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The Locust and the Bird
by Hanan Al-Shaykh

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Lebanese writer & Hanan Al-Shaykh's latest novel takes a nuanced shape, since it is actually a fictionalized autobiography of the author's mother. The device allows us an intimate seat on Al-Shaykh's journey to untangle generations of pain for her family's women. Ultimately, it's a liberating journey for us all. By telling the story of the mother she resented for abandoning her, Hanan uncovers an even richer narrative: the story of her mother Kamila's courageous search for happiness and real love, even as it resulted in her total ostracization from the world into which she'd been born and the unspoken patriarchy that governed it. We cannot help but to come away from the book with an admiration for Kamila's character – and with a soul-satisfying appreciation for the ever-implicit love between mother and daughter. Now consider the story's elegant plot twists, the evocative simplicity of its language, and its setting amidst the turmoil of 20th century Beirut; and it's a book whose memory lingers.
– Chantal James