Swift Press Behind You is the Sea The Dazzling Debut Novel Exploring Lives of Palestinian Families.

by Susan Muaddi Darraj

An exciting debut novel that gives voice to the diverse residents of a Palestinian American community in Baltimore—from young activists in conflict with their traditional parents to the poor who clean for the rich—lives which intersect across divides of class, generation, and religion.

Funny and touching, Behind You Is the Sea brings us into the homes and lives of three main families—the Baladis, the Salamehs, and the Ammars—Palestinian immigrants who’ve all found a different welcome in America.

Their various fates and struggles cause their community dynamic to sizzle and sometimes explode: The wealthy Ammar family employs young Maysoon Baladi, whose family struggles financially, to clean up after their spoiled teenagers. Meanwhile, Marcus Salameh, whose aunt married into the wealthy Ammar family, confronts his father in an effort to protect his younger sister for “dishonoring” the family. Only a trip to Palestine, where Marcus experiences an unexpected and dramatic transformation, can bridge this seemingly unbridgeable divide between the two generations.

Behind You Is the Sea faces stereotypes about Palestinian culture head-on and, shifting perspectives to weave a complex social fabric replete with weddings, funerals, broken hearts, and devastating secrets.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Contemporary, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Adult

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2024

About the author

Susan Muaddi Darraj won the 2016 American Book Award for her novel-in-stories, A Curious Land: Stories from Home.

Her new novel, Behind You Is the Sea (Harper Collins, 2024) is set in Baltimore and follows the stories of a Palestinian American immigrant community.

Her previous short story collection, The Inheritance of Exile, was honored by the U.S. State Department’s Arabic Book Program.

She was named a 2016 USA Ford Fellow, and she has received awards for her writing from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.

Her new children's chapter book series, FARAH ROCKS, was published from Capstone Books in January 2020. It is the first children's book series to feature an Arab American protagonist.

A Philadelphia native, she currently lives in Baltimore. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @SusanDarraj.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

at a time when palestinians are being dehumanized by so many, i am grateful for the release of this book, which beautifully shows the opposite to be true.

this is a book about complicated people, neither good nor evil, those who are doing their best and those are not and those who may be beginning to try to. it would be apt at any time, but it is especially timely today.

bottom line: i'm very grateful to have read it.

(thank you to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Tim Null · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this composite novel with interlocking stories! It's currently my favorite short story collection. I can't imagine anything better. All the stories are perfect or close to it. My favorite story is Worry Beads.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An interconnected set of short stories about Palestinian Americans living in Baltimore, Maryland. The first few stories dragged for me; I didn’t feel like the characters were well-developed or that the stories accomplished an emotional arc by their conclusion. I agree with this review about Susan Muaddi Darraj’s writing perhaps perpetuating some stereotypes related to Arab men.

However, the stories in the second half of the book won me over much more. I felt like they captured how classism and racist manifest within the Palestinian American community, while also thoughtfully portraying nuanced Palestinian American female characters. My favorite two stories from the collection were “Behind You Is the Sea” and “Gyroscopes.” I’m looking forward to continuing to read Palestinian authors!

[Sunny Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woven together short stories following Palestinian Americans across different classes, circumstances, and ages, this book highlights so much beauty and love and tragedy in what feels like real people’s families. The cop character and short stories made me uncomfortable, but his point of view and experiences were compelling as stories nonetheless. The difficulties of families, especially with older family members, comes across painfully and authentically. Some of the stories ended on somewhat abrupt notes, but the joy that these characters who felt like real people who exist embodied at moments was palpable. Great storytelling all around!

[Taufiq Yves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, nothing much to say about this book. Each character has their own story.

It suggests a last stand, and the theme of dispersal seems to be eternal.

It's hard to imagine this is a book from 2024. The American Dream continues, but it's also still shattering.

It's interesting that almost all literature about dispersal is set in America.

Even in this melting pot, people can't seem to fully assimilate.

Are traditions and conservative values something we should protect? Why can a father be so sympathetic and unbiased towards others but so cruel to his own daughter? Perhaps it's hypocrisy or a superficial admiration.

Within these traditions, women are often blamed for everything: premarital pregnancy, domestic violence, even when their husbands are infertile.

Sometimes, it feels suffocating.

3 / 5 stars

[romancelibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Behind You is the Sea is a collection of short stories about Christian Palestinians living in Baltimore. Each story is about a different character within the community. Together, these short stories span years and often intersect with one another through the characters.

I'm gonna be honest: I didn't like this book at all in the beginning. This is one of those books that I thought I would hate, but ended up liking a lot by the end. The reason why I struggled with this book at first is because some of the short stories leaned heavily towards stereotypes. And in my opinion, some of these stereotypes were unwarranted. Instead of fighting against stereotypes, some of these stories actually amplified them in a really unhealthy way. There was one story in particular where I thought the author could have written an impactful depiction of the reality of occupation, but she instead decided to write a narrative based on a stereotype. Other times, I was extremely uncomfortable with the way the Arab male characters fetishized white women. It honestly felt like the author was trying too hard to westernize her male characters.

That being said, I encourage readers to stick with this book despite its rough start. The later stories are so worth reading. Aside from the problematic instances I mentioned, I think the author did a really good job exploring different subjects with complexity and nuance. For instance, I appreciated the study on classism and racism within the Palestinian community. Her characters are flawed, realistic, and interesting. Her writing is solid, especially for a debut author. She has a way of hooking you to each story, so much so that you want to know what happens even if you don't necessarily like the story. I was thoroughly invested in most of the stories in this book; my favourite ones are "Worry Beads" and "Escorting the Body." There were only about two stories that I didn't like. The others were all really good!

To conclude, I get what the author was trying to achieve with this collection of short stories. I think she met her goal for the most part, even though her storytelling fell victim to stereotypes in a few instances. I'm thankful I pushed through the first couple of stories and continued reading because otherwise I would never have known just how good the later stories were. I look forward to reading more from this author!

P.S. I listened to this on audio and the narration is really good! Definitely pick up the audiobook if you have access to it!

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's definitely something special about this book. I wasn't sold on it because the stories of interconnected families told in slices of life on each character with no real resolution format but when I turned the last page, I was crying.

I may or may not write a full review later when I'm done sitting with it.

[mawadda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book 🥰

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not call this a novel. Instead, it is a collection of connected short stories. The characters looped around and interacted with each other over different points in time. But the characters were too flat and unidimensional for me to remember them when they returned. The stories are more of the same, all ready well recorded immigrant stories of people who don’t really feel like they fit in the new country nor in the old country. Some of them followed the diaspora’s rules and did well and others struggled more. Naturally there was generational and classist conflict. Although the characters were depicted as stereotypes of Palestinians, their experiences weren’t differentiated from other immigrant communities. I didn’t think anything differentiated this book from all the others.

[Tell · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5)

Beautiful, powerful, well done. A series of vignettes about a Palestinian-American community in Baltimore and their parents, this book shines a light on the various disappointments and intricacies of existing in between two cultures. Some really beautiful writing on the weight of father-daughter relationships (good and bad), sibling estrangement, and families showing up for and failing one another. Full review on TikTok, but I love love loved this.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC

Following the diverse residents of a Palestinian-American community in Baltimore, SEA explores the inner psyches of those young and old, rich and poor, and the intertwined lives of the Palestinian diaspora across generation, class, and religion.

Books with shifting POVs sometimes risk writing superficial characters. That's why I was pleasantly surprised by Darraj's craft of writing profoundly flawed characters with rich inner workings, all achieved in short chapters. SEA centers around Palestinian & Palestinian-American women, who are often the victims of misogyny, lack the social & familial support to succeed, and suffer greatly from their male relatives' neglect/abuse.

What I love most about SEA is its centering on a diverse cast of Palestinians & Palestinian Americans without falling into overwritten tropes of immigrant struggles and its exploration of the "American Dream." Each chapter explores a different angle of the American experience, from poverty, teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, marital issues, to microaggressions in high school. SEA reaches the crescendo with its last story following a son's return from America to Palestine.

Don't miss this moving debut for fans of CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE (Oscar Hokeah) or EVIL EYE (Etaf Rum) 💙

Some chapters I particularly loved are,

• Behind you is the Sea: a house cleaner starts working for a wealthy Palestinian American family, only to realize "your own kind is often the worst." I love the emphasis that a "community" is often defined by socioeconomic status rather than one's ethnicity/country of origin.

• Gyroscopes: a high school kid tries to vocalize her unease with the school play Aladdin because of its harmful stereotypes of Arabs. I particularly appreciated the juxtaposition of the FMC's cousin's nonchalance and the mom's wise words.

• Worry Beads: an attorney realizes her father has dementia while she struggles to reconcile the violence she faced from past and present. Stories about ailing parents always give me the feels, and this one is no different.

• Escorting the Body: a son wants to honor his father's dying wish of being buried in Palestine. Reminiscent of AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD (Susan Abulhawa), this story touches upon the discrimination Palestinians faced and the beauty of a community.

I've seen some ownvoice reviews mentioning all the stereotypes that paint Arabic men in a terrible light and seem to cater to a Western audience. My lack of awareness while reading SEA speaks more to my ignorance of ownvoice literature by & about Arabs. I still strongly recommend that everyone pick up SEA, but please also read others' reviews afterward.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel traces the lives of three Palestinian American families who have settled in Baltimore, Maryland. Each family has adjusted to life in America in a different way.

Each chapter focuses on a specific individual. Within the tight knit immigrant community, the younger “Americanized” people sometimes clash with the ideas and beliefs held by their parents and grandparents. And like most families, siblings often disagree with each other as well.

The novel is well written and it’s easy to be drawn to the complex, memorable characters and their lives and relationships as they try to blend contemporary ideas with their traditional roots.

The title of this book was taken from a speech given by Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Muslim commander in the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula from 711 - 718 AD: “Behind you is the sea. Before you, the enemy. You have left now only the hope of your courage and your constancy.” Very thought provoking….

[Lizzie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immensely beautiful collection of interwoven stories revolving around immigrant Palestinian-American families in Baltimore. Admittedly, I loved this book even more because it takes place in the city I call home, a city that isn’t very often a setting in such hopeful storytelling. Each character in Behind You Is The Sea gripped my heart and held it firm. Often, I was disappointed to see a chapter end because I had grown so fond of that character’s narrative. But then the next chapter would be just as interesting. Samira’s chapter, because I have always been a romantic at heart, was probably my favorite. I also found myself ploughing through the last chapter, devouring each page as Marcus traveled to Palestine for the first time. The resilience of the Palestinian people is astounding and the culture so rich and beautiful. I’m excited to continue learning more and reading as much as I can. From the River to the Sea…

(Thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC!)

[Emily Coffee and Commentary · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don't write a word. I just think of all the sadness that's suddenly in my heart. How can one line, 'child of air,' do that to you?"
🫒🕊️🌊
An honest, rich debut that explores familial connections, identity, and the bittersweet power of legacy. With complex, compelling characters and powerful vignettes of everyday life in a tight-knit Palestinian community, Behind You is the Sea offers an authentic look at the immigrant experience, a candid discussion on assimilation, cultural ties, and how we are effected by the generations before us, how we carry their stories in our blood, our actions, our feelings, and how we decide to portray those stories inside ourselves and to the outside world. Filled with the messy details that build families, communities, and inner thoughts, this is a nuanced story that packs so much emotion and important discussions in its pages.

[Elena L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is composed of interlocking stories in which each chapter allows a glimpse into the members of a Palestinian American community in Baltimore.

Focusing on Palestinian diaspora, the residents have fierce voices, unapologetically themselves and crafted to deliver, in the most raw way, flawed characters who grapple with race, poverty, immigration, disability and misogyny. There is a clash of cultures, of identity and Arab heritage being suppressed by the American dream. The slice-of-life scenes offer somber and moving moments, often plagued by judgments. With fluid prose, Darraj writes a book that challenges stereotypes and readers are able to experience a wide range of emotions. Some stories are more memorable than others, yet they converge into a whole impactful piece. Read this book if you want to read more Palestinian stories. A powerful collection.

[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Harpervia books . All opinions are my own ]

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is billed as a novel, but I’d describe it as a series of linked stories about three Palestinian-American families in Baltimore. I imagine the Palestinian community in Baltimore is small enough that many of them know, or at least know of, each other; that’s certainly the case here, and there are lots of connections between the characters from story to story, and characters recur. An interesting look in at a community that’s not often represented in American (any?) fiction.

[Wessal Al-Zalabany · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟
Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj is a poignant and evocative collection of short stories that captivate with their emotional depth and rich storytelling. Darraj skillfully weaves together intricate narratives that explore themes of identity, family, and resilience, transporting readers to diverse settings with vivid prose.

While some stories resonated more deeply with me than others, each is a gem, leaving a profound impact and solidifying this collection as a must-read. Can't wait to see what Susan Muaddi Darraj will craft next.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful debut novel examining the immigrant experience.
Behind You Is The Sea involves the lives of three main families - all Palestinian immigrants who have all had a different experience in America.
A well-written, complex, at times funny, moving story!

[farahxreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is most profound about this collection was the masterful crafts of the characters — regular Palestinians living ordinary lives, not as mere symbols, solely defined by tragedies and misfortunes. It highlights the universality of human experiences, that deep down, we're all pretty much the same — we’re just normal people with dreams, anxieties, prejudices, silly crushes, human failings, fuck-ups and idiosyncrasies.

Written as a series of interconnected stories set within the Palestinian community in the United States, the narratives all began with seemingly simple and straightforward premises, but they gradually swept you away into the lives of these flawed and deeply human characters. These individuals span various walks of life, representing different classes, statuses, cultural and generational divide within the Palestinian community. From a girl working as a maid for a wealthy family to a rich teenager struggling with self-esteem and body image issues; stories featuring two teenage pregnancies reveal contrasting family receptions; an examination of gender roles seamlessly woven in a murder cover up; and a love story. And despite the flaws and mistakes of these characters, I found myself thoroughly engaged in their journey, and ultimately is reminded of how universally broken and ordinary we all are.

“Destiny put everyone on a stage, to play a role, and some times the spotlight slipped off you to give you a break. A other times, it burned into you directly, relentlessly, as you stumbled through a soliloquy of exhaustion.”

I highly recommend this short stories collection. Read Palestine until Palestine is free. Thank you Times Reads for the gifted copy. I really appreciate it.

4.25/5

[bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

insanely beautiful collection of interconnecting stories about the Palestinian diaspora. i think writing a novel with shifting narratives lends the risk of creating forgettable characters in the mix, but i felt a deep connection to every single character, so much so that i was sad when their chapter would end. i thought the way characters experienced the American dream in their own unique ways was so interesting, seeing the effects of assimilation into Western society vs being unable to, the desperation of clinging to the remnants of ur culture, the cultural stain in being dishonoured from your own family. one of my favourite stories was Samira’s,, the father daughter relationship was soul destroying to read,, and i also loved how the novel had a full circle moment with Marcus visiting Palestine for the first time to return his fathers body,, incredibly moving.

thank you to Swift Press @ NetGalley for the e-Arc !

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reads: 104/250

in this short story collection, we follow a palestinian community in baltimore, with each character being at a different point in their life.

going into this, i was given the heads-up that there are lots of characters. i agree, so it only feels fair i give everyone else this heads-up, too. despite the numerous characters, though, i really connected to them. i also enjoyed how, unlike some other short story collections i’ve read, these stories were interconnected and characters from previous stories often showed up in others.

i highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys adult contemporary novels.

[jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

very happy to be finding more palestinian literature to read - however these short stories didn’t hit the mark for me. personally i didn’t connect with the author’s writing at all. the characters fell a bit flat for me and any time i was starting to connect with them, the short story would end and i’d be introduced to someone completely new

[suzannah ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Beautiful, haunting, interlinked short stories that follow the lives of a Palestinian community in the USA. I’m running to read more of this authors work!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving collection of short stories illustrating insights into the Palestinian American immigrant experience. I liked how the author writes about a wide and diverse group of characters, different ages, genders and backgrounds as they struggle in marriages, with neurodiverse children, with body image issues, with aging parents and infertility (to name just a few). Extremely well written and great on audio too. Highly recommended!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

In this book, every chapter follows the life of a different character in a widely-spread network of Palestinian-Americans and Palestinians, from cops to newlyweds, adulterers and grieving daughters. All of these stories inevitably intertwine in ways that are messy, raw, real, and important. The publication of this book in light of the horrific genocide that has been taking place in Palestine for over a year now just adds more nuance to the points this book raises.
I'm not sure I'm the right target audience to be utterly gut-punched by this book, or sobbing over how relatable it is—not even because I don't have Palestinian roots, but also because as someone who's never even been on a date, I cant relate to your deranged girlfriend pointing a gun at your head—but I did enjoy reading this one, and would maybe appreciate someone smarter than I am to unpack the significance of certain parts for me. I do think that everyone should read this book to get a beautifully-written insight into Palestinian culture, and honestly just to normalize the people too, which should be an innate thing but unfortunately is not. This book also talks about the pure danger of merely being a woman in this world, which is another unfortunate universal experience.
I am very sleep-deprived at the moment so will go snooze now and dream about this book and maybe think of more coherent points tomorrow 🫡 also the epigraph will live in my mind rent-free until I can come close to appreciating the full significance of it. Signing off before I keep babbling now

[Piyali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful books that I have read in recent years. Through several vignettes, Susan Muadd Daraj loosely interweaves the stories of 3 families - the Baladis, the Salamehs, and the Ammars, Palestinian immigrants who arrived in America with their own dreams and wishes but they received different welcomes. Although the members of these families come from the same land their lived experiences there as well as here are unique. The author, by showcasing the individual challenges and triumphs of the characters she writes about in this book tries to dispel the myth that we can paint all Arabs with the same broad brush. Reema Baladi is a fighter and will rise against all odds. Maysoon her baby sister will support her nephew's success. Marcus Salameh, a police officer, in Baltimore Police department will try to understand and fail to do so his father's rage against his sister Amal and himself. While Hiba will be treated disdainful by her family but find salvation in her grandparents' home. These interlocking stories are told by multiple voices and the time line moves in a non-linear manner. But that did not confuse me in the least because the author gently guided me through the time lines and the narrative and in her expert hands, I was safe. Despite the struggles, I found the book strangely uplifting, comforting even and my heart was filled with the characters and their lives even after I finished the book. The fact that the book is based in Baltimore and mentioned familiar streets and our beloved Enoch Pratt library made the book even more personal. In fact, Baltimore is hugely present in the book and takes the form of a character in itself. Baltimore is the place where the immigrant Palestinians come and embark on their new lives, and Baltimore is the city that children of these immigrants are born in and create their own memories.
I am in a dilemma about this book. On one hand, I want to shout about this from the rooftop and on the other, I want to keep this just to myself to savor the feelings it evoked in me. If I suggest this to someone and they tell me they did not like it, I may be crushed. 😀

[Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

read on its pub day! i've been waiting for this novel for a long time bc i'm a huge fan of susan muaddi darraj since the 1st palestine writes festival, and couldn't wait for her first venture into adult fiction!

it was super interesting to read about the lives of christian palestinians (i think this is the first time i have) since there isn't that much about them in contemporary fiction. it didn't feel like a christian story though, in that it still felt super relatable to me through the palestinian american experience. it's crazy how relatable it feels yet no one in my life has ever experienced anything like that in the book; i think perhaps it's because we are all connected through exile, even if we are different.

it's a collection of short stories, each chapter from a different pov, with all the characters tied to each other in some way. at first, i read it like a normal novel, which made it super confusing when i had to keep going back and remember how this new character was related to the previous. when u separate each story though, it makes it easier to read. overall, it wasn't what i was expecting but it is refreshing to read new stories and structures like this!

stuff i bookmarked without context:
* you have to be loyal to your exile as much as you are loyal to your homeland.
* the nurse with the long gray hair asked if we should call someone else, but there is no one.
* he still couldn't beleve he was at a wedding where you had to stand in line and fetch your own food.

[Danielle | Dogmombookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nine stories of Palestinian Americans in various stages of feeling abandoned, used, alone. There’s stories of young kids just trying to get by, living in the US, dealing with their old parents’ ways. There’s a young man whose father has died, and he must return the body to Palestine. There’s a young woman whose father has dementia yet he’s been the only defender of her integrity.

All of the stories were extremely moving. In most of them, nothing extraordinary happens or nothing momentous. It’s family relations, long pent up feelings of hurt, but there’s a devastation in the everydayness of it. There’s also a theme of an unnameable divide between the younger generations that have never known Palestine and their parents and grandparents who came from there. The younger people don’t know their own history, what has happened in their parents’ land, and it is a very distant, removed land, a world apart. We see that joining of a vision and understanding in the last story ESCORTING THE BODY which I think was one of the strongest. Similarly, WORRY BEADS was so powerful.

It was an extremely powerful strong collection and a standout for the month. There were no bad stories, and most of them left me wanting more, wanting to continue, thankful that I got a glimpse.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

one thing ab me is i’m gonna eat up a book w intertwining stories

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was beautiful, with lovingly drawn characters, but i am re-classifying it for myself as short stories because i don't understand it as a novel. as short stories, though, it was a gift.