Three Parties is a sharp, witty exploration of social dynamics, told with a mix of humor and keen observation. Saadi captures the awkwardness, tension, and unspoken rules of gatherings in a way that feels instantly relatable. I loved how each party revealed a little more about the characters, peeling back layers of politeness to show what’s really going on beneath the surface. The writing is quick and engaging, with moments that made me laugh and others that made me wince in recognition. It’s a short read, but one that packs in plenty of insight about relationships, identity, and the small dramas of everyday life. Clever, entertaining, and subtly thought-provoking, Three Parties is a gem worth picking up.

Three Parties

In the spirit of Mrs. Dalloway, a queer Palestinian is throwing an overly complicated birthday party where he plans on coming out to his family. Set over the course of the day the novel spends time recentering many of the ideas of Woolf’s novel while adding its own.

I was skeptical at first seeing as how Woolf’s novel is already a touchstone of queer literature but Saadi’s novel manages to have much of the same impact. The writing is less focused on stream of consciousness yet still managing to dive into the characters thoughts and feelings, touching on ideas of queer identity and its intersections of family and religion and the state of Palestine and the immigrant life. There are many ideas at work in the novel and while some are more fleshed out than others it feels correct seeing its main inspiration also played with many ideas.

Saadi’s writing at first is very simple and easy to jump into and as the novel progresses it becomes more eloquent and complicated. A small critique is it seems that possibly Saadi was too afraid to use stream of consciousness for all of the novel (but who’s to blame knowing its reception with modern audiences) but when the writing shifts closer to matching Woolf’s style it becomes beautiful and often poetic.

I’m excited to see what Saadi does after this and look forward to reading more from them.

Thanks to Penguin Canada and NetGalley for providing an earc.

going to start by saying that i’ve never read virginia woolf’s mrs. dalloway! so to my eyes this story was brand new with no past knowledge.

i didn’t have any idea what to expect since i’m pretty sure this was my first tragicomic, and i loved it! the tone was kept lighthearted while discussing heavier topics, easily transitioning into a somber voice when needed. i thought that was really well done.

firas is honest. he’s not a character who’s “i love my family” “i hate this person” “yes, no, not really”. any opinion was expressed and explained, and the response was so very human. his character wasn’t sugar coated. there were times when i didn’t agree with something he thought or did, but i found that i didn’t dislike him being disagreeable. it made him more real.

the dynamic between the dareer family members was also very real. it was something that showed how leaving your home country, moving to the west and having children grow up with that culture, shifting from one to another, can shake a home’s foundation while the people inside hold on to the pieces they brought with them.

while reading i realized how different everyone on this planet is yet not. i’m me, singular, my story is mine and only mine. yet there are others out in the world, coming from corners very different to mine, but our connection is our sexuality and how we feel in it. we all arrived to the same place in very different ways.

has a good note of how mental illness is blameless to any one person. that it’s something that can wrench back and forth within a person without being seen.

sobering reminders that the occupation in gaza is real and still happening. there are lasting effects that come through in families even if they’ve crossed an ocean.

no matter the distance and time, we’re all connected to the place we’re born from.

Three Parties is a gorgeous and thoughtful reimagining of Mrs. Dalloway. Firas Dareer, a 23-year-old Palestinian refugee, plans to throw himself an elaborate birthday/coming out party. He has meticulously planned every detail, from the invitations to the centerpieces, playlist, and menu. But factors beyond his control threaten to spoil Firas' special day, sending him scrambling to maintain order.

Although I couldn't relate to Firas' desire to throw a party this elaborate, I really appreciated how complex and layered this story is. For a modern retelling, I think the author did a great job maintaining the spirit of the original story while making it his own.

I requested and received an eARC of Three Parties by Ziyad Saadi via NetGalley. In a tragicomic modern reimagining of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, Firas Dareer wakes up on his twenty-third birthday with the determination to come out of the closet. He has carefully planned a party for himself, with special invitations and a meticulously curated guest list, with the intention of announcing his sexuality to his family and friends.

What an interesting novel! While I couldn’t necessarily connect with Firas’ desire to throw himself such an intricate coming out party, I did appreciate the Dalloway spirit of the story. Also, this decision totally checks out for Firas. Sharing space with his mind for the pages of Three Parties was an interesting journey. He’s plagued by anxiety from nearly every corner of his life, constantly worrying about how he is perceived or how he is failing in one way or another. Although Firas and I differ in culture and identity, I really connected with this aspect of his character and the incredible nuance given to his characterization. As I read the novel and Firas tried his darndest to maintain order, I found myself rooting for him, wishing everything would go exactly as he planned.

The characters that populate Three Parties are all quite interesting and fully realized. I really enjoyed unpacking the Dareer family dynamic, but I kept finding myself drawn to the passages that included Kashif. This was a book that I took my time with. I finished it in small chunks over the course over a couple of weeks, but every time I returned to the book it was easy to settle back in. In many ways, this novel subverts the traditional coming out narrative and I really think Saadi offers a fresh perspective through the eyes of a very able protagonist in the form of Firas. The novel is also timely. Firas and his family are Palestinian refugees which adds an extra layer of complexity to the story that I think is well-worth examining.

2.75⭐️
Ummm...

"Three Parties" centers around the preparation and chaos of Firaz's upcoming birthday/coming out party. Told traveling back and forth in the minds and memories of a cast of characters and all concluding with a fateful event that changes everything.

I'll be honest, I've never read "Mrs. Dalloway" but I do love a good Virginia Woolf, especially if it's a queer-er retelling; however this book doesn't quite meet the same standard of the source material, I'm afraid. While I applaud Saadi and their ability to take key points of Woolf's work and adapt them to a modern world, many of the more critical topics get lost in the sauce, making this a mish-mash of themes and ideas. I appreciate the author's ability to come at the source material in a new way, but am saddened that to not enjoy this book more.

I won't go into too many details or spoilers, but I have to voice my main gripe: the main character, Firas. The main motivation of this character is to create an unforgettable experience and come out to his friends, family and co-workers; a solid premise that sadly gets muddled when bringing it into reality. What early 20 year old would ever choose to share a coming out day on the day of their birthday, while ALSO coordinating an elaborate dinner and party? This might be more of a "me" problem, because I would never consider conceive of doing anything to that level of complexity for coming out, especially considering the amount of expectation one places on their guests and family in response to this news!

I'll stop my rant there (because I could go on to even further points), but I'll chalk it up to say this book was not my favorite. I see what the vision was, but the execution did not meet the same level. I hope to see further work from Saafi and perhaps read another one of their works in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC of this work!

"Three Parties" by Ziyad Saadi offers a fresh and thoughtful reimagining of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway." This modern adaptation follows Firas, a queer Muslim Palestinian refugee, as he prepares for his extravagant birthday dinner party, where he plans to come out to his Palestinian Muslim family, friends, and community.

I found the plot surprisingly suspenseful and was eager to learn more about Firas and those around him. The narrative delves into Firas's inner thoughts as he seeks to understand himself and the world around him.

Similar to "Mrs. Dalloway," this novel addresses themes of mental illness. It shifts between past and present, highlighting the relationships between various characters and illustrating how their lives intersect. Key themes include social expectations, identity, pain, and the masks we wear. The story also explores the impact of trauma and genocide on the characters' lives. Much like fellow Detroit area author Jeffrey Eugenides' "The Virgin Suicides," this novel is haunting and blends suburban nostalgia with existential melancholy.

I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada (Adult), Hamish Hamilton, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.