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.