What do you think?
Rate this book
They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories
They Fell Like Stars from the Sky and Other Stories is a collection of eighteen short stories celebrating the courage, resilience, tragedies and triumphs of Bedouin Palestinian women and girls. From a woman whose tattoo arouses the alarm of sexual taboos to the young girls whose curiosities of womanhood spark endearment, and from the tragic outcome of a husband consumed by jealousy of his wife's teenage love to the ecstatic love of an elderly woman for the game of football, these stories offer mesmerising portraits of life on the margins. Featuring beautiful illustrations throughout, They Fell Like Stars from the Sky and Other Stories is a powerful ode to the Bedouin women and girls of Palestine and their spirit for every form of freedom.
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2024
26 people are currently reading
1651 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 21, 2023
In a Nutshell: An OwnVoices anthology by a Bedouin Palestinian woman writer, focusing on female experiences in that culture. Enjoyed the setting more than the stories, though there are some gems herein.
The translator’s preface at the start provides a nice foundation to our experience of this anthology, first published in Arabic in 2015. It introduces the author’s background and her writing style. Author Sheikha Helawy grew up in a Palestinian Bedouin village named Shail El E'rj, which was forcibly displaced by the Israeli occupation in the 1990s. She uses her early memories and her experiences after losing her home to pen stories about women such as her.
This collection of eighteen stories focusses on the female Bedouin voice, offering us myriad women who are trying to thwart outdated patriarchal and social practices to whatever little extent they can. Not all of their wins are grand, but in such situations, even tiny victories matter.
The author’s writing is quite lyrical, and her OwnVoices experience of the Bedouin thinking and culture is reflected in every single story. Despite the political potential of the setting, the author doesn’t diverge into statements or opinions about the Israel-Palestine conflict, but sticks to her chosen theme of regular women trying to live regular lives.
Despite what you might assume, this isn’t a book about weak women suppressed by a restrictive culture but of resilient women indulging in little rebellions. Most of the tales are dramatic in style, which serves the content well. The protagonists range from young girls to old women, thereby bringing a wonderfully varied perspective to each story. The characters show a tenacity of spirit that allows us to root for them.
That said, my experience of the stories was very mixed. Some of the stories feel a bit unstructured, while others were too short to make an impact. At least half of the stories would have benefited with a little more substance at the end. While we do get a glimpse of the Bedouin culture, it is more in tiny snapshots than a panoramic view.
The blurb mentions “beautiful illustrations throughout”, but these aren’t a part of the stories themselves. Rather, there is a B&W line art illustration on the page containing the story’s title, with the sketch befitting that story.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Most of the stories fell within the 3-3.5 star range for me, with a few exceptions either way. My dissatisfaction mostly stems from the lack of a conclusive endpoint for the tales, and in some cases, from the lack of a sensible structure to the plot.
My favourite stories were:
To sum up, the USP of this anthology is its setting and the cultural background of the author. I have never ever read a book set around Bedouin experiences and written by a Bedouin writer, so these two factors were enough to satisfy me with this collection, though the stories themselves could have worked better for me.
Recommended not as a must-read anthology, but as a book about a culture you rarely get to experience in fiction.
3.25 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
My thanks to Neem Tree Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “They Fell Like Stars From the Sky & Other Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
The translator’s preface at the start provides a nice foundation to our experience of this anthology, first published in Arabic in 2015. It introduces the author’s background and her writing style. Author Sheikha Helawy grew up in a Palestinian Bedouin village named Shail El E'rj, which was forcibly displaced by the Israeli occupation in the 1990s. She uses her early memories and her experiences after losing her home to pen stories about women such as her.
This collection of eighteen stories focusses on the female Bedouin voice, offering us myriad women who are trying to thwart outdated patriarchal and social practices to whatever little extent they can. Not all of their wins are grand, but in such situations, even tiny victories matter.
The author’s writing is quite lyrical, and her OwnVoices experience of the Bedouin thinking and culture is reflected in every single story. Despite the political potential of the setting, the author doesn’t diverge into statements or opinions about the Israel-Palestine conflict, but sticks to her chosen theme of regular women trying to live regular lives.
Despite what you might assume, this isn’t a book about weak women suppressed by a restrictive culture but of resilient women indulging in little rebellions. Most of the tales are dramatic in style, which serves the content well. The protagonists range from young girls to old women, thereby bringing a wonderfully varied perspective to each story. The characters show a tenacity of spirit that allows us to root for them.
That said, my experience of the stories was very mixed. Some of the stories feel a bit unstructured, while others were too short to make an impact. At least half of the stories would have benefited with a little more substance at the end. While we do get a glimpse of the Bedouin culture, it is more in tiny snapshots than a panoramic view.
The blurb mentions “beautiful illustrations throughout”, but these aren’t a part of the stories themselves. Rather, there is a B&W line art illustration on the page containing the story’s title, with the sketch befitting that story.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Most of the stories fell within the 3-3.5 star range for me, with a few exceptions either way. My dissatisfaction mostly stems from the lack of a conclusive endpoint for the tales, and in some cases, from the lack of a sensible structure to the plot.
My favourite stories were:
💮 They Fell Like Stars from the Sky – Deservedly the title story, because it represents the thinking of the culture aptly. The discrimination between sons and daughters comes out strongly in this tale. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
💮 Pink Dress – About a little girl’s experience with her new pink dress. My favourite story from this collection, probably because I connected the best with it. I could see teenaged me indulging in the same antics before getting into a dress that revealed my legs. 😉 - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
💮 Ali – About a man’s search for ‘Ali’ during a funeral. Needed to read this twice to get the missing clues, but it was worth it. The ending is one of the best in this anthology. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
💮 All the love I’ve known – The story begins with this line: “We don’t have girls who fall in love.” The rest goes on to prove why. Brilliant plot. Wanted more at the end. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
💮 W-h-o-r-e – The title is self-explanatory about the content. A very confusing start to this story, but the ending ensured that it made it to this list. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
💮 The Door to the Body – About a girl whose parents are considering enrolling her in a boarding school for some mysterious reason. This could have been one of the best in the collection had it been better structured. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
To sum up, the USP of this anthology is its setting and the cultural background of the author. I have never ever read a book set around Bedouin experiences and written by a Bedouin writer, so these two factors were enough to satisfy me with this collection, though the stories themselves could have worked better for me.
Recommended not as a must-read anthology, but as a book about a culture you rarely get to experience in fiction.
3.25 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
My thanks to Neem Tree Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “They Fell Like Stars From the Sky & Other Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
December 10, 2023
there is such a yearning imbedded in each and every story, such an incredible read that I’ll consistently return to
October 21, 2023
These short stories focus on the lives of Bedouin Palestinian women and girls. Tradition, city life, childhood, growing up, relationships, jealousy, football, the roles of men and women and many other themes. The best for me was ‘Ali’ about a jealous husband. A powerful and interesting read.
August 22, 2023
I like to read diverse and get to know other cultures through reading. So "They Fell Like Stars From The Sky & Other Stories" by Sheikha Helawy peaked instantly my interest.
I know almost nothing about beduin palastenansian women other than the fact that I don't believe everything that is told through news media - they often forget women and even if they talk about them then only as victims of this and that.
This insight of the lives of women that try to live their normal lives, reach dreams (as small as they may be) and live through tragedies but also victories was amazing.
I love how Sheikha Helawy is able to write whole micro cosmoses on three to four pages - and never does a judging of the situation. It is really amazing how any assessment of the situation is clearly through the lenses of the protagonists out of their minds and feelings itself.
Elegantly Sheika Helawy does often write a setting for the readers and then zooms in to a young girl or women that is in this setting and what her experiences, feelings and thoughts are about her life. Its done beautifully and lets me want to read more from Helawy.
One of my favorite stories is "Soulless cities" because it has on its short space so much impact and is in my opinion able to summarize the feelings of all the stories in this collection.
I know almost nothing about beduin palastenansian women other than the fact that I don't believe everything that is told through news media - they often forget women and even if they talk about them then only as victims of this and that.
This insight of the lives of women that try to live their normal lives, reach dreams (as small as they may be) and live through tragedies but also victories was amazing.
I love how Sheikha Helawy is able to write whole micro cosmoses on three to four pages - and never does a judging of the situation. It is really amazing how any assessment of the situation is clearly through the lenses of the protagonists out of their minds and feelings itself.
Elegantly Sheika Helawy does often write a setting for the readers and then zooms in to a young girl or women that is in this setting and what her experiences, feelings and thoughts are about her life. Its done beautifully and lets me want to read more from Helawy.
One of my favorite stories is "Soulless cities" because it has on its short space so much impact and is in my opinion able to summarize the feelings of all the stories in this collection.
July 20, 2023
A fascinating collection of short stories with the subject of Palestinian Bedouin women.
I know nothing of the Bedouin people so this book appealed greatly to me. I see I'm the first person to review so hope I do it justice.
So I gave it four stars because some of the stories were just a bit too short for me. I loved the sparseness of them but at times I wanted more. Sheikha Helawy is clearly a unique and compelling voice and I wanted longer stories that gave me more of that voice.
My favourite stories were the title story They Fell Like Stars from the Sky about the feeling of freedom the girls of the village got on a rope swing they were discouraged from using, Pink Dress about how a certain garment can make you feel, Soulless Cities which tells the story of a mother and her children trying to survive and Umm Kulthum's Successor about a grandmother's devotion.
As I said some stories are very short - only a page or two but sometimes that's all that's required to make a powerful point.
I'd love to read more by this author, see her develop some of the themes in this collection.
Highly recommended for fans of women's fiction or simply those who wish to read a new voice giving a unique point of view.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Neem Tree Press for the advance review copy.
I know nothing of the Bedouin people so this book appealed greatly to me. I see I'm the first person to review so hope I do it justice.
So I gave it four stars because some of the stories were just a bit too short for me. I loved the sparseness of them but at times I wanted more. Sheikha Helawy is clearly a unique and compelling voice and I wanted longer stories that gave me more of that voice.
My favourite stories were the title story They Fell Like Stars from the Sky about the feeling of freedom the girls of the village got on a rope swing they were discouraged from using, Pink Dress about how a certain garment can make you feel, Soulless Cities which tells the story of a mother and her children trying to survive and Umm Kulthum's Successor about a grandmother's devotion.
As I said some stories are very short - only a page or two but sometimes that's all that's required to make a powerful point.
I'd love to read more by this author, see her develop some of the themes in this collection.
Highly recommended for fans of women's fiction or simply those who wish to read a new voice giving a unique point of view.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Neem Tree Press for the advance review copy.
March 11, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC, all opinions are my own.
As always, I love a collection of short stories, especially from cultures other than my own. I feel like short stories are a better way to understand some cultural niches because they tell tales of everyday life that you might not know or learn about when studying a culture as a whole. This was a quick read and I was enjoying myself the whole time. I read it on my commute and each story was the perfect length.
As always, I love a collection of short stories, especially from cultures other than my own. I feel like short stories are a better way to understand some cultural niches because they tell tales of everyday life that you might not know or learn about when studying a culture as a whole. This was a quick read and I was enjoying myself the whole time. I read it on my commute and each story was the perfect length.
January 27, 2026
4 stars for the short stories I enjoyed
overall 3.5 because there were quite a few i didnt care for
overall 3.5 because there were quite a few i didnt care for
July 15, 2024
Rep: Palestinian Bedouin mcs
March 27, 2024
This is a collection of 18 short stories, all have a strong feminist voice and a will to fight the misogyny that existed in the past but even now in the present. Sometimes I wonder, how things have changed so much and yet are just the same as they were. A woman is always born to corrupt a man. L, to seduce him, to take him on an ungodly path. How world still holds this true to its chest like a talisman, clutched firmly without losing the grip.
This collection tells us about experiences of women in Palestinian Bedouin society. The author sheikha was born and brought up there, so these stories ring with the truth that is horrifyingly uncomfortable but you can't deny that as a woman you have experienced it in your life, even if at the hands of your dear ones.
1. Haifa assassinated my braid
A young girl's braid is cut because she wants to look more like a city girl than a village girl and the criticism she faces from the whole community and worse her own mother is horrifyingly brutal.
May God cut your life short!” my mother would say in her Bedouin dialect.
Rating : 5/5 stars
2. I'll be there
A rebellious girl and how every woman in her life, her muslim mother and her Christian teacher even though belong to different faith are trying to crush her spirit by continually bashing her for all the things she is doing.
“In order to get past the hang-ups and suspicions of these two women—one, a European woman who was a messenger of Christ, and the other, a Bedouin woman who was a messenger of fear—lying became a vital necessity. To get past myself and my fear, I had to lie.”
Rating : 5/5
one of my favourite among the collection
3. They fell like stars from the sky
Story of jawahir and her girlfriends and a swing. It unsettles me how girls couldn't do simplest of things in the village in the past. It wasn't much different in India as well.
Rating : 3/5
4. Pink dress
Thurraya and her dilemma to wear the dress which will show her hairy legs. But according to her mother she is old enough for other women things like periods etc but not old enough to shave her legs.
“How was she going to resolve the contradiction between a full-blown womanhood on top and a flawed one down below? Thirteen was old enough to have to put up with the misery of monthly menstrual cycles, suffocating brassieres, and the first flutters of the heart. But it wasn’t old enough to have smooth, shiny legs. “
Rating : 4/5
5. Ali
Dishonor doesn’t die. Neither does the unnamed lover. He remains unnamed.
Among Bedouins, there are many things that don’t die even if they are buried in the ground.
A tragic end to the love? Story told through voice of a young woman's husband.
Rating : 5/5
Another favorite from collection
6. Serpent
A young woman with serpent tattoos dies suddenly and she becomes a talk for all the people around her.
The serpent was all the women talked about during their morning chatter sessions. It was all the men dreamt about on horny nights. And it was Naeema’s nightly companion after every death.
Rating : 5/5
Total eye opener to the hypocrisy of the patriarchal society
7. Souless cities
Doris works for livelihood of her family while her husband rests and sleeps. In the end she is so fed up with it that rather than continuing to strive she chooses to leave everything behind and fend for herself.
Rating : 4/5
8. All the love I've known
“we don't have girls who fall in love.” is the motto of village of Umm al-Zeinat.
A village where love is curse, Hasna hates it and disappears in the end like most girls.
The only women who were trusted by the men of Umm al-Zeinat were those who had left youth and beauty behind, since there was no danger of them either causing or falling prey to temptation. They alone were assigned the task of drilling the village virgins in the sacred law: “We don’t have girls who fall in love.” Each of them had her own way of teaching about the evils of love, and the wolf, and the dark forest.
Rating :3.5/5
9. Umm kulthum’s intercessor
Story of a young girl and her grandmother who is obsessed with a singer.
Rating : 3/5
10. A funny red Rose
A Love story lost in the time
Rating : 4/5
11. Bride
A big old oak tree and stories surrounding it.
Rating : 2.5/5
12. Whore
A brother obsessed with disgrace his sisters might bring him one day.
Abu Tariq didn’t have any sisters or paternal aunts, and his children were all boys. So where would the disgrace come from?
Rating : 5/5
Brutally honest in a way
13. The door to the body
Selma has grown breasts and her father thinks that it invites trouble. Someone will seduce her and take advantage of her. So he wants to send her to boarding school.
What bothered her most was her parents’ preoccupation with a part of her body that didn’t even mean much to her. She didn’t see it as a hindrance, and definitely not as something to drool over!
Rating : 4/5
Men understand men better, ain't it?
14. Barbed question
The attempts to prevent her getaway are never-ending. Most of them bounce off, though some hit their mark.
A young woman who wants to live her life on her terms, forget about that it is far fetched, let me rephrase it again. A young woman who wants to spend a day in her life just the way she wants is asked numerous questions by the men in her life.
Rating : 5/5
Another favorite about a girl trying to break free from men scrutiny.
15. The three paintings
What's the use of a bridal dress once the wedding is done? Would you rather keep it or turn it into a work of art?
"The worst thing about begging is to come back with some dress whose time is past, or a bottle of stale perfume, or somebody’s table scraps. It’s all the same!”
Rating : 3/5
16. The day my donkey died
"she figured serving them was more merciful than some potential marriage of her own. "
The grief she felt over the death of her donkey on her wedding day overshadowed her even greater grief over a life that had slipped through her fingers."
Fedwa has sacrificed much to raise her siblings after her parents died. Everyone seems to remember her only when they need her But when people see her having a "friendship" with her donkey, she is looked down upon.
Rating : 4/5
17. God bless toun field
A life of a woman is full of sacrifices and compromises she has to make for “men” in her life. This story isn't any different.
Rating : 3.5/5
18. Queens of darkness
Rather, the only quarry they know is life itself—life unadorned.
Rating : 3.5/5
Few other quotes worth mentioning
Once she realized the weight of words, she lost her ability to speak easily and freely, as a girl might be killed in Umm al-Zeinat for the most harmless statement. So, she had to guard her mouth, since the most innocent slip of the tongue might mean disaster.
Of course, the statement “We don’t have girls who fall in love” betrays the belief that girls alone bear responsibility for love, and that therefore, they alone are guilty of the sin it involves and the ignominy it brings.
“We shouldn’t make other people pay for our mistakes.”
A huge oak tree split our path, and our childhood, in two: what came before the tree, and what came after it.
Thank you Netgalley and Neem tree press for this wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This collection tells us about experiences of women in Palestinian Bedouin society. The author sheikha was born and brought up there, so these stories ring with the truth that is horrifyingly uncomfortable but you can't deny that as a woman you have experienced it in your life, even if at the hands of your dear ones.
1. Haifa assassinated my braid
A young girl's braid is cut because she wants to look more like a city girl than a village girl and the criticism she faces from the whole community and worse her own mother is horrifyingly brutal.
May God cut your life short!” my mother would say in her Bedouin dialect.
Rating : 5/5 stars
2. I'll be there
A rebellious girl and how every woman in her life, her muslim mother and her Christian teacher even though belong to different faith are trying to crush her spirit by continually bashing her for all the things she is doing.
“In order to get past the hang-ups and suspicions of these two women—one, a European woman who was a messenger of Christ, and the other, a Bedouin woman who was a messenger of fear—lying became a vital necessity. To get past myself and my fear, I had to lie.”
Rating : 5/5
one of my favourite among the collection
3. They fell like stars from the sky
Story of jawahir and her girlfriends and a swing. It unsettles me how girls couldn't do simplest of things in the village in the past. It wasn't much different in India as well.
Rating : 3/5
4. Pink dress
Thurraya and her dilemma to wear the dress which will show her hairy legs. But according to her mother she is old enough for other women things like periods etc but not old enough to shave her legs.
“How was she going to resolve the contradiction between a full-blown womanhood on top and a flawed one down below? Thirteen was old enough to have to put up with the misery of monthly menstrual cycles, suffocating brassieres, and the first flutters of the heart. But it wasn’t old enough to have smooth, shiny legs. “
Rating : 4/5
5. Ali
Dishonor doesn’t die. Neither does the unnamed lover. He remains unnamed.
Among Bedouins, there are many things that don’t die even if they are buried in the ground.
A tragic end to the love? Story told through voice of a young woman's husband.
Rating : 5/5
Another favorite from collection
6. Serpent
A young woman with serpent tattoos dies suddenly and she becomes a talk for all the people around her.
The serpent was all the women talked about during their morning chatter sessions. It was all the men dreamt about on horny nights. And it was Naeema’s nightly companion after every death.
Rating : 5/5
Total eye opener to the hypocrisy of the patriarchal society
7. Souless cities
Doris works for livelihood of her family while her husband rests and sleeps. In the end she is so fed up with it that rather than continuing to strive she chooses to leave everything behind and fend for herself.
Rating : 4/5
8. All the love I've known
“we don't have girls who fall in love.” is the motto of village of Umm al-Zeinat.
A village where love is curse, Hasna hates it and disappears in the end like most girls.
The only women who were trusted by the men of Umm al-Zeinat were those who had left youth and beauty behind, since there was no danger of them either causing or falling prey to temptation. They alone were assigned the task of drilling the village virgins in the sacred law: “We don’t have girls who fall in love.” Each of them had her own way of teaching about the evils of love, and the wolf, and the dark forest.
Rating :3.5/5
9. Umm kulthum’s intercessor
Story of a young girl and her grandmother who is obsessed with a singer.
Rating : 3/5
10. A funny red Rose
A Love story lost in the time
Rating : 4/5
11. Bride
A big old oak tree and stories surrounding it.
Rating : 2.5/5
12. Whore
A brother obsessed with disgrace his sisters might bring him one day.
Abu Tariq didn’t have any sisters or paternal aunts, and his children were all boys. So where would the disgrace come from?
Rating : 5/5
Brutally honest in a way
13. The door to the body
Selma has grown breasts and her father thinks that it invites trouble. Someone will seduce her and take advantage of her. So he wants to send her to boarding school.
What bothered her most was her parents’ preoccupation with a part of her body that didn’t even mean much to her. She didn’t see it as a hindrance, and definitely not as something to drool over!
Rating : 4/5
Men understand men better, ain't it?
14. Barbed question
The attempts to prevent her getaway are never-ending. Most of them bounce off, though some hit their mark.
A young woman who wants to live her life on her terms, forget about that it is far fetched, let me rephrase it again. A young woman who wants to spend a day in her life just the way she wants is asked numerous questions by the men in her life.
Rating : 5/5
Another favorite about a girl trying to break free from men scrutiny.
15. The three paintings
What's the use of a bridal dress once the wedding is done? Would you rather keep it or turn it into a work of art?
"The worst thing about begging is to come back with some dress whose time is past, or a bottle of stale perfume, or somebody’s table scraps. It’s all the same!”
Rating : 3/5
16. The day my donkey died
"she figured serving them was more merciful than some potential marriage of her own. "
The grief she felt over the death of her donkey on her wedding day overshadowed her even greater grief over a life that had slipped through her fingers."
Fedwa has sacrificed much to raise her siblings after her parents died. Everyone seems to remember her only when they need her But when people see her having a "friendship" with her donkey, she is looked down upon.
Rating : 4/5
17. God bless toun field
A life of a woman is full of sacrifices and compromises she has to make for “men” in her life. This story isn't any different.
Rating : 3.5/5
18. Queens of darkness
Rather, the only quarry they know is life itself—life unadorned.
Rating : 3.5/5
Few other quotes worth mentioning
Once she realized the weight of words, she lost her ability to speak easily and freely, as a girl might be killed in Umm al-Zeinat for the most harmless statement. So, she had to guard her mouth, since the most innocent slip of the tongue might mean disaster.
Of course, the statement “We don’t have girls who fall in love” betrays the belief that girls alone bear responsibility for love, and that therefore, they alone are guilty of the sin it involves and the ignominy it brings.
“We shouldn’t make other people pay for our mistakes.”
A huge oak tree split our path, and our childhood, in two: what came before the tree, and what came after it.
Thank you Netgalley and Neem tree press for this wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
January 3, 2025
They Fell Like Stars From The Sky is probably the biggest disappointment of the year for me. This is a translated collection of short stories that explores the Palestinian Bedouin village where the author grew up.
The main theme of this collection is female rebellion against societal restraints, which is something I should've loved. I did like certain stories—my favourite one is "Ali" because it made my jaw drop in shock. But unfortunately, most of the stories are too short to have had a strong impact on me. I was confused and lost most of the time. I'm not sure if it's because things were lost in translation or if it's just the writing style itself that didn't vibe with me. The more I read, the more confused I grew, and the less interest I had in the stories. Maybe this is the type of book I should've read for a book club or something.
I won't discourage you from reading this short story collection because it provides firsthand account into the lives of Palestinian Bedouin women, which is very rare. Give it a shot and see if it works for you! It could just be that my brain was not wired for this type of storytelling, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for you.
The main theme of this collection is female rebellion against societal restraints, which is something I should've loved. I did like certain stories—my favourite one is "Ali" because it made my jaw drop in shock. But unfortunately, most of the stories are too short to have had a strong impact on me. I was confused and lost most of the time. I'm not sure if it's because things were lost in translation or if it's just the writing style itself that didn't vibe with me. The more I read, the more confused I grew, and the less interest I had in the stories. Maybe this is the type of book I should've read for a book club or something.
I won't discourage you from reading this short story collection because it provides firsthand account into the lives of Palestinian Bedouin women, which is very rare. Give it a shot and see if it works for you! It could just be that my brain was not wired for this type of storytelling, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for you.
May 18, 2025
3/5
found this collection quite messily structured and a lot of the stories in it a little lacking whether the ending seemed rushed or not quite my style of writing. however, I did really like “they fell like stars from the sky”, “Pink dress”, “ali”, “the day my donkey died”, “God bless toun fields”, “Barbed question”. I’m really glad I read this as I don’t think that the Palestinian Bedouin perspective is one that pops up almost ever in my fiction and I enjoyed how while a a lot of these short stories showcase the violent misogyny that is rampant in a patriarchal society- it also highlighted the little rebellious acts of resistance that these women enacted and how this liberation brought them energy to go on another day
found this collection quite messily structured and a lot of the stories in it a little lacking whether the ending seemed rushed or not quite my style of writing. however, I did really like “they fell like stars from the sky”, “Pink dress”, “ali”, “the day my donkey died”, “God bless toun fields”, “Barbed question”. I’m really glad I read this as I don’t think that the Palestinian Bedouin perspective is one that pops up almost ever in my fiction and I enjoyed how while a a lot of these short stories showcase the violent misogyny that is rampant in a patriarchal society- it also highlighted the little rebellious acts of resistance that these women enacted and how this liberation brought them energy to go on another day
February 17, 2024
3.5/5! The writing in the book was beautiful, and I enjoyed learning about a different culture and womanhood through Helawy's words. There were some stories I didn't particularly enjoy, but overall it was a good read!
August 25, 2024
Each entry in this collection is refreshing and vivid, I wish this book was longer!
January 6, 2024
BOOK REVIEW: They Fell Like Stars From The Sky by Sheikha Helawy 🍉🇵🇸
Feminist, dark literary short story collection
Translated from Arabic by Nancy Roberts
“They Fell Like Stars in the Sky” offers 18 poignant stories in a compact 100-page book. While the abundance of stories almost felt overwhelming, the narrative’s connection to girlhood and womanhood in the same village creates a cohesive thread. The author’s revelation of a forgotten past ties the tales into one overarching narrative, reminiscent of shared forgotten experiences.
The stories, born from lived Palestinian experiences, touch on the darkness of life while subtly yearning for freedom. Highly recommend diving into this collection.
My favourite stories: Pink Dress, w-h-o-r-e, Serpent, Soulless Cities, The Door to the Body, Ali
Feminist, dark literary short story collection
Translated from Arabic by Nancy Roberts
“They Fell Like Stars in the Sky” offers 18 poignant stories in a compact 100-page book. While the abundance of stories almost felt overwhelming, the narrative’s connection to girlhood and womanhood in the same village creates a cohesive thread. The author’s revelation of a forgotten past ties the tales into one overarching narrative, reminiscent of shared forgotten experiences.
The stories, born from lived Palestinian experiences, touch on the darkness of life while subtly yearning for freedom. Highly recommend diving into this collection.
My favourite stories: Pink Dress, w-h-o-r-e, Serpent, Soulless Cities, The Door to the Body, Ali
January 11, 2025
This is a set of autofictional (very) short stories about Palestinian Bedouin women. An historically sidelined people, times three. There's an obvious urgency to a work like this in our current world, and this is a book I’d really hoped would be excellent. A brief author's preface mentions growing up without a library, without books, but I've come accustomed to against-the-odds stories of incredible people rising above their circumstances to produce startling art. Perhaps that's naïve. For most people I imagine wider reading probably leads to better writing. The disappointing truth is that this book is amateurish. It isn't well penned. The stories fail to bring Helawy’s world to life, nobody feels real. For reasons of identity politics, saying all this makes me a little uncomfortable, so I won't give any more time to itemising the collection’s flaws, but I will transcribe a paragraph below so you might see what I'm talking about:
“Her children and grandchildren knew how to appease her if she was irritated or tap her generous side if she was feeling stingy. When we wanted something, we'd appeal either to her Lord, or to her Beloved. If we begged her, “For your Beloved’s sake, Grandma!” she would chuckle and give us whatever we asked for. Slipping her hand under her pillow, she'd pull out her black leather wallet, take out 20-pound notes and distribute them among us equally. Then she'd wink at me, and I'd shoo them all out of the room with my finger on my mouth, saying “Sh-h-h-h-h-h! It's about time for Umm Kulthum to come on the radio!” Then I’d sneak back in for another 20-pound note and rush out again before anybody noticed.”
Some of this awkwardness is presumably the translation's fault, but short of learning Arabic I couldn't possibly back this up.
“Her children and grandchildren knew how to appease her if she was irritated or tap her generous side if she was feeling stingy. When we wanted something, we'd appeal either to her Lord, or to her Beloved. If we begged her, “For your Beloved’s sake, Grandma!” she would chuckle and give us whatever we asked for. Slipping her hand under her pillow, she'd pull out her black leather wallet, take out 20-pound notes and distribute them among us equally. Then she'd wink at me, and I'd shoo them all out of the room with my finger on my mouth, saying “Sh-h-h-h-h-h! It's about time for Umm Kulthum to come on the radio!” Then I’d sneak back in for another 20-pound note and rush out again before anybody noticed.”
Some of this awkwardness is presumably the translation's fault, but short of learning Arabic I couldn't possibly back this up.
April 12, 2024
They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories is a translated collection of 18 short stories by a Bedouin Palestinian author. The stories focus on the experience of women and girls thriving, surviving, fighting and simply existing. Helawy's lyrical writing meshes well with the sparseness of the stories. Most of the stories are quite short, ranging from 2- 5 pages each. They are also quite open ended.
I enjoyed this collection. Each story is embedded with the history and culture of Palestinian Bedouin women. They give glimpses into the colorful lives of average women. Although the stories were short, each character in each story had a distinctive voice. I read a short story or two in between other books. I'd recommend reading it that way to give time to soak in each story before moving on to the next.
Apart from the writing itself, each chapter had an illustration on the title page. It's a little detail that brought me joy.
They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories will be available on April 16th, 2024.
Thank you to Neem Tree Press and Netgalley for an advance reader copy of They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories.
I enjoyed this collection. Each story is embedded with the history and culture of Palestinian Bedouin women. They give glimpses into the colorful lives of average women. Although the stories were short, each character in each story had a distinctive voice. I read a short story or two in between other books. I'd recommend reading it that way to give time to soak in each story before moving on to the next.
Apart from the writing itself, each chapter had an illustration on the title page. It's a little detail that brought me joy.
They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories will be available on April 16th, 2024.
Thank you to Neem Tree Press and Netgalley for an advance reader copy of They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories.
February 13, 2024
This title (and the short story that accompanies it) is WONDERFUL. Like you cannot beat that.
This is my first book that is translated from Arabic and by a Palestinian author. It is a lovely collection of short stories, some only a page long, some multiple, about the lives and experiences of Bedouin Palestinian women. These stories are short, but powerful and mighty. Some of these stories follow girlhood, jealousy, family, tradition, and many more themes.
Such a fascinating read, and I thought the translation from Arabic was very well done. I have a newfound appreciation for this area of literature, which I had very little knowledge of prior.
Thank you NetGalley & Neem Tree Press for the arc!
-------------------------------------
My first Palestinian book!
review to come / thank you NetGalley & Neem Tree Press for the arc!
This is my first book that is translated from Arabic and by a Palestinian author. It is a lovely collection of short stories, some only a page long, some multiple, about the lives and experiences of Bedouin Palestinian women. These stories are short, but powerful and mighty. Some of these stories follow girlhood, jealousy, family, tradition, and many more themes.
Such a fascinating read, and I thought the translation from Arabic was very well done. I have a newfound appreciation for this area of literature, which I had very little knowledge of prior.
Thank you NetGalley & Neem Tree Press for the arc!
-------------------------------------
My first Palestinian book!
review to come / thank you NetGalley & Neem Tree Press for the arc!
April 14, 2024
This is a collection of 18 short stories by a Palestinian Bedouin author that were translated from Arabic. Most of the stories are about 5 pages long and about the everyday life of Bedouin women—their daily struggles, resistance against oppression, and desire for love and freedom. The stories were beautifully written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
My favorite stories:
The Door to the Body
Ali
All the Love I’ve Known
W - h - o - r - e
Pink Dress
Soulless Cities
The Day My Donkey Died
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
My favorite stories:
The Door to the Body
Ali
All the Love I’ve Known
W - h - o - r - e
Pink Dress
Soulless Cities
The Day My Donkey Died
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
January 9, 2024
Short stories all about Bedouin Palestinian women and girls by an author who grew up in a village near Haifa, and like all short story collections a mixed bag. My favorite was probably Umm Kulthum's Intercessor.
February 8, 2024
a beautiful anthology of stories about womanhood in palestine
September 6, 2024
‘It was as if to say, “The woman who pleases her husband pleases God.”’
April 11, 2025
Short stories of women dealing with everyday situations in a conservative traditional religious environment.
April 4, 2024
I'm not in a reading slump but I haven't been able to finish any books recently because all my current reads are longer, more academic texts and it takes a while to get through them. That's why I was so glad I was approved for the ARC of They Fell Like Stars from the Sky by Sheikha Helawy, a short story collection that celebrates Bedouin girls and women from Palestine. It's under 100 pages which was great to take a fiction break while reading my nonfiction books, and I binged it in one afternoon because I was so engrossed in the stories.
I knew there was Bedouin population in Palestine but I didn't have any information aside from what I learned from reading Minor Detail. That book had a different focus so my knowledge was close to zero. But these stories paint a vivid picture of what it's like to be a woman in a Bedouin community. I learned about the strict patriarchal rules that govern this society, sexual taboos, young girls' yearning for freedom and knowledge, and the ways they cope with tragedies marring their lives.
It's amazing that all the stories are 5-6 pages at most (often less) but they all feel complete and you get immersed in all of them, even in that short time. It really speaks to Sheikha Halawy's skill as a writer.
My favorite stories were Haifa Assassinated My Braid, I'll Be There, Ali, All the Love I've Known, Umm Kulthum's Intercessor, and The Door to the Body. They all illustrate very different aspects of a girl's life or how they're perceived by the men surrounding them, but I found these ones the most powerful and I keep thinking back to them. All 18 in the book were amazing though and there wasn't one I didn't enjoy. I originally didn't set out to read the book in one sitting but I kept telling myself 'just one more!' until suddenly it was over.
I warmly recommend this to anyone who wants to read more Palestinian voices (it's still as timely as ever and we shouldn't stop reading and posting these books) and to those who seek to learn more about the lives of communities not often represented.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Neem Tree Press for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I knew there was Bedouin population in Palestine but I didn't have any information aside from what I learned from reading Minor Detail. That book had a different focus so my knowledge was close to zero. But these stories paint a vivid picture of what it's like to be a woman in a Bedouin community. I learned about the strict patriarchal rules that govern this society, sexual taboos, young girls' yearning for freedom and knowledge, and the ways they cope with tragedies marring their lives.
It's amazing that all the stories are 5-6 pages at most (often less) but they all feel complete and you get immersed in all of them, even in that short time. It really speaks to Sheikha Halawy's skill as a writer.
My favorite stories were Haifa Assassinated My Braid, I'll Be There, Ali, All the Love I've Known, Umm Kulthum's Intercessor, and The Door to the Body. They all illustrate very different aspects of a girl's life or how they're perceived by the men surrounding them, but I found these ones the most powerful and I keep thinking back to them. All 18 in the book were amazing though and there wasn't one I didn't enjoy. I originally didn't set out to read the book in one sitting but I kept telling myself 'just one more!' until suddenly it was over.
I warmly recommend this to anyone who wants to read more Palestinian voices (it's still as timely as ever and we shouldn't stop reading and posting these books) and to those who seek to learn more about the lives of communities not often represented.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Neem Tree Press for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
August 21, 2025
2.5 stars. while i really enjoyed reading some stories, like "umm kulthum's intercessor" and "pink dress," i think others were too short for me to get into, and the writing was a little clunky at times. saying that, i'm so glad that this collection exists, shining a light on the often ignored bedouin palestinian women.
August 27, 2024
quick and short but it’s not about the fight i
A bunch of little stories and chapters. I would have rated two stars but gets a three cause it managed to keep me reading till the end. Each story ended in a surpassing way . كل جزء كان فيه حبكة صغيرة. Doesn’t really say much about occupation or way. Simply short stories of how women lived as women in that side of the world . Basically same as the life of any Arab woman coming from a strong culture committed to keep woman down as weak beings with no power or will to do anything with their lives but serve the needs of men.
The art at each chapter though was my favourite part about the book.
A bunch of little stories and chapters. I would have rated two stars but gets a three cause it managed to keep me reading till the end. Each story ended in a surpassing way . كل جزء كان فيه حبكة صغيرة. Doesn’t really say much about occupation or way. Simply short stories of how women lived as women in that side of the world . Basically same as the life of any Arab woman coming from a strong culture committed to keep woman down as weak beings with no power or will to do anything with their lives but serve the needs of men.
The art at each chapter though was my favourite part about the book.
October 8, 2025
Jag tror det är bättre än 🌟🌟🌟 och att det bara är jag som inte riktigt gillar noveller…
October 1, 2023
This is a lovely set of short stories, well told, that gives glimpses into the lives of Bedouin women. The translation is excellent. It feels like the spirit of the original has been kept, but it reads very smoothly. Though the stories are about Bedouin women they are universal stories, rich and poetic. With the addition of the drawings this is a beautiful book. This is a perfect book to gift.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews