When We Were Sisters is a beautiful and heartbreaking story about three orphaned sisters Noreen, Aisha, and Noreen. After the passing of their father, they are left in the care of their uncle "blank," who is their late mother's brother. Preoccupied by people's perception of him, their uncle often does less than minimum to take care of his nieces, and the sisters do their best to take care of each other and survive their situation. The story is told from the youngest sister Kausar's perspective as she grows into adulthood and navigates family, gender, religion, and more. This was my first book by Fatimah Asghar, and her writing is lyrical and captivating.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ashghar uses spare language to tell a wrenching story of three orphaned sisters who live under the neglect and mistreatment of their maternal uncle after their last parent, their father, is killed. We see the young sisters have to parent themselves and struggle to grow up. Pops of poetic writing convey affecting confusion, fear, longing and rage.

The girls move from Philly to some town in New Jersey to live with their supposed caregiver. As Pakistani Muslims, they navigate life as "second-class citizens" under the eyes of their greedy and controlling uncle, a character whose name has that redacted black band whenever it occurs.

The "Acknowledgements" was one of the most powerful ones I've read. She seems to imply some personal trauma that spurred the writing of this book and of course, I wonder how similar her trauma is to the book's, especially since she has two sisters as the MC does.

Asghar is poet through and through and this poet's voice very much informs and drives the construct and the content of this book. It's beautiful and it magnifies the emotional impact of the story.

Several quotes:

"She laughs and it paints the room."

"At the corner of my eyelids, a dock of pearls begins to form. At the corner of my eyelids, a dock of pearls spills over."

"Let each strand of silence move through the air, its own curl wanting to be oiled."

"It dissolves me, her song. In my mind, a harbor. A boat tied to the dock."

"I fall in love with a boy who wants nothing to do with me. Bobby Perez, with the clouds shaved perfectly into his head. His whole head is the sky and I write his name into my notebook."

"There's so much space in her eyes, black holes that I can't touch."

"In this world we were born into nothing but everything is ours: the sidewalk, the yellow markers in the road. The rain falls through the leaves and kisses us just so. What no one will ever understand is that the world belongs to orphans, everything becomes our mother."

This novel is breathtaking. The prose is gorgeous and the story heart-wrenching but beautiful. I couldn't put this book down. One of my favorite debuts of 2022.

I love when novels experiment with form or perspective. It's so easy to see that this book was written by a poet because it's inventive with its structure and the flow of the language. Although more traditional readers might find the shortened chapters and inserted poems to be unconventional, I loved how unique and free the whole book felt.

"When We Were Sisters" follows the story of three young sisters who become orphaned at a very young age. They're forced to survive in a world where they are made to feel wholly unwanted: because of their femaleness, their Muslim identity, their poverty, etc. The perspective of the youngest sister, Kausar, is heartbreaking but so refreshingly honest and direct. As they grow, they each struggle to find their way, the bond between the three of them sometimes comforting and sometimes stifling.

I loved the way this was told because I felt so immersed in this world. However, I was disappointed with the last section, particularly the ending. There was so much left to the story that I wanted explored and I felt a bit short-changed not knowing the outcome for what had happened to the sisters in their early adulthood.

Fatimah Asghar is insanely talented and I can only imagine her growth as an artist will result in more barrier-breaking art in the future. As for this being her debut, consider me impressed!

This debut novel by Fatimah Asghar tells the story of three orphaned Muslim girls who are taken in by their uncle shortly after their father dies. Told through the eyes of Kausar, the youngest, the reader experiences heartbreak mixed with moments of hope as the three girls come of age, each one finding their own identity in an environment of neglect and abuse, where the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

This book is longlisted for both the National Book Award for Fiction and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, as it should be. It’s lyrical and heartbreaking, switching between prose and poetry…making the reader feel as if they are in Kausar’s mind as she seeks to understand the complexity of her gender identity, sexuality, culture, and religion, while navigating a world in which her sisters are her only source of stability. I found myself just absorbing the beauty of the writing, getting lost in the lushness of the words. I did feel that the time jump towards the end caused the narrative to feel a bit disjointed and rushed. But in all...this is a tale of grief and struggle, of learning to find one’s true self through the harshest of circumstances, and of the bond that sisters have. It is a heavy and emotional read, so please review the trigger warnings before reading.

A beautiful combination of a coming-of-age novel and poetry, it focuses on a Muslim orphan, Kauser, and two older sisters. Kauser examines her own gender while looking to her sisters for comfort and motherhood as the author takes us on a journey through adolescence, which is difficult enough. Heartbreakingly powerful at times that I couldn’t put down.

"What no one will ever understand is that the world belongs to orphans, everything becomes our mother."

Fatimah Asghar's debut novel "When We Were Sisters" is a beautiful and haunting book. The book follows the story of three orphans, Noreen, Aisha and Kausar, after their father dies. Their uncle becomes their guardian and instead of taking them in, he leaves them at a run down apartment building to fend for themselves while popping in and out of their lives at his own convenience. The sisters are left to raise themselves and often our narrator, Kausar, will refer to their family unit as sister-brother-mothers to describe the unique bond the develops between them from these circumstances. Asghar uses a combination of prose and poetry to show how Kausar grapples with intense grief, survival, gender identity and growing up as a Muslim-American in the early 2000s.

This book was intense, it deals with difficult themes of grief, child neglect, racism, to name a few. The sisters are thrust into difficult situations and I found their circumstances would balance just to be upended again. It creates a sense of foreboding. At the same time, I found while I was reading, I couldn't put the book down, I had to know what was going to happen next. I needed to know that Noreen, Aisha and Kausar were going to be ok. Asghar does not coddle their readers and you are meant to reflect on the adversity the siblings face.

I would absolutely recommend this book to other readers, it is beautifully written. I would say that readers should be prepared for an emotional journey. When We Were Sisters will stay with you long after you've finished the book.

Not only is this novel about three orphaned sisters and how they overcome when they’re failed by the adults in life- time and time again, it’s also about their resilience and bond to one another, their religion, and hope for more. It’s ultimately a tale of connection and disconnection all in one—with three young women trying to navigate the world of adults. The youngest sister, Kausar, struggles with questions of gender and sexuality, questioning her place in the world and role in the trio.

Asghar has an incredible lyrical command of language, often using turns of phrase describing others “our city is full of used-to-bes.” And staccato moments that exude desperation “I need help. I need an adult. And I don’t know how to get one.” Interesting literary devices are used which maximize the lyrical effect.

I can definitely see why this is a National Book Award nominee, and I’m cheering it on and so anxious for others to get their hands on it. A truly immersive experience that whisks you out of your own reality and a page-turner.

Thank you to Random House-One World and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and netGalley for the ARC of this book.

This is a heartbreaking story. The writing is lyrical and flows very well but the story is certainly very heavy and, I feel, left a few things unresolved.

Would love to read more from the author

Lyrically written a heartbreaking story of three orphaned sisters the uncle who takes them in their lives with him.Told from the pov of the youngest sister this touches on so many topics that are emotional moving I could not put it down.#netgalley #randomhouse

I love a book that authentically conveys the voice of a child, without sounding too juvenile. This book walks that line beautifully.

When We Were Sisters tells the story of three orphaned sisters from the POV of the youngest girl, Kausar. Her emotions are fierce and fiery, and you feel her love for her sisters radiating off the page. You can also feel her fear and her anger as she stands up against a world that is stacked against her.

The end felt a little abrupt. It jumped so many years that I would have liked to hear more about.

Thank you to the publisher and netGalley for allowing me to read this novel before its publish date.

I gave this book a 4/5 stars.

- I absolutely loved how well this novel was written. It was so lyrical and beautiful & to have it coming from the viewpoint of the littlest sister made you question how a young girl could think this beautifully or see the world that way, especially a world that was often dark and sad.

- I was able to bing read this book, and found myself being unable to put it down.

- I was really invested in the sisters. I wanted them to do well and genuinely wanted to see how their story turned out.

- I was trying to figure out why the Uncle’s name was as redacted. I was hoping to find out his name in the end (why I’m not sure) - but it was never revealed- I’d love to find out why the author did this. (No need to name the abuser maybe?)

- I wished the ending was slightly different and I’m surprised at the way it all turned out, but I still really enjoyed it.

I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read :)

This lyrical novel about orphaned sisters dealing with gender, siblinghood/sisterhood, family, and coming-of-age as Muslims in America is such a heartbreaking, intense, and moving story. The story is told through the perspective of one of the sisters about herself, her sisters, and others who come and go in her life. Even though it’s told only through one of the characters, you really get to know the other characters as well as if they were telling their own stories/perfectives. Fatima Asghar’s fiction debut is one to put on the reading list. But, be prepared for an emotional storm–but in a good way. Fatima’s storytelling is powerful. I can’t wait to read more from Fatimah.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The book comes out October 18, 2022.

I think that my main problem with the book, or at least the reason I did not like it more, was that the story ended at what would probably make a more beginning. I would have found it more interesting to see the sisters attempting to live their lives apart from each other in the wake of their uncle's death, with scenes of his parents (or lack thereof) scattered throughout as backstories. That isn't to say that the story told is bad, but I felt that it failed to distinguish itself from other coming-of-age novels in which class and culture play a large role. The short chapters were one of the novel's biggest strengths and allowed for an easy reading experience. I would probably lightly recommend this novel to interested parties at my work.

A nice debut novel. The writing style is good with mixing poetry and points of view as a filler but it is a heavy read. I think a trigger warning is something that should be considered for readers.

When We Were Sisters is a brilliant fiction debut from multi-talented author Fatimah Asghar. They infuse the novel with lyricism and trade on their work in American poetics to create deeply nuanced prose that is sure to resonate with readers. Asghar shows a keen sense of pacing and characterization, moving readers across years deftly without leaving readers feeling disconnected. Fans of Asghar will notice hints of their biography in the protagonist's lives, which lends authenticity and relatability to a novel that invests itself fully in the relationships formed in immigrant communities. The author further humanizes one of the most politicized issues in contemporary America, centering the lived experiences of first generation and undocumented immigrants as a means to challenge the negative stereotypes and fearmongering put forth by conservative politicians. Asghar offers a strong and engaging rebuttal without ever explicitly invoking politics, a feat that renders the novel widely accessible and timely. Asghar once again signals themselves as one of the most diversely talented writers living in America, clearly establishing their place in American fiction with this phenomenal debut.

Kausar and her two older sisters are orphaned, stuck with an uncle who neglects them and keeps them in a shabby apartment, expecting them to care for themselves, despite their young age. Kausar grows up with a lot of feelings of guilt, worships her sisters who are more than sisters, sometimes mothers, sometimes brothers, sometimes whatever they need to be for each other.

A beautiful, heartbreaking story that fans of Safia Elhillo, Akwaeke Emezi, Ocean Vuong, books in verse, or novels written by poets, generally speaking. I love everything about this book - it's easily one of the best I've read this year. I hope this book will find the people who need it.

I especially love the fresh style of writing this story is told in, incorporating occasional verse, interview-type dialogue, and other things my simple novel-model-reader mind cannot name. The writing itself is excellent, growing more mature as the character ages, for example. At times, the length of the chapters adjusts to the length of the thoughts of Kausar, sentences growing shorter and choppier with panic and dreamy and fuzzy with episodes of dissociation. I didn't really understand the ending, I don't know that it fit well with the main character's arc, but it didn't lessen my appreciation for the story at all.

I also love so much the way the author captured the unique love-adoration-worship that younger sisters have for their older sisters - and the ways sisters/siblings are so open and vulnerable to each other that they also tend to be the ones who can harm us the most, the deepest, the worst, the quickest, the easiest. It's a relationship/connection that deserves to get more attention in literature.

My only complaint is that the pacing did feel a bit off, with the beginning (30%) feeling achingly slow (especially because it's such heartbreaking content) and the rest of the book flying. Secondly, the book is very sad, it's dark. That's not a critique as, obviously, some stories must be dark to be told at all, but beware if you tend to hate books that are not (sad + happy ending) or (sad + hopeful), but are just honest and open and sad (still, it's brilliant writing - keep that in mind) you may not enjoy this one.

Three orphaned sisters are taken in by an uncle more interested in collecting their government checks than in taking care of them.

This is a beautiful lyrical work of what is essentially an ugly story. It's always intriguing when an author manages to create something beautiful out of what is really quite a tragedy. Asghar is hugely successful in this work about three orphans who are left to struggle on their own. Each time they find a bit of comfort, it is torn away from them and yet they go on and on because what choice is there but to do so. There are so many details and relationships to look at. It would be an excellent choice for both book clubs and college classrooms. The style of the book is quite unique and effective. Everyone should read this book because I do believe it will speak to each reader differently. An easy five stars for me.

This book is one of the most stunning and compelling books I’ve read and it is easily one of my favorites of the year. The writing immediately drew me in — I’m such a sucker for beautiful prose, and the author’s keen attention to phrases and sentence structure is so evident with the seamless transitions between structured (yet poignant!) prose and lyrical free verse poetry.

The themes of navigating a life rocked with grief, neglect, abuse, found family/chasms between blood family, and questions of religion, sexuality, and gender identity were heartbreaking and at times quite heavy. Yet, I appreciated the delicateness and honesty with which these themes were handled, and loved the way in which identity was given a fluid nature — after all, identities have the capacity to shape and mold and change as we grow and learn more about ourselves and are impacted by the world, and the author clearly has an insightful understanding of this. Though I cannot personally speak for this, the representation of Muslim-American children growing up in a world both pre- and post-9/11 is so masterful and important. I especially loved being able to relate to specific aspects of South Asian culture that I have fond (and sometimes bittersweet) memories of throughout my own life.

Though the book as a whole picture left me with a pit in my stomach and yearning to wrap these children in bubble wrap, the ending was so sweet and uplifting, and a beautiful reminder that the people you choose to love and who love you will always find their way back to each other.

Thank you Netgalley and One World for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!