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Dahlia and Carys
‘Dahlia and Carys’ tells the intriguing story of forbidden love and a woman’s heart-breaking struggle to reconcile her fragmented cultural and gender identities despite family schisms. Dahlia finds herself plagued with flashbacks of not intervening in her schoolfriend Yasmine’s kidnapping by ISIS in Iraq. Back in London, her brother Elias is showing perilous signs of affiliation with terrorists. All the while, Dahlia is slowly opening up to a captivating new presence in Carys. She begins to find solace in their relationship of love and trust. Yet Dahlia feels that she cannot truly move on with her life until she returns to Iraq, the place wrought with guilt. Will Carys join her on this dangerous journey to find Yasmine?
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 7, 2023
Absolutely devoured this book. From the start, I was hooked and barely put the book down until I was finished.
Dahlia was a really interesting character with a lot going on in her current life, as well as memories of her old life in Iraq.
I loved the relationship between Dahlia and Carys and the journey they went on and how they both helped to heal each other from their old lives. Both strong characters but so much love and respect between them both and for Carys to go to Iraq with Dahlia was a big point in the relationship. Throw in kidnappings, a mother who cannot accept her daughters choices and a brother who is involved in ISIS. You have a brilliant and drama packed read.
Dahlia was a really interesting character with a lot going on in her current life, as well as memories of her old life in Iraq.
I loved the relationship between Dahlia and Carys and the journey they went on and how they both helped to heal each other from their old lives. Both strong characters but so much love and respect between them both and for Carys to go to Iraq with Dahlia was a big point in the relationship. Throw in kidnappings, a mother who cannot accept her daughters choices and a brother who is involved in ISIS. You have a brilliant and drama packed read.
April 13, 2023
An intense story, where you follow Dahlia, who is a Muslim woman living in London, with her traditional mother and her brother, who is part of ISIS. She falls in love with Carys, who is a woman, and it is a forbidden love story. (Love this trope)
I'm gripped, has we explore their relationship, and how far their love goes. Nothing will get in the way of their love. Tragic events unfold as Dahlia and Carys travel to Baghdad, where they are kidnapped and later on travel to Iraq to save a friend, where they're both in peril yet again. Dahlias mother finds it hard to believe her daughter's life choices (dating a woman), and so does her brother. He is willing to commit suicide and take Dahlia with him!
This story talks about many sensitive subjects- The history of war, religious beliefs, and cultural differences, which are skillfully written.
I'm gripped, has we explore their relationship, and how far their love goes. Nothing will get in the way of their love. Tragic events unfold as Dahlia and Carys travel to Baghdad, where they are kidnapped and later on travel to Iraq to save a friend, where they're both in peril yet again. Dahlias mother finds it hard to believe her daughter's life choices (dating a woman), and so does her brother. He is willing to commit suicide and take Dahlia with him!
This story talks about many sensitive subjects- The history of war, religious beliefs, and cultural differences, which are skillfully written.
January 3, 2024
This is a beautifully written story about love between two very different people, their ethnicity and background intriguingly clashing yet, at the same time, attracting. We learn a great deal about the ancient and recent history of Iraq which is sensitively interwoven with events in the West. When the author writes about Ancient Iraq, I find it fascinating that the oldest story in the world about Gilgamesh is brought to us in such a captivating way. Links are made with the present time. Another love story is spun around the clay tablets in the British Museum. Danger and fear lurk when the horrors of war get closer. Altogether a fantastic and absorbing read.
Trudy M. Amsterdam
Trudy M. Amsterdam
April 11, 2023
This novel is a thought-provoking and poignant story that explores the themes of trauma, love, and global issues that affect us all. The book takes an unflinching look at the harsh realities of our world, including overuse of antibiotics, pandemic, and the lasting effects of colonialism and genocide.
The two main characters, Dahlia and Carys, come from vastly different backgrounds. Dahlia is a Kurdish refugee, forced to flee her home in the face of ISIS persecution. Carys is a Welsh doctor working in the overstretched National Health Service. Despite their different experiences, the two women share a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a positive difference in the world.
Throughout the novel, we see the characters grappling with the weight of their respective traumas. Dahlia's experiences with ISIS have left her with a deep sense of distrust and wariness. Meanwhile, Carys is constantly battling the stresses and pressures of her job, as well as her own personal demons. Despite these challenges, the two women are drawn to each other in a powerful way. Their relationship is a beacon of hope in a world that often feels bleak and oppressive.
What makes 'Dahlia and Carys' such a compelling read is its ability to seamlessly weave together personal and global issues. The book never shies away from the harsh realities of our world, but it also offers a sense of hope and possibility. Hastie's writing is clear and unambiguous, making the book an easy and absorbing read.
One of the most striking aspects of the novel is its use of the ancient poem 'Gilgamesh.' The epic poem, which dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, tells the story of a king's quest for immortality. In 'Dahlia and Carys,' the characters reflect on the poem's themes, questioning the value of immortality in a world full of suffering and violence. This reflection speaks to the novel's larger themes of hope and resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges.
Ultimately, 'Dahlia and Carys' is a powerful novel that speaks to the complexities of our world and the human experience. With its beautiful prose, nuanced characters, and deep exploration of the issues that affect us all, 'Dahlia and Carys' is a must-read for anyone who is looking for a story that is both challenging and uplifting.
The two main characters, Dahlia and Carys, come from vastly different backgrounds. Dahlia is a Kurdish refugee, forced to flee her home in the face of ISIS persecution. Carys is a Welsh doctor working in the overstretched National Health Service. Despite their different experiences, the two women share a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a positive difference in the world.
Throughout the novel, we see the characters grappling with the weight of their respective traumas. Dahlia's experiences with ISIS have left her with a deep sense of distrust and wariness. Meanwhile, Carys is constantly battling the stresses and pressures of her job, as well as her own personal demons. Despite these challenges, the two women are drawn to each other in a powerful way. Their relationship is a beacon of hope in a world that often feels bleak and oppressive.
What makes 'Dahlia and Carys' such a compelling read is its ability to seamlessly weave together personal and global issues. The book never shies away from the harsh realities of our world, but it also offers a sense of hope and possibility. Hastie's writing is clear and unambiguous, making the book an easy and absorbing read.
One of the most striking aspects of the novel is its use of the ancient poem 'Gilgamesh.' The epic poem, which dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, tells the story of a king's quest for immortality. In 'Dahlia and Carys,' the characters reflect on the poem's themes, questioning the value of immortality in a world full of suffering and violence. This reflection speaks to the novel's larger themes of hope and resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges.
Ultimately, 'Dahlia and Carys' is a powerful novel that speaks to the complexities of our world and the human experience. With its beautiful prose, nuanced characters, and deep exploration of the issues that affect us all, 'Dahlia and Carys' is a must-read for anyone who is looking for a story that is both challenging and uplifting.
June 21, 2023
When Dahlia, a refugee from Iraq tormented by memories of ISIS atrocities and now a BBC journalist, goes for an interview on the state of the NHS at a London hospital, she meets Carys, one of the doctors. They become friends and then lovers… But Dahlia struggles to come out to her mother, while her disturbed brother Elias is starting to display an alarming tendency towards terrorism…
Dahlia realizes that her only way to find personal salvation is to return to Iraq to confront her demons there. But will she overcome them, and also, will Carys, who faces issues of her own, both in her personal and professional life, drop everything and accompany her?
Set mostly in London, but with episodes in Germany and Iraq, Dahlia and Carys elegantly traces the moving story of a young woman finding redemption in facing up to her past and being accepted for who she is. The characters are engaging, the situations believable and the ending passes the lump-in-the–throat/tear-in the-eye test.
This page-turner is excellently paced: gripping heart-in-mouth dramatic action scenes and tragic events alternate with passages of great intimacy and introspection. Hastie Salih observes her characters with humour and insight, while Dahlia’s difficulty in finding the right way and time to come out to her mother is touching and totally convincing. The scattering of phrases in Welsh, Kurdish and Arabic adds authenticity to both setting and characters. The novel would make a great film or TV drama.
While much has been written about the conflict in Iraq and its aftermath, the publication of Dahlia & Carys is significant as the subject has rarely — if at all — been fictionalized, and told from a same-sex perspective makes it an original.
One hopes that this beautifully produced, unputdownable book will reach the wider readership it deserves.
Dahlia realizes that her only way to find personal salvation is to return to Iraq to confront her demons there. But will she overcome them, and also, will Carys, who faces issues of her own, both in her personal and professional life, drop everything and accompany her?
Set mostly in London, but with episodes in Germany and Iraq, Dahlia and Carys elegantly traces the moving story of a young woman finding redemption in facing up to her past and being accepted for who she is. The characters are engaging, the situations believable and the ending passes the lump-in-the–throat/tear-in the-eye test.
This page-turner is excellently paced: gripping heart-in-mouth dramatic action scenes and tragic events alternate with passages of great intimacy and introspection. Hastie Salih observes her characters with humour and insight, while Dahlia’s difficulty in finding the right way and time to come out to her mother is touching and totally convincing. The scattering of phrases in Welsh, Kurdish and Arabic adds authenticity to both setting and characters. The novel would make a great film or TV drama.
While much has been written about the conflict in Iraq and its aftermath, the publication of Dahlia & Carys is significant as the subject has rarely — if at all — been fictionalized, and told from a same-sex perspective makes it an original.
One hopes that this beautifully produced, unputdownable book will reach the wider readership it deserves.
August 26, 2025
I wanted to read this book having enjoyed Hastie Salih's second novel ("Dahlia and Carys" was her debut novel). Like "The Cradle and the Cage", "Dahlia and Carys" tells the story of a troubled young woman of Kurdish descent trying to reconcile with her heritage while living in London. It's a moving story of identity, not only regarding nationality and nationhood, but also of sexuality, as Dahlia begins to recognize that she is gay - something that her Kurdish mother and extremist brother struggle to accept. The Carys of the title is a British NHS doctor with whom Dahlia strikes up a slow-burn romantic relationship, and they empower each other in different ways. With insights into the nature of Iraq, Kurdestan, and ISIS, it's an informative and moving personal tale of struggle and triumph over adversity, at least for Dahlia and Carys, although not without horror and tragedy along the way, which must be inevitable in any story addressing these issues. An absorbing read - highly recommended.
October 13, 2024
Very good read
Excellent book. I had absolutely no idea just how complicated the middle east crisis is and how little I know about it all. I would love to read more about Dahlia and Carys's relationship..
Excellent book. I had absolutely no idea just how complicated the middle east crisis is and how little I know about it all. I would love to read more about Dahlia and Carys's relationship..
June 22, 2023
Dahlia and Carys come from different backgrounds but share the willingness to make changes in this crazy world. In addition, Dahlia falls in love with Carys, but Dahlia has a very traditional family where their relationship is forbidden.
Throughout the story, there are many sensitive subjects discussed skillfully and respectfully. It explores different themes, such as trauma, love, and different global issues as well as real problems we all face these days.
Being a novel, this is one of the most realistic ones I have read in quite a long time!
Throughout the story, there are many sensitive subjects discussed skillfully and respectfully. It explores different themes, such as trauma, love, and different global issues as well as real problems we all face these days.
Being a novel, this is one of the most realistic ones I have read in quite a long time!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews