enthusiasm to read this book which is probably due to a million different reasons but, maybe it just wasn't the right time & I wasn't in the right state of mind to try. In any case, I'm stopping here.

Poetic, unflinching, and a book that really goes there.
I loved the way that sisterhood was described and lived out in this book. As a sister myself, it was too realistic. There is love, but there is also exasperation, protectiveness, and fighting - for each other and with each other.

Fatimah Asghar has painted the story of a life that is tragic, but has the potential to be beautiful and full in the end.

I genuinely enjoyed.

An author to keep an eye out for...⁣
⁣
Poet, screenwriter, educator, and performer Fatimah Asghar is a Pakistani, Kashmiri, Muslim American writer. She is the author of the poetry collection If They Should Come for Us and the chapbook After. She is also the writer and co-creator of the Emmy-nominated Brown Girls, a web series that highlights friendships between women of color. ⁣
⁣
When We Were Sisters tenderly examines the bonds and fractures of sisterhood, names the perils of being three Muslim American girls alone against the world, and ultimately illustrates how those who’ve lost everything might still make homes in one another.⁣
⁣
A lyrical, real, sisterly coming of age story. I don't think I'll ever tire of books that show people navigating this crazy world. ⁣
⁣
Do you enjoy coming-of-age stories?⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.

when We were sisters explores sisters' lives under their neglectful care of their uncle. I appreciated the themes of their American identity versus their relatives being Pakistani. It was a hard read at times, but beautiful writing.

TL;DR REVIEW:

When We Were Sisters is a gorgeously written novel about three Pakistani-American sisters who grow up neglected. I sunk into it and was sad to finish; just beautiful.

For you if: You like novels told in vignettes.

FULL REVIEW:

I picked up When We Were Sisters because it was longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award, but I should have known it would be a stunner — we love novels written by poets, do we not? Plus, pretty much anything published by One World is excellent.

Although it’s so beautifully written, this book deals with tough subject matter. It’s told from the POV of the youngest of three Pakistani-American sisters, orphans recently taken in by an uncle who only does it for the government money and to make himself look good. Neglected and left to fend for themselves, all the sisters have is one another. We follow them from childhood through adulthood and see how their bond changes and endures.

I liked the story a lot, even though the ending felt a little abrupt to me. But where this book really stands out is the gorgeous, heartbreaking prose. It’s told in vignettes, which I loved. In true poet-writing-prose fashion, it used the text layout in beautiful, interesting ways. I actually listened to part on audio and read the rest in print, and while I was pleasantly surprised at how well it translated to audio, I still recommend reading or reading along because of the unique, purposeful formatting.

At the end of the day, I was sad when this was over (quickly, as it’s short) and was loathe to pull myself out of Fatimah Asghar’s prose.



CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Death of a parent; Child abuse/neglect; Emotional abuse; Sexual assault; Racism/Islamophobia