This book is dizzying and deliberate. I loved many of the stories and understand why its title makes reference to fire. I’m so grateful that short story collections like this exist to remind me of the beauty to be found in a fraction of someone’s life. This was really entertaining, the only story I couldn’t read was the one with the father who shoots dogs.

"What Remains After A Fire" is a captivating collection of stories from told from eight different perspectives from people from both Pakistan and the diaspora in the US. It is very stylistically unique and presents the truth of living life as a minority in a place that does not welcome you with the only alternative being living in a place that accepts you only within strict guidelines. This truth is presented without sweetener, but each story is also a tale of resilience. These characters are powerfully written and diverse in personality.

I think that fans of "The Gangster We Are All Looking Fo" by Lê Thị Diễm Thúy would like this; there are definitely similar themes. Both would be good picks to compare the stories of minorities in the US and to broaden horizons. I cannot express how important it is to diversity your reading, and this is a perfect book for it.

Thank you to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, and Kanza Javed for allowing me to read "What Remains After A Fire" in exchange for an honest review.

Each story got better and better with lovely prose and character depth. Full of important themes that makes the reader think. If you are looking for happy endings, you will not find many, but somehow there is still hope and warmth amidst the hard, dark truths of these compelling stories.

This is an incredible collection of stories that delve into the darkest and truest parts of life on the margins of society as an immigrant, woman, child, as well as broader commentary of life in both modern day Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora. I could not recommend this more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Wow. What an exquisitely powerful and moving collection of stories revolving around the themes of death and grief. What Remains After a Fire is a collection of stories about grieving and loss. I was immediately captivated by Kanza’s powerful messages and sense of imagery. I absolutely adored every story. Each character and story provided a window into central themes of what it means to belong to yourself and be true to your own life. I found this book to be incredibly moving and inspiring. This book was an incredible experience from start to finish.

I would caution readers only to make sure they read the summary as some of the themes in the book are quite heavy, so it is ideal to know that these will be addressed when going into the novel. There are themes of suicide and depression so please take this recommendation accordingly.

I am extremely excited to visit her other work and hope for more in the future!