I particularly liked how the structure and pace of the plot reflected life as a child where the days, weeks and months telescope in and out from fast to slow. This is a beautiful novel.

A really impressive debut novel, this moving and insightful novel tells the story of three Iranian-American brothers living in California with their parents. Their mother works outside the home, much to their father’s displeasure, not least because, although he is a qualified engineer, he has trouble finding and keeping jobs. One night he wakes his boys and takes them “home” to Iran. But the boys can’t settle there and an aunt helps them return to their mother, where they try to resume their lives. The youngest boy is our guide to the trials and tribulations of immigrant life, especially for Muslims after 9/11. It’s a coming-of-age story, a story of identity, of finding your place in the world, of family ties and trying to fit in. There are some disturbing episodes, but on the whole this is not a tragic book, but an empathetic and authentic description of growing up and adjusting to sometimes difficult circumstances.

This was a coming-of-age story, about the growing pains of an immigrant all-american family and its youngest son. To me, it felt like a warm up - the story of what happens before LIFE starts happening. In this way, it felt quite uneventful. There were near-kisses and unfomed dreams lurking, and the courage to stand against your parent being summoned. The story depicted how those moments drag and lead nowhere, and how encompassing they may be at the same time.

I Will Greet the Sun Again is a moving and beautifully crafted portrait of love, growth, moving and finding yourself. Descriptive, honest and thought provoking. It lingers with you long after you've turned the final page. It would be a wonderful book to discuss within a book group.

This is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that is both tender and heartbreaking. However, I felt that the lack of a structured plot made it feel a bit listless in some places. Some plot points were well developed, while others were left behind, which was a bit frustrating. Nevertheless, the beauty of the writing is truly magnificent and will be the overall memory for me.

A brilliant must read if you are a fan of Khaled Hosseini’s books will enjoy this book. It tells the story of three young brothers that leave Los Angeles for their parents home country of Iran,

As a debut, this is good. It’s not perfect, it feels a bit scrappy and like it need a tight edit in places, but the topic is moving, the characters are complex, and overall I’m pleased I read this. Interested to see what comes next from the author.

This is a beautiful coming of age story, tender and heartbreaking and incredibly well written.
It definitely lacked some structured plot for me though, it felt a bit listless in some places and I felt some plot points were really developed whilst others were left behind which was frustrating.
That being said, the overall memory for me will be the beauty of the writing, which really is magnificent.

A remarkable book, well written with deep exploration of difficult topics and interesting relationships.

this story was beautiful. the story of the main character was heartbreaking to follow.
wasn’t a fan of the writing style. no chapter titles, and no quotation marks for when someone is speaking. also, scenes often felt unfinished, like being left hanging without resolve. didn’t particularly enjoy that chapters often skipped months or years ahead, and sometimes it took a while of confusion to figure it out.
overall i did really enjoy it and was quick to read. the ending was hopeful, even though it felt incomplete, it also felt realistic.

I read this in a day, it was very readable and the story made me want to read on. It was very well written.
It did get a bit confusing later on when it skipped years and they were suddenly older.
I would rate 3.5 stars (round up to 4)

A heartbreaking but heartwarming story. I enjoyed the education of culture and beliefs. I enjoyable read would recommend.

I Will Greet The Sun Again is a beautiful coming of age story centering on K, an Iranian boy living in Los Angeles with his Maman, Baba and two older brothers Shawn and Justin. Their father takes the three boys away from their mother and back to Iran, away from the American influence. A few years later, they return, without Baba, but it feels like a different place. We are taken on their journey growing up together and then apart.

This is so beautifully written and touches on some hard hitting topics such as abuse at the hands of their father, Islamophobia in America following the 9/11 attacks and we see how K tackles all of these things as well as his developing love for friend Johnny.

The story felt so immersive, you feel immensely for these characters and I loved the use of Farsi throughout. I felt it really helped the story. Khabushani is a talented writer, that's for sure.

A family saga done well, is a style of book I will always love, and something that I will always recommend to friends and followers, particularly people who aren't avid readers. There is nothing more compelling than embedding a reader into realistic and emotional lives of others. Everyone thinks their own family is a unique kind of dysfunctional (me included), and well executed sagas make me feel less like that - in a good way. This American Iranian family saga follows a family of brothers as they each use different outlets to cope with an abusive and difficult home life. I was so deeply attached to these characters, rooting for this overworked and undervalued mother, the youngest son trying to heal from trauma and ready to throw my kobo across the room every time that waste of space of a father re appeared. gut wrenching, beautifully constructed and softly handled content.

Couldn't connect with the brothers as much as I would've wanted to - thought the family dynamic was interesting ut maybe wasn't penetrated to a deep enough level.

I Will Greet The Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani.

Khabushani’s debut novel, this is part-fiction/part-memoir telling the story of an Iranian American boy searching for his place in the world. The story explores the difficulties of growing up as a young queer child and Muslim in America before and after 9/11.

This is such a gorgeous little book and surprisingly easy to read despite some of the subject matter. The narrator’s voice is strong as he grows from childhood to adolescence and navigates his family being torn apart, as well as struggling with his identity.

I loved the main character’s brothers in this story, there was a clear sense of brotherhood throughout (and even among his friends, too). There’s some difficult topics dealt with too, especially child SA, which may disturb some readers.

There are Persian words sprinkled throughout the novel, and though there is a brief stint of it set in Iran, it’s mainly set in a hot apartment complex in L.A. However, the smells and sounds of Iran are never far from our thoughts.

I really commend the author on his bravery with this novel, it is brutally honest and clearly a very personal piece of work that must have been difficult to write in parts.

I really loved this book and will 100% be reading Khabushani’s next book.

Three young siblings embark on a clandestine journey from Los Angeles to Iran, under the cover of nightfall. Their father uproots them from their mother's care, leading them to a foreign land and an ancestral home that feels strangely unfamiliar. Months later, they reemerge in the Valley, thrust back into American life, irreversibly transformed by their experiences.

Beneath the brilliant California sun, our focal point, the youngest brother, endeavors to reconstruct a shattered childhood marred by paternal brutality. His passage into adolescence is colored by a covert and tender love affair with a fellow basketball court companion. All the while, he navigates the fluctuating tides of being a Muslim in America during the cusp of the new millennium.

This novel fits squarely within the realm of realistic fiction. The author adeptly conjures imaginary personas and scenarios that mirror our world and its complexities. The characters grapple with themes of maturation, self-exploration, and the unflinching address of personal and societal quandaries.

The prose boasts clarity, conciseness, and a captivating quality, painting vivid portraits of the backdrop and personas. The dialogues flow organically, exuding authenticity, while the narrative rhythm strikes a harmonious equilibrium, sustaining ample suspense and relief to captivate the reader's attention.

While the eBook offers an engrossing experience, a few enhancements could render it more user-centric. Implementing hyperlinks for swift navigation between chapters, eradicating noticeable word gaps, and furnishing an engaging cover design would elevate the eBook's appeal. Presently, it leans towards a document-style presentation, warranting a minor deduction in rating.

As a literary debut for the author, this piece proves both enjoyable and promising, piquing curiosity for their future endeavors. The cover design boasts visual allure, making it a prospective attention-grabber on a bookstore shelf. Gratitude extends to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this advance reading copy, opening doors to this literary sojourn.

I Will Greet The Sun Again follows a young Iranian-American boy and his brothers through childhood and adolescence in both Iran and California, as he grapples with his sexuality and growing up in a pre and post-9/11 world.

The narrative style of this book really worked - often the no-speech-marks approach to writing comes across as pretentious to me but that wasn't the case here.

Khabushani also succeeds in communicating a strong sense of place, as the book travels from California to Isfahan.

Each of the main and side characters had a strongly defined inner purpose, making them believable and sincere, which contributes to ensuring that the difficult topics covered in this book are treated with sensitivity, rather than "issues" for the sake of it.

Astounding.

Reading this novel is like being handed a life. Raw, authentic, the story burns brightly and it felt real. Utterly transportive. A genuine privilege.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin / Fig Tree.

An utterly heartbreaking but equally hopeful and beautiful story of a young boy (and later man) experiencing hardships connected with his identity, acceptance and fitting-in.
While it was not an easy read, both because of the difficult topic discussed and because of the slower pace, it was still definitely worth reading. I would recommend it to everyone who enjoyed titles like Open Water or Bellies.

Huge thanks to Net Galley, Penguin General and the author for providing me with this digital review copy. All opinions are my own.