I found the book fascinating with the description of Syria and the oppression facing all of the people throughout the regimes , however what the book did the best was describe the dangers of radicalisation of the people living in the regime and how it can change a person into someone unrecognisable.

This is such a rich story. Wow. What a debut.

Thank you Netgalley for this and thank you Kim for writing this story, shedding light on what it probably was like for women in Syria during the war.

We follow a mother calls Nooda and her daughter Layal through their new world and life as they navigate what it means to be a woman in a place that is laden with ruthless laws, war, oppression and little hope.

Their journeys were written so well, I felt every emotion with them, the weight of every decision made and the battles they journeyed through and overcame. I found myself holding my breath when they held there’s and smiling when Layal found her sisterhood with Serap, Aws the other women.

Brilliant brilliant debut that will stay with my for years to come.

This was such a hard read. The civil war in Syria is so very real. Seeing it from the eyes of Layal and Nooda makes it much more personal.

If we didn't have the viewpoint of the main female characters, it wouldn't have hit so hard. I also think that with current events, it makes it more difficult.

I could not put this book down; I had to know everything. I had to know what happened next. Did these women ever make it to safety? Were they ever going to be safe?

This shows such a harsh reality that no one thinks of. I am so glad that Kim Dempster has provided this book as insight into the world of civil war. Women are so strong, and they are just as much a part of history as the men fighting in the wars. Kim provides this viewpoint, and I will be forever grateful that I have read this book.

Thank you, Kim and Netgalley!

This book was so emotionally moving. I truly loved it and it was such a great read! Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

I flew through this book and learned so much about the plight of Syrian women. I did wonder about the author's connection to this history. I read that she had traveled and studied this country, but appropriation is a concern. That said, this did not keep me from falling into Layal's story and hoping she would survive. The ending, where she walks past the photo of tRump is chilling. The fear of losing women's right in the US echoes in this tale. Thank you for allowing me to read this compelling story.

gosh this book was powerful. and sadly it didn't seem just and only relevant for the war torn country. i'm seeing the same unsettled feeling in all places. now that is the scariest kind of read. but this book was brilliant in how it managed to put it down there.
this book is set in war torn Ragga during the civil war. and it pulls you right in with emotional tugs at every heart string possible. you get so much story but also seem to be seamlessly learning so much to. without feeling bombarded or judged at at any point throughout. it seems offensive to say how scary i thought it was and how unsettled it was for me to read. i hope this dictates as pure empathy and not as me being someone that has no right to feel these things with how luckily far away from it i am. but the times we are living in right now does bring some unsettling notions to the surface. this mother in this book Nooda and her daughter are there fighting for their agency. and the parallels are stark.
the author wrote this book with such depth of skill and emotional awareness. it was stunning. the way it made me feel. the way it made me able to read on even with that felt fear i had was just another skill. that cant be easy. to know when to hold back but needing to get some rather sad or not nice points across for someones truth, for Nooda's truth. and woman truth. real woman. that, that is what hurt and made me sad and scared. but wow the bravery.
this will be a book i remember for ever.

One of my favourite books of 2025.

The heartbreaking story of a Syrian family, experiencing the joy of the removal of Assad as the Syrian president, onto the subsequent ruling by the terrorist group, the Islamist state.

The fast descent, for the main character, from plans to go to university in London to having to become virtually invisible in her community is shocking, yet believable.

The main characters are well-drawn, and you feel sorrow for all of them. The story is well written and moves at a fast pace.

I would say this is recommended reading for everyone.

This is so incredibly well written. I love when I’m shocked by a debut.
I’d never read anything about the Syrian civil war, so this was incredibly eye opening and informative. I think it’s incredibly needed right now. Media literacy is at an all time low, we’re facing the dismantling of our government in the United States. It’s all incredibly important.

Such a sad yet beautiful story that captures both the strength and the unimaginable suffering experienced during the conflict in Syria. Set in the war-torn city of Raqqa, this is a powerful account of love, loss and the unbreakable spirit of women fighting for their autonomy. Nooda, an intrepid journalist, and her daughter Layal, a young woman with hopes for a better future, face impossible choices as their family is torn apart by war.

The writing is vivid and deeply moving, painting a haunting picture of the horrors of conflict while honouring the courage and resilience of women. This book lingers long after the final page, a poignant reminder of the cost of war and the enduring fight for justice. It was a privilege to read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thank you to Kim Dempster and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This is a debut novel and is excellent, whilst being harrowing, emotionally charged and thought provoking. I was hooked from the start, and became quickly invested in the main characters, mother and daughter Nooda and Layal. The Handmaid’s Tale kept springing to mind due to the parallels between the women’s terrible life experiences under a fundamentalist religious and military regime. I know this is a story, but it feels very genuine, and with Kim Dempster’s background I am sure it has a true basis in the sad reality for many women in this world. Sadly I know many of the experiences directly relating to living in a war torn country are being fully experienced by many thousands of people right now.
Although this is a really hard read at times, with some awful sections and some heart stopping ones, there are also inspiring moments too and I highly recommend this book to others.

The Color of Mourning by Kim Dempster is a must read.
This powerful novel is both emotional and empowering, shedding light on the horrors of war and the oppression of women through its compelling main characters.
The book had a profound impact on me, and it's astonishing that it's a debut novel as the writing is impressive.
A truly moving and unforgettable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon KDP for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It's interesting that Kim Dempster's powerful novel about the civil war in Syria is listed as historical fiction since the novel ends in 2017, when our main characters, a mother and daughter arrive at O'Hare airport and see Trump and Pence's photos on the wall. The Assad Regime finally ended in December 2024, yet the violence and instability remain today, with refugees starving and unable to safely relocate. Dempster's novel gives readers and intimate portrayal of how, in particular, the lives of women have been so harshly, and how they have been viewed as commodities to their oppressors. The novel begins with a father, a doctor, who didn't try to relocate their family when there seemed to be a safe opening for escape, and he is removed from the home, and their college-aged son's campus that was destroyed by missiles, becomes the "man of the house," and finds it impossible to find work to feed his family. Their mother, a journalist, risks her life by keeping her cell phone so she can report to the rest of the world the horrors that are happening, and their young daughter is forced to marry an oppressor. It's a fast-paced novel filled with the horrors of war.

“The Color Of Mourning” by Kim Dempster, is a 292-page fiction book released in February of this year, and the author’s first independently published novel. The paperback has ISBN 979-8310256422 and costs $12.00. 

Inspired by women, Kim Dempster, an intrepid explorer of the Middle East, lives in Iran. This story takes place in the war-torn city of Raqqa, Syria, and centers on Layal Wassef, who is offered a full scholarship to study at the London School of Economics. Her brother Tarek is, however, part of a democracy group, which puts the entire family at risk. As Islamic rebels attack the city, Layal’s doctor father is abducted, and lives and properties are lost. No one allows her access to books or technology. Layal wishes to leave Syria earlier when she has the chance.

However, her situation raises baffling questions. How will she cope with life in such tough times? Will Layal and her family be safe? Will her dreams come true? 

One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the symbolism of the protagonist Layal. She is a symbol of the confines, suffering, and agony of femininity, the life of being a Middle Eastern has been burdened upon her. A witness to the destruction caused by the world’s largest terrorist organization, Layal is a living testament of true resilience and, coupled with her educational interest in International Affairs, makes her worthy of a bright future of being an ambassador of child rights. Her sacrificing her education for the comfort of child marriage, however, takes away her remaining sense of dignity and freedom, leaving her unseen, unheard, and enslaved by society.  

She is, however, lucky to have Nooda, Johanna, and a few other resilient women who share common goals with her. Their black mourning outfits symbolize their ordeal in Syria, which fits the narrative and makes it more realistic. As Layal said to Bejan and her fellow women, after they narrowly avoided persecution and crossed the Syrian border, “You are modern-day Amazons.”

I do not have any negative views in the book. It offers an insight into the oppression faced by Middle Eastern women, the bond of strength and unity among those resisting the oppression, as well as the constant fight for freedom and equality. I find this book insightful and educational, with subtle morals that the readers would appreciate.

I did not find any typographical mistakes or errors. Because of this, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this novel to female readers interested in fiction, history, and war stories. It serves as a beacon to notify of the resilience of feminine characters across the toughest parts of the world and the need for women’s rights to be respected.