The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society

by Christine Estima

With imaginative aplomb and abiding passion, The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society masterfully traces the deep roots of the Arab immigrant experience. These unforgettable interlocking stories follow an Arab family as they flee the Middle East in the nineteenth century, settle in Montreal in the twentieth, and face the collision between tradition and modernity in the twenty-first. This family includes trailblazing Lebanese freedom fighters, undercover operatives in World War II, and brave Syrian refugees trying to find their place in Canadian society.


The line of daring women culminates in Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestors' voices.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Canada

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

About the author

Christine Estima is the author of THE SYRIAN LADIES BENEVOLENT SOCIETY (2023) and LETTERS TO KAFKA (2025). Her essays and short stories have appeared in the New York Times, Vice, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Observer, the New York Daily News, Chatelaine, the Walrus, Refinery 29, Bitch, Maisonneuve, and elsewhere.

Her short story "Your Hands Are Blessed" was selected for the BEST CANADIAN STORIES 2023 anthology.

Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cestima

Reviews

[Redeate Kidanue · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was good. The story was confusing, the povs were too scattered I could barely tell how anyone was connected. Also I didn’t get anything out of this book, it didn’t change me or touch me at all. There were many unnecessary vulgar moments. I think this would’ve been better if it was a longer book. Everything was rushed to a point where it didn’t make sense.

[JillyCatriona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to make of it. I chose it for my book club and I'm low key embarrassed cause all their ratings are like 3 stars LOL. The book jumps around too much and you can barely tell which character is in the chapter. It could've been even shorter, or it could've been longer and more fleshed out. Some parts were interesting and others confusing. I'd never ask my grandmother about the size of my grandfather's private parts, and using their sex life for masturbation was straight up too much for me!

[Dania · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does almost every portrayal of Arabs in the West feed into weird s*xual notions…. I don’t understand why a person would write pages about someone who probes her grandmother about her grandfather’s genitalia …..?

Also, this was underwhelming because I’ve read a few articles by the author and there’s quite a few things in this book I’ve 100% read her say before, so it felt repetitive.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but it got a bit...strange in some parts.

[Eric Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely one of my top three reads for this year! The stories are intricately woven yet stand as their own absorbing and powerful narratives. Estima's use of vibrant imagery and flowing language really immerses you in the landscape both physically and spiritually of each story. Though it's a brief time with each character, they come to the reader so open and intricately presented that they are quickly familiar and interesting but with an air of awe and raw emotion. Even the endings to these stories are some of the most poignant and evocative that I've had the pleasure of reading. As an eye opening journey into the history and life of the Arab immigrant story across the world and also the holistic view of women using their voices and expressing themselves through these characters this book is unparalleled.

[Emer O'Toole]

“Just call us Lebaneezer Scrooge. Bah, Hummus.”

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating read. Some parts are extreme and bold, which can sometimes help provoke thought, but I feel the story’s structure isn’t fully developed enough to support that wildness. Overall, I still enjoyed the read.

[Steph Percival · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling! Estima’s collection of short stories had me nose deep for 24 hours.

[Sahel · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say time is a construct, I'm not sure I fully understand what this concept means but I know that in The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society time does not follow the rules; what's in the past is not gone, our ancestors live and breathe within us, their scars, their trauma, their hopes and dreams live on in our flesh, in our characters, in our temperaments and in the choices we make.

With interconnected stories that begin in the mid-19th century, Christine Estima brilliantly captures the immigrant experience, exploring fundamental questions: Why do people leave? How do they rebuild their lives from scratch? How do they contribute to their new societies? How can they live with half a body having left the other half 10,000 kilometers and a century or two away?

[Su Chang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most raw and visceral books I’ve read this year. I’m late to the party, because the book has already garnered so much acclaim, including a spot on CBC’s list of the best books of 2023. Christine’s prose is precise, poetic, pulsing. The interlocking stories are not merely about displacement and loss; they also celebrate the strength, humor, and resilience of women who defy cultural stereotypes and find their own paths.

The narrative is centered around Azurée, a young Arab woman who finds herself navigating the complexities of her cultural heritage and modern life in Montreal, whose journey is marked by surprising moments of self-discovery. Estima masterfully weaves Azurée’s stories with those of her ancestors, creating a rich, evocative tapestry of the Arab diaspora. Her characters are vividly drawn and deeply human, grappling with issues of identity, belonging, and cultural expectations, often finding themselves at the intersection of multiple worlds. Her story is a testament to the enduring influence of family and heritage, as well as the importance of forging one’s own identity.

In “A Degree of Suffering is Required,” Azuree’s “bloodthirsty senses” are explored with such passion and sensuality that my heart raced the entire time reading the story. I loved the unexpected and poignant twist in “Your Hands are Blessed,” delving into the unseen experiences of immigrant women and making my eyes fill. Estima writes with tremendous bravery and energy. We are fortunate to witness her talent at play.

[J.J. Dupuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This superb collection took me by surprise. Not only the breadth and scope of it, stories spanning centuries and continents, but also the author's depth of knowledge. It's one thing to do loads of research for a book, but another to seamlessly weave historical/geographical facts into the work so that it seems written in a particular time period.
Aside from the vivid settings and historical details, the stories capture the struggles, romances and journeys of their characters so well that the reader's heart breaks alongside theirs. I found myself quite moved by several of the pieces in this book, so much so that I'm sure my facial expressions betrayed me as I read on the subway.
The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society is a book that follows generations through different stories and can be enjoyed both as a collection and as an epic account of a bloodline. The plots and characters are layered and intricate, the imagery sublime. For fans of both the short story and longer-format work, this book delivers.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A multi-generational collection of short stories told by women-- spanning 140 years from Lebanon to Montreal and back again-- chronicling the Arab immigrant experience. The collection was quite fascinating and written with such attention to detail, evoking emotion with each journey/story.

There were some uncomfortable strangeness, particularly in the story A Degree of Suffering is Required/2003. , but perhaps the fact that that particular story has stuck out in my mind is a testament to the author's intent to elicit deep emotion and provoke thoughtfulness.

Overall, this was a departure from my usual reads, but I'm glad that I checked it out!

Thank you to House of Anansi Press Inc. and NetGalley for this ARC. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of similarities to last year’s Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi...

I found that the stories got more and more interesting as we moved forward towards the present day… each of the stories moving forward in time from 1860 at the start, and ending in 2020 - immediately before the COVID pandemic.

I did like the way that some of the stories circled back around to the start - to being back in Lebanon - in the second part of the book.... completing the journey.

I look forward to reading what the author offers us up next.

Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of interconnected short stories focused on a century and a half of Arab women's voices inspired by the author's own ancestors' deep roots in Montreal. A family tree fashioned backwards from a seed of a story published nearly 20 years ago. From the incredible image of the red glow emanating from a tiny body wrapped in cloth being lowered into the earth, embers burning in the heart's cavity of the first chapter — the stories move through time, each filled with delightful details. There's a pearl necklace peeking above a collar, an incriminating hotel bottle opener, a still warm lemon cake. It's a jewel of a collection and just a lovely debut.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description says all that I could say about the context of this book. I will say that it was good to read a book that described Montreal and Toronto as almost characters. There was more here than traditional (read CanLit) immigrant stories. While identity did figure high on the list of themes, it wasn't overbearing or had too much of an othering affect. Sometimes the focus in CanLit is more of this to the exclusion of saying something else.

I feel like there is more here but it is not for me to discuss. I think it would be best for the reader to discover about this family themself.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society is layered, moving, and beautifully written.

Estima weaves a sweeping family story across generations, blending history, migration, and identity with real care. The early chapters are especially strong — vivid, grounded, and emotional. Toward the end it gets a bit tangled with so many voices, but the ambition and heart are undeniable.

A thoughtful, resonant read that stays with you.

[Brontee (bookswithbibi) 🍉 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a fascinating read. I found the earlier vignettes interesting and profound. While I enjoyed the lead-up to the present day, I found it increasingly difficult to follow the story/narrator's relationships.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eArC in exchange for an honest review

[Anuja Varghese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever read stories that so vividly capture Montreal in different periods of time - the city leaps off the page! Estima’s characters are linked in intricate ways and her writing has an urgency and sensuality to it that drew me in and kept me hooked. The prose is sharp but the voice is tender. A gorgeous collection.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Estima does such an amazing job capturing the Lebanese-Syrian immigrant experience from past to present. Each story is so vivid; reading “Fairview Mall” felt like I was transported back to my own childhood as an Arab kid in Toronto.

Some stories did get a little weird in Part 2 and the Arabic transliteration could have been better, but overall a great collection.

[Danielle Vuong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book about many generations of a Syrian family. I felt the familiarity of Montreal and my dad’s side of my family, since they have Syrian background. This would have been 5 stars for me if there was no chapter about a girl who liked to bleed over things in public. It was gross and didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the book, but maybe that was the point.

[Jen David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, I loved this read. I’m re-reading it again, actually. A gorgeous, prosey (is that a word? Likely not) tale of generations of Syrian women. I felt closer to my pop-pop (Lebanese) reading this book, and to those ancestors who landed on Ellis Island during the turn of the 20th century. Phenomenal, quick, easy, witty, and wonderful verbose. Watch out for this author. She is fabulous.

[K.R. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society—structured as a series of linked vignettes tracing a line of women from 1860s Lebanon to present day Montreal—is beautifully written, with sumptuous visual details.

[The Jammerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed the narrative formed by various perspectives throughout the book. As a reader that was quite outside the target audience for literature like this I was surprised at how easy it was to stay interested.

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. While the book started out well and interesting, after a while, I felt a little lost reading this and wasn't sure what was happening or who was the narrator of each story.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

some interesting ideas, I do wish it had a stronger through-line or it was easier to track the relationship between the characters as the timeline moves forward

[Colton Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would've been cool to spend a bit more time with the historical characters, but otherwise some really interesting short stories. The late 90s early 2000s adolescence chapter felt so vividly real

[Ana Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful book

[Stuart Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent insight into Middle East culture and one woman's attempts, however faulty, to rid herself of its influence as an immigrant to Canada.

[Misty Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A multi-generational and cross-century tale of one Arab family's journey from the Middle East to Montreal. Visceral and haunting - highly recommend!

[Rhia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging, raw in places, a little experimental. Definitely worth the read.