A Clove Necklace: A Novel

by Shwan Abdullah Hamad (Ph.D.

A Clove Necklace is an endurance story of political and social upheavals—a multi-layered, addictive fiction with enthralling tragic historical anecdotes.

Two women from vastly different backgrounds are brought together, each falling in love with the same man in different timelines. However, Adam is conflicted and unsure of what he truly wants. His struggle is representative of the Kurds, displaced in search of safety yet facing challenges in finding genuine love. Through Adam’s extraordinary love stories, we are transported back half a century into the lives of the Kurds, witnessing the bloody and tragic conflicts of history.
Adam and his father were displaced across the Sykes-Picot border and eventually settled in a village in Iraq. When Adam was eighteen, a social incident forced him to flee to the city and finally go to Baghdad, where he attended medical college. During the Gulf War, he was once again forced to move to Iran along with millions of other Kurds.

Despite facing fear, anxiety and persecution, Adam perseveres and eventually reaches the UK illegally in late 1991 and becomes a successful doctor. However, his world is turned upside down when the coronavirus pandemic strikes, and he’s forced to stay confined in his small apartment in London.

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2023

About the author

Dr. Shwan Abdullah Hamad is a Kurdish novelist, academic, and scholar whose work probes the intersections of memory, identity, and historical trauma. Born and raised in Kurdistan, he writes with an intimate awareness of silenced voices and forgotten histories of the Middle East.

His debut novel, A Clove Necklace, blends lyrical storytelling with cultural depth, giving voice to lives fractured by exile, war, and resistance.

Beyond fiction, Hamad is a university lecturer and researcher in pharmaceutical sciences, holding a PhD in encapsulating cells and actives. His writing carries both the precision of a scientist and the soul of a poet, equally devoted to truths uncovered in the laboratory and the emotional truths of lived experience.

His second novel, Erukhan’s Lost Manuscript, continues his commitment to illuminating the untold. A haunting meditation on survival, language, and the power of vanished words, it interweaves Armenian and Kurdish histories into a tapestry of loss and endurance.

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

یادەوەریەکانی ئادەم و خوێنی نازدارێک
لەم ڕۆمانەدا بە شیوازێکی زۆر ورد باسی کۆمەڵگەی کوردی و داب و نەریتەکانی ئەکرێت، کە لە کارەکتەرەکانی ڕۆمانەکەدا ڕەنگی داوەتەوە.
بە شێوازێکی پاراو و جوان باسی مێینەی کۆمەڵگەی کوردی کراوە کە چۆن بوونەتە کۆیلەی دەستی کۆمەڵگە و داب و نەریت بێجگە لە باوک و برا و مێرد. ئەوەی کە جێی سەرنج بوو بە کە هەر بەشێک کە ئەمخوێندەوە وام ئەزانی لەگەڵ کارەکتەرەکەیا دانیشتووم و گوێی بۆ ئەگرم، کە ئەم شێوازە لە نوسین تۆزێک قورسە.
کارەکتەرەکان بە شێوازێکی ورد بەسەرهاتەکانیان ئەگێڕنەوە بۆ نموونە یەکێکان سەیری ئاسمان ئەکات لە باڵەکۆنەی شوقەکەی لە ساڵی ٢٠٢٠، سەیرکردنی ئاسمان ئەیگەڕێنێتەوە بۆ ساڵانی پێشوو لە بەغدا و لەوێوە بەردەوام ئەبێ لە گێڕانەوەی بەسەرهاتەکانی، کە بە شێوەیەکی زۆر جوان نووسەر ڕابردوو و ئێستای تێکەڵکێش کردووە.
بابەتەکانی ڕۆمانەکە( کۆچ، ئالودەببون، کەرەنتینی ٢٠٢٠، کلتور،خۆشەویستی …)و بە شێوازێک نوسراون کە خوێنەر بێزار نابێت لە بەردەوام بوون لە خوێندنەوە.

[Wara Diyari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can our first encounters and relationships shape our future connections?
Is it possible to relive our memories?
What is it like to be alone in exile?
Is love a type of addiction?

It was a serene read with a beautiful Kurdish background, it was like recording some basic parts of what has been happening in Kurdistan and will give an insight into the culture and the different lifestyles amongst the Kurdish society. Each character represented a group of people that lived with the same or at least a similar ideology, though I felt like the characters were not very deep, I wanted to know more about Adam himself rather than his relationships and his ideas on people whom he'd communicated with.

Some very repetitive scenes made me believe they were getting out of control and made me a little uncomfortable.

For the themes the symbols and the key elements, the author had somehow succeeded in using them in the right writing places but some of them were overused and repeated.

For the plot twists, to be honest, I expected more, I wanted something more shocking and confusing. The story of Faranak gripped me a little when Adam realized his first impression of her and how he thought she would bring him disaster became his nightmarish reality. Though Naz’s story was just emotional and my dead soul couldn’t feel for her, I rather felt sad for Berry as she had to bear the burden of such tragic events.

In the second half of the book, the topic of Sex was highlighted, I didn’t see much depth in it, it was mostly Adam’s failing attempts to control his libido and sexual desires and how mostly every woman attracted him, not gonna lie I didn’t like the repetition of his stories with women since they all lead to almost the same problem or ending, I believe it could’ve been more discussable if the sexual activities caused different types of drama.

I liked the concept of how first love or how a relationship whether it’s friendship, love, parenthood et alia can shape our future perceptions and interpretations with the new relationships that we make, for Adam it was mostly Berry who shaped his lifestyle and ideologies, her unique features made him wander to seek her again, in a different body and place, but I guess he became aware that such thing can be impossible since everyone has their unique features.

I wish there was more about the history of Kurdistan as this book has the potential to be read by more readers around the world, especially non-Kurds, and this story is very eligible to be used as a source to narrate and educate others on the difficulties of being a Kurd and what happened to us, I'm not saying we as Kurds are perfect, there are some very disturbing and inhuman cultural beliefs in our society that I abhor, but there are also very beautiful and unique features that only Kurds have, both of them were mentioned but the negative side was dominant, I think the author did that intentionally to support women and to be their voice and to help stop the brutality done against them.

For the language, it was easy and fast to read, though I wanted it to be harder and I wanted to stop at points to go and search for the translation or meaning of words, but again that is not a big deal, maybe it's just because I've read many classics that I can feel uncomfortable reading something without digging for some vocabulary or etymology. 

I feel like this book wasn’t based merely on a story that came into the author’s mind, he poured some of his life experiences into it.

In the ending chapter of the novel, I ADORED the description of how the grand bazaar is distorted and deformed and I loved how you considered architecture as an element of identity and history perseverance, as an architecture student, it makes me sad how my country and my city doesn't respect nor even consider architecture suitably, though I'm glad to see the Author who appreciates and believes in what architecture can do and the great impact it has on us, I enjoyed those parts. 

I recommend this book to readers who love to have a fast read with a Kurdish background and theme.

[Rênas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book talks about women rights, immigration, addiction, pandemic, and romance with cultural background (social and political). overall I liked the story and I recommend it, it was easy reading and there were some beautiful moments, let's talk about the main highlights, The first thing that could attract the reader is the name of the book, I believe that it's a smart way that author described a clove necklace which you can find in all Kurdish houses there's a very beautiful connection between Kurdish and cloves and how the author describes it. I've been reading these kind of scenes in other novels about women's perfume in a romantic way and the style of description but the author smartly put it in the story and connected it with the book address and I liked this a lot. about honor killing and women's freedom still in the Middle East, we live in a Middle century, unfortunately, killing women in the name of honor, religion, and culture still exists in Middle Eastern communities which is a very disgusting action against human rights, about desire and how it describes somehow I disagree with and its personal beliefs while I read I won't let my ideas affect my reading and the joy I take from reading and books review, also regarding to the different events and timelines we need to stop a little to see the connection and the authors writing performance its not always easy either for a reader and author to stay focused and connecting to the events and timelines I think the author did a good job yes you may feel disconnected a little from time to time there are many characters too, so staying connected may be little hard but overall it's smooth and well written especially as far I know its author's first book, the writing pattern needs to work on more but overall I liked it and was smooth read.
کەمن ئەوانەى دەتوانن بەتەواوى چیژ لە سروشت ببینن، ڕاستە ئەرکى زیاترە و ماندووکەرە ، بەڵام تایبەتمەندى خۆشى هەیە ،تام و چێژێک لە خواردن و خواردنەوەى سروشتدا هەرگیز ناتوانرێت لەشوێنە قەلەبالغ و شارە گەورەکاندا ببیرنێت......
مرۆڤ خۆى چیە تا ناسنامەى هەبێت ؟!
مرۆڤ لەتوانایدایە یادەوەرى نوێ دروست بکات و لەسەرى سەرەوەى ڕەفەکانى مێشکیدا دایان بنێت و زۆرینەى کات بۆ خەیاڵ کردن ئامادەبن بەڵام یادەوەریە کۆنەکان ناسڕێنەوە و دەچنە ڕەفەکانى ژێرەوە و یادەوەرى نوێ بەسەریاندا کەڵەکە دەبن....
مرۆڤ ئالودەى شتێک نەبێت هەموو شتێک سنوورى دیاری کراوى خۆى هەیە گەر لەو سنوورە تێپەڕ بوو ئیترلە خولیا و ئارەزوو و پێویستى دەردەچێت و دەبێتە ئاڵودەبوون و هەموو جۆرە ئالودە بوونێکیش مال وێرانیە....

[Saharr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ئەو کتێبەی کە پێویستە بیخوێنەوە ئەم کتێبە باسی مافەکانی ژنان، کۆچبەری کورد، نەهامەتیەکانی کورد، و هەموو ئەو داب و نەریتانە ئەکات کە هەر تاکێکی کورد لە سەرەتای لە دایک بوونیەوە تا مردنی لە مێشکی دا ئەچەسپێت.
لە سەرەتای خوێندنەوەی تا کۆتایەکەی وات لێ ئەکات هەناسەت ڕابگریت و بە پەڕۆشەوە چاوەرێی ڕووداوەکان بیت، ئەم جۆرە کتێبانە زۆر پێویستن بۆ ئەوەی هەموو گەلانی دونیا ئاگادار بن کە چی بەسەر ئەم نەتەوە خێر لە خۆ نەدیووە هاتووە.
لە کاتی خوێندنەوەی کتێبەکە بۆ زۆر سەردەم ئەڕۆیت و یێیتەوە بەڵام هەر ئەگەیتەوە بە یادەوەرییەکانی ئادەم!
لە کاتی خوێندنەوە من هەموو زەینم لەسەر ژیانی ئادەم بوو وە هەر حەزم ئەکرد بزانم ئادەم بە کوێ ئەگات، کارەکتەرەکان هەموویان وام ئەزانی کەسانی نزیکی خۆمن لە کاتی خوێندنەوەی ئەم کتێبەیا چونکە نووسەر ئەوەنە بە شارەزایانە خوێنەر بۆ چیڕۆکەکە ڕا ئەکێشێ.
وەک یەکەم کتێبیش بۆ نووسەر شتێکی زۆر گەورەیە هیوادارم ئەمە کۆتا کتێبی نەبێت و بێ بەشمان نەکات.

[Alan Kheder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible story with several parallel themes. I couldn't put the book down and was reading it well past my bedtime. It is a tale of the hard life of a Kurdish-British doctor from his difficult childhood to adulthood and middle age, also intertwined with the heartfelt pain of a woman whose sister was murdered in the name of restoring her family's so-called honour!
Must read!

[Dolf van der Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story from Iraqi Kurdistan framed within the COVID pandemic, this debut novel is a gripping read, which, I suspect, is at least partially autobiographic. Themes covered are the place of women in society, men's attitude towards love, tradition versus modernity. The scenes are not all easily digestible and the focus on the protagonist's womanising was on topic, but a bit overdone. What confused me sometimes were the quick changes in time and perspective, which make the story somewhat hard to follow here and there.
Overall, this was worth the time reading and I hope the author will find the opportunity to write more novels.

[Amanda Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Rowanvale Books but opted to purchase a copy on my Kindle as well. I've chosen to write an honest review here, which is very similar to the one I shared on Amazon.

In choosing to read this book, the subject matter appealed, as did comparisons with 'The Kite Runner', a book I consider to be an excellent piece of literature. This book is written by an author whose first language is not English. To write a full-length novel and publish it is a commendable thing to do, more so if you've written in a second language!

This is a book about frustrated love, misogynistic culture, the horrors of civil war and the refugee experience. If the author wanted to deliver some messages through the novel, I'd say that message would be: stop the honour killings; respect, love and honour women instead; embrace sexual freedom. I'll admit these messages were communicated through the book. Often enough the characters lecturing to the protagonist read like the author lecturing to the reader.

Every writer hopes to pass the 'Did you want to keep reading?' test.

I had enough narrative questions and curiosity to keep reading - but much of the reading was excruciatingly painful, partly because the writing was amateurish and so much of the characterisation was 'told' rather than shown. If this writer wants his work to be read widely, he needs to work on his craft. On the other hand, if he had a burning desire to tell this story and nothing more, then he's done so and his mission has been accomplished.

Reading this novel did make me curious about the writer. Was he advised that his work was ready for the market? Did he seek advice? How much of this is autobiographical, especially the Covid experience? Could this have been an excellent novel if he'd co-written it with a more skilled author? Or if he'd simply had it ghostwritten and collaborated on the details? Will he read my critical feedback and issue an improved edition?

Nonetheless, there were elements of this book I appreciated. I liked the metaphysical aspects - such as the little Kurdish girl who seemed mysteriously to be the spirit of Berry's sister, and the scenes of Adam at the end of his illness where it's hard to know if he's suffering delirium or if his soul is 'travelling' away from this world and towards the next.

There is a lot of fantastical idealism in the human characterisation as well - angels and villains - though the male angels seem to all have problems with drinking or drugs, so they are at least not completely idealised. Perhaps if they were entirely teetotal and ascetic they'd just be too good to be true.

I've placed this book in my 'Reading for Writers' shelf because it's full of the rookie mistakes first-time novelists make in their first drafts, making it an excellent book to examine while learning the craft of writing.

If you've written something yourself, you may not recognise that it doesn't work, far less why it doesn't work. You might be angry when people try to explain that it doesn't work. But it's easier to be objective when you're in the exclusive and judgemental position of 'reader'.

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story about the life of a Kurdish- British doctor. What drew me to this story is the culture aspects, I sometimes like to read about other cultures in the world in books and this was an intriguing story about Adam, the doctor and one of the MC in the book. The ending was a bit unexpected but I understand what happened and it wraps the story up nicely.

I will say that this is clearly a debut novel as the writing is told in 3rd person but it is clearly 3rd person, not like a flowing 3rd person. I don't know how else to describe that books that I enjoy flow like a movie in my head where I see the characters. This book needs more flowing of the settings and characters to get that to happen for me at least. I was not nearly as engaged as I wanted to be while reading this one.

Overall the story was good and I liked the characters. I think with more improvement in the flow of the characters and story, that this author could write really well.

I will not spoil any of the story, READ the book!

My rating is a 3.8 out of 5, rounded to 4 for this review!

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love stories that have a cultural background, and this particular one did not disappoint. On the contrary, I think it was excellently written, a story which offers a bit of everything, particularly historical facts. I was genuinely drawn to this story, as it spoke of cultures I am not familiar with, and how difficult life is for Kurds. The writing style is beautiful, you can really feel the passion of the author, and how he poured his heart and soul into the story. It was also interesting to see how the story connected to the coronavirus pandemic, I think the author did an excellent job connecting the different parts. It can be difficult to imagine how difficult the life of a Kurdish-British doctor can be, so I applaud the author for having the courage to put it on paper. The story is incredible, a must read in my opinion. I received a free copy of this book from Rowanvale Books, but the opinion I posted is my own and not biased in any way.

[Hannah Mcintosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the story of Kurdish man through the hardships of conflict, displacement, immigration and striving for a better life as he becomes a doctor. Throw in romantic tension and this is the recipe for a PERFECT novel, I have butterflies even relaying it. A definite 5/5 feeling from me, and I do not say that lightly.

It was a quick read, but a very intelligent one. The story is intricately woven together over different timelines and does not shy away from “heavy” topics. It is also very “twisty” and the characters are three-dimensional and a true representation of the human spirit, they are flawed yet beautiful.

Thank you to Rowanvale Publishing for providing me a copy of this wonderful work. I have left this review of my own accord and am looking forward to any future work by this author.

[Handren Tahir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridges of Harmony: Uniting Nations and Cultures Through Words" This book is an extraordinary literary masterpiece that effortlessly weaves together the diverse threads of cultures, histories, and experiences from different places on the world. This remarkable book serves as a powerful testament to the unifying power of literature and the boundless potential it holds in building bridges between nations and places.

What truly sets this book apart is its ability to foster empathy and understanding. Through richly developed characters and vivid descriptions, the author masterfully captures the essence of different cultures, allowing readers to walk in the shoes of people who may seem worlds apart. By immersing ourselves in their stories, we gain a deeper appreciation for our shared humanity and the interconnectedness of our global community.

[Bjørn Schindler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read, and I am pleased with this reading. It is the author's first book, which is noticeable, but despite this, the reading was enjoyable and engaging.

The author shows potential, which is evident while reading this book. It’s clear that the author has put their heart into writing, making the book more engaging. I am convinced that the author has room for growth and should continue their writing efforts.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5. There is room for improvement and development, but the overall impression is positive. I look forward to more works from this author and am curious about the stories they will share with us in the future. 🥳🥳

[Harshali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Clove Necklace is a beautiful, interesting and engrossing historical fiction novel with a touch of romance. The story spans many years and revolves around a Kurd protagonist named Adam. His life, filled with many challenges as a Kurd, and the lives of two women who are ages apart, get intertwined in this interesting novel. The narrative jumps between years and the settings of Iraq and UK, making the book an interesting read. The chapters are short, the writing is immersive, descriptive and has a flow to it. I really enjoyed reading this book as the plot and the way it is written is quite unique. I definitely recommend it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a real page turner, written sensitively by the author. The twists and turns of the story take you on a full journey with the characters and you feel every emotion.
Can’t wait to see what’s in store next from Shwan.

[Didar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this great novel in Kurdish and it is one of the fantastic books I read. I am pretty sure it is as good as in English too. It is a must read.

[Lana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t the sort of novel I would typically read so it doesn’t feel fair to over critique this story. When I read I choose to read fiction, with happily ever afters and stories that distract me from the problems we face in the real world; escapism.
It was difficult to escape whilst reading this story,
I lost a few loved ones to the coronavirus, and it twisted my stomach to re live that trying time whilst reading.

Overall I learnt something about a culture I never would have thought to read about. I think with some great editing, this book could have better potential, just the timelines and patterns in the book made me feel a little lost and took me out of the story.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was kindly offered a copy of the book by Shwan, but I also got it in my Kindle Unlimited.

I loved the story; it is touching, and I would even guess the author personally knew Adam and/or Berry, as he describes them so deeply and kindly, while leaving nothing out.

It could have been more fast-paced, and the organization of the story could've been different, because some pieces were very confusing to me, and I had to go back and forth a couple of times to make sure I understood well what had happened. Other than that, I could picture the places he described as if I were in the Middle East - it made me truly travel through the streets Adam passed.

It is an extraordinarily rich story in the sense that it covers not only the main plot, but also the pandemic period, misogyny, love, and relationships, so be prepared to have many buttons pushed during your reading.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
I thought the story contained in this book was very interesting, but as another reviewer commented, I felt that a lot of the language was "telling" rather than "showing." I didn't feel much connection to the characters because their emotions seemed to be written fairly one-sided. Additionally, I would've liked to read this with the narrative in order of events, rather than with flashbacks- the mixed timeline made it hard for me to keep things in order.