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Bitter Almonds
Omar is an orphaned Palestinian born into chaos and compelled by forces beyond his control to find his place in the world. He only has one thing to hold onto: a love that drives him.
Nadia is young and idealistic. Her attempts to be oblivious to the bleak reality in Damascus are thwarted by her cowardly brother. Will she be able to break out of her traditional social mould to create her own destiny?
Heart-breaking and moving, Bitter Almonds is about displacement and exile, family duty and honour, and the universal feelings of love and loss.
“A beautiful and moving tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love” – Ann Weisgarber, author of Orange shortlisted The Personal History of Rachel Dupree
Nadia is young and idealistic. Her attempts to be oblivious to the bleak reality in Damascus are thwarted by her cowardly brother. Will she be able to break out of her traditional social mould to create her own destiny?
Heart-breaking and moving, Bitter Almonds is about displacement and exile, family duty and honour, and the universal feelings of love and loss.
“A beautiful and moving tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love” – Ann Weisgarber, author of Orange shortlisted The Personal History of Rachel Dupree
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2015
13 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Lilas Taha
6 books33 followersLilas Taha is a writer at heart, an electrical engineer by training, and a domestic abuse victim’s advocate by choice. She was born in Kuwait to a Syrian mother and a Palestinian father, and immigrated to the U.S. as a result of the Gulf war in 1990. She earned a master’s degree in Human Factors Engineering from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.
Pursuing her true passion for creative writing, Lilas brings her professional interest and her Middle Eastern background together in her novels.
Pursuing her true passion for creative writing, Lilas brings her professional interest and her Middle Eastern background together in her novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 9, 2016
*Many thanks to HBKU Press (formerly Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing) for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my views.*
I could honestly say that this book totally surpassed any expectations I had for it. Not only did it keep me hooked from the very start, but it also managed to keep my attention until the very end. I haven't had great experience with books about Arabs and their traditions, but this book was on a completely different level. It read more like a Western novel, which probably contributed to how much I enjoyed it.
First of all, as always, I'll start with the characters. What I find really cool is the fact that there are so many of them, yet the reader can still manage to keep track of them because everyone is unique. Omar, Nadia, Shareef, Mama Subhia, Fatimah, Waleed... and so many more. They were dimensional and I really enjoyed reading about them. The dynamic they had with each other was realistic and didn't clutter up the book with unnecessary interactions. The story is told in the POVs of Omar and Nadia, which made it really easy to assess their individual characteristics. The romance between them was extremely slow-burn and gave me heart palpitations because they were so cute! I love how this book takes place over the span of many years, showing us how the characters developed and grew (or declined) over time. For example, how Shareef grew from a spoiled kid to a cynical man, how Huda grew from a jealous kid to an independent woman, how Nadia grew from an innocent girl to mature adult, how Omar grew from a careless child to a responsible - yet burdened - man, and the events that led to them becoming this way.
This was definitely an emotion-laden book. It was... intense, to say the least. Page after page after page of betrayal and twists -- I even had to put the book down every once in a while to take a breather! There were no parts that dragged; everything was a roller coaster of emotions. What make this scary, sad, and intense all at the same time is that the political events depicted in this book were real and affected tons of lives exactly like our characters'.
Also, the writing flowed smoothly and made it easy to read the book. It contributed to it being such a page-turner! The writing was articulate, and along with the author's tone, really helped set the story. The atmosphere of this story can probably be described as tense, which helped keep me reading; I always needed to know what happens next. The pace was perfect, just like other aspects of this book.
Bitter Almonds taught me more about Arab traditions -- actually more than I know, being an Arab myself. The ones I did know about were accurate too, so the author obviously knew what she was writing about.
All in all, I'd like to say that this book was filled with dimensional characters, an emotional plot, and fluent writing -- it was near-perfect! Although it read like a Western-ish book, the Arab elements incorporated into it just really helped set the atmosphere. I'm very surprised this book doesn't have that many reviews because I'd definitely recommend this as a read to a wide audience range!
I could honestly say that this book totally surpassed any expectations I had for it. Not only did it keep me hooked from the very start, but it also managed to keep my attention until the very end. I haven't had great experience with books about Arabs and their traditions, but this book was on a completely different level. It read more like a Western novel, which probably contributed to how much I enjoyed it.
First of all, as always, I'll start with the characters. What I find really cool is the fact that there are so many of them, yet the reader can still manage to keep track of them because everyone is unique. Omar, Nadia, Shareef, Mama Subhia, Fatimah, Waleed... and so many more. They were dimensional and I really enjoyed reading about them. The dynamic they had with each other was realistic and didn't clutter up the book with unnecessary interactions. The story is told in the POVs of Omar and Nadia, which made it really easy to assess their individual characteristics. The romance between them was extremely slow-burn and gave me heart palpitations because they were so cute! I love how this book takes place over the span of many years, showing us how the characters developed and grew (or declined) over time. For example, how Shareef grew from a spoiled kid to a cynical man, how Huda grew from a jealous kid to an independent woman, how Nadia grew from an innocent girl to mature adult, how Omar grew from a careless child to a responsible - yet burdened - man, and the events that led to them becoming this way.
This was definitely an emotion-laden book. It was... intense, to say the least. Page after page after page of betrayal and twists -- I even had to put the book down every once in a while to take a breather! There were no parts that dragged; everything was a roller coaster of emotions. What make this scary, sad, and intense all at the same time is that the political events depicted in this book were real and affected tons of lives exactly like our characters'.
Also, the writing flowed smoothly and made it easy to read the book. It contributed to it being such a page-turner! The writing was articulate, and along with the author's tone, really helped set the story. The atmosphere of this story can probably be described as tense, which helped keep me reading; I always needed to know what happens next. The pace was perfect, just like other aspects of this book.
Bitter Almonds taught me more about Arab traditions -- actually more than I know, being an Arab myself. The ones I did know about were accurate too, so the author obviously knew what she was writing about.
All in all, I'd like to say that this book was filled with dimensional characters, an emotional plot, and fluent writing -- it was near-perfect! Although it read like a Western-ish book, the Arab elements incorporated into it just really helped set the atmosphere. I'm very surprised this book doesn't have that many reviews because I'd definitely recommend this as a read to a wide audience range!
December 5, 2020
I really loved this book on historical fiction, 1948-1970, centering around a Palestinian family that became refugees in Syria. The focus on respectability and sibling relationships and friendships in that era rang true for me - there were moments of loyalty, as well as envy and betrayal. The backdrop was the historical and political events of the time, which I think was quite effective for this book. Our book club spoke to the author who said her favorite character was Huda and that her focus was on the characters; she knew them from the start and talked to them in her head, leading them to draw out the plot which she had outlined. Everyone in our book club loved this one, and I'd encourage other book clubs to give this page-turner a chance!
May 7, 2021
مدتی است کتابهای سرزمینهای عرب را میخوانم و برایم جذاب هستند. این کتاب را هم در همان راستا سفارش دادم. اما قصهاش قصهی پر آب چشمی شد! ویراستاری کتاب افتضاح است. در واقع اصلا ویرایش نشده. نمونهخوانی هم نشده و پر از اشتباهات تایپی است.
ناشر نام کتاب که بادامهای تلخ بوده و متناسب با محتوای کتاب به نامی زرد تغییر داده. حتی جلد کتاب هم زردتر از جلد کتاب اصلیست. نام شخصیت اصلی داستان هم از عمر به عدنان تغییر داده شده.
اشکالات موجود را برای ناشر فرستادم و ناشر پاسخ داد که همین است که هست! برای هر کتابی که نمیشود برای ویراستار خوب هزینه کرد.
داستان جالب، اما کشدار است.
ناشر نام کتاب که بادامهای تلخ بوده و متناسب با محتوای کتاب به نامی زرد تغییر داده. حتی جلد کتاب هم زردتر از جلد کتاب اصلیست. نام شخصیت اصلی داستان هم از عمر به عدنان تغییر داده شده.
اشکالات موجود را برای ناشر فرستادم و ناشر پاسخ داد که همین است که هست! برای هر کتابی که نمیشود برای ویراستار خوب هزینه کرد.
داستان جالب، اما کشدار است.
August 30, 2022
Wow.
This book gave me so much more than I expected. It is wonderfully written, keeps the reader on edge the entire time. It was so hard to put it down.
The characters are very well written, I felt like I got to know them well throughout the book.
Their personalities created a beautiful balanced dynamic.
Because the story took place over several years, you’re able to accompany the characters as they grow and mature.
The story was written from Nadia and Omar’s perspective, they were such strong protagonists and side characters such as marwan, Fatima and mama subhia made it all the better.
Although, I do wish we learned more about huda’s life and thoughts.
Nonetheless, I loved that there were no empty chapters, something was always happening.
The author described the events so well and so beautifully that it almost felt like a movie playing out in-front of me.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
Definitely made it into my favourites.
This book gave me so much more than I expected. It is wonderfully written, keeps the reader on edge the entire time. It was so hard to put it down.
The characters are very well written, I felt like I got to know them well throughout the book.
Their personalities created a beautiful balanced dynamic.
Because the story took place over several years, you’re able to accompany the characters as they grow and mature.
The story was written from Nadia and Omar’s perspective, they were such strong protagonists and side characters such as marwan, Fatima and mama subhia made it all the better.
Although, I do wish we learned more about huda’s life and thoughts.
Nonetheless, I loved that there were no empty chapters, something was always happening.
The author described the events so well and so beautifully that it almost felt like a movie playing out in-front of me.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
Definitely made it into my favourites.
April 11, 2023
An enjoyable, easy page turner.
March 27, 2018
A good book. Writing wasn’t amazing but it certainly wasn’t bad. Good story.
April 25, 2019
A wonderful love story that occurs during the worst possible time, a story of a family that holds bonds stronger than blood and kids who grew up orphaned, exiled and amid wars greater than themselves. The book is an amazing journey with great character development and although it takes place over years, the author managed to keep each and every page more interesting and the story, holding various morals and themes, never got boring. The author incorporated several Middle Eastern values like family honor and duty, women’s issues, education, and many other social issues in a straightforward manner letting even the non-Arab readers understand its importance.
The book was a great read overall and I’m looking forward to reading more books by Lilas Taha.
The book was a great read overall and I’m looking forward to reading more books by Lilas Taha.
July 13, 2018
I could not tear myself away from Bitter Almonds. I was fascinated by the alternating perspectives of refugees and Syrian citizens, military officers and Palestinian insurgents. I was even more enthralled with the frustrating but captivating love story that spanned many years.
This book is full of rich Arab traditions, endearing familial relations and a backdrop of major political events that shaped the lives of our beloved characters.
This book is full of rich Arab traditions, endearing familial relations and a backdrop of major political events that shaped the lives of our beloved characters.
February 6, 2021
What is it about Palestinians that live in the West and tired cliches? From the first page, I could not help but roll my eyes at the predictability of the text. Not to judge a book by its cover, or first page, I kept reading. The cliches just kept getting worse. The macho man, the sacrificing sister, the fallen woman...the lack of depth of characters or their development was appalling. I read this book, thinking I would be embarrassed if someone else read it and thought - wow so this is what Palestinians are like?
This writer drew Sameera from beginning to end in a negative light. Why? Because the girl (regardless of where you stand on the issue) flirted with an individual from the opposite gender. How ridiculous is this? What message is being sent by the text by the comparisons it presents. Here you have chaste little Nadia and her loose friend? This is just one example of the sort of backward, disgusting archetypes and stereotypes presented in the novel.
Then let's move on to the lack of political or historical research that went to the novel. So Waleed's family is from Nablus. Why would someone from Nablus be in Syria before the 1967 war as a refugee? Nablus was not occupied until after the six-day war (the catastrophe), resulting in a second major refugee wave, which mostly did not end up in Syria.
Do not get me started on the drama in the book that feels like a 5-year-old could have had envisioned with more depth. There is a difference between creating conflict and the sad attempt that I read.
DO NOT RECOMMEND. When we write, we are responsible for the image we present and the stereotypes we perpetuate. If you respect women and their rights; if you think people should not be judged for their individual choices; if you are sick and tired of the macho man stereotype, then save yourself the time.
This writer drew Sameera from beginning to end in a negative light. Why? Because the girl (regardless of where you stand on the issue) flirted with an individual from the opposite gender. How ridiculous is this? What message is being sent by the text by the comparisons it presents. Here you have chaste little Nadia and her loose friend? This is just one example of the sort of backward, disgusting archetypes and stereotypes presented in the novel.
Then let's move on to the lack of political or historical research that went to the novel. So Waleed's family is from Nablus. Why would someone from Nablus be in Syria before the 1967 war as a refugee? Nablus was not occupied until after the six-day war (the catastrophe), resulting in a second major refugee wave, which mostly did not end up in Syria.
Do not get me started on the drama in the book that feels like a 5-year-old could have had envisioned with more depth. There is a difference between creating conflict and the sad attempt that I read.
DO NOT RECOMMEND. When we write, we are responsible for the image we present and the stereotypes we perpetuate. If you respect women and their rights; if you think people should not be judged for their individual choices; if you are sick and tired of the macho man stereotype, then save yourself the time.
January 13, 2025
Plunged back into the bustling old city of damascus during the 60s through its old neighborhood, streets and customs. This story follows the story of a Palestinian refugee family living in the shade of Syria’s great capital Damascus. Consumed by the eras politics societal customs and traditions the story unfolds a tale of family drama, love and struggle.
I loved this book a lot. Going through a hard time i sought the comfort of a book for what better is a books company for comfort. And so i grabbed bitter almonds of the shelf and immersed myself in the pages of this time traveling tale that took place on my countries soils. (Genuinely cant wait to finally go back and visit) I loved exploring the old customs of the time. It was like an open door to the world my grandparents and ancestors grew up in. I like to view them days as much simpler times.
I loved the progression of romance in the story. Omar, marwan and waleed were my favorite. Marwan sure deserved a whole lot better tho. I genuinely loved Fatimah so much and really wanted more of her. I dare say tho i also admired harsh hot headed and cold huda. Her character was lowkey admirable. I loved nadia too she was pretty relatable at some point. I purely despised sameera and shareef however i respected sameeras brother ahmed ngl. But ya as a story overall i really enjoyed it. It manages to engulf me and give me the comfort I sought. Tho i wish i took my time to devour it for it truly was a masterpiece. Would’ve loved to see omar reclaim his fathers land but history oh well.
God i want to reread it again, already missing its comfort and all the characters❤️🩹
Anyways a 5 star read for sure.
P.s i loved the titles meaning….RIP uncle mustafa🤍
I loved this book a lot. Going through a hard time i sought the comfort of a book for what better is a books company for comfort. And so i grabbed bitter almonds of the shelf and immersed myself in the pages of this time traveling tale that took place on my countries soils. (Genuinely cant wait to finally go back and visit) I loved exploring the old customs of the time. It was like an open door to the world my grandparents and ancestors grew up in. I like to view them days as much simpler times.
I loved the progression of romance in the story. Omar, marwan and waleed were my favorite. Marwan sure deserved a whole lot better tho. I genuinely loved Fatimah so much and really wanted more of her. I dare say tho i also admired harsh hot headed and cold huda. Her character was lowkey admirable. I loved nadia too she was pretty relatable at some point. I purely despised sameera and shareef however i respected sameeras brother ahmed ngl. But ya as a story overall i really enjoyed it. It manages to engulf me and give me the comfort I sought. Tho i wish i took my time to devour it for it truly was a masterpiece. Would’ve loved to see omar reclaim his fathers land but history oh well.
God i want to reread it again, already missing its comfort and all the characters❤️🩹
Anyways a 5 star read for sure.
P.s i loved the titles meaning….RIP uncle mustafa🤍
August 14, 2018
This book surpassed all the expectations I had for it. The depth of feelings in the story made my stomach twist and turn for more. The characters displayed the complexity of a family we might be shocked exists but really does. Lilas got me hooked enough to finish the book in 3 days...
Sometimes you need a book to take you out of the reality you are in and take you to a world far and beyond. This is what exactly happened. With my belief in the politics of life playing a bigger role than anything else, this book hit all the hard spots. Love, faith, lust, tradition, culture, war, displacement and so much more.
Everyone does yearn for a home and an identity and some of us will not know how good our almonds are until we taste the bitter ones.
Sometimes you need a book to take you out of the reality you are in and take you to a world far and beyond. This is what exactly happened. With my belief in the politics of life playing a bigger role than anything else, this book hit all the hard spots. Love, faith, lust, tradition, culture, war, displacement and so much more.
Everyone does yearn for a home and an identity and some of us will not know how good our almonds are until we taste the bitter ones.
October 11, 2021
I loved this book. Finally an Arab love story that isn’t politicized or focused on religion and culture. It’s just about people who are struggling to make connections and find their way.
I love the Arab-ness of it all. The sexual restraint. The innocence. The centrality of marriage. The focus on honor and family lineage. The community-centered romance - Arab romance is not a union between two people, it’s a union between families, and I think that Taha hit the nail right on the head in this story, making us feel how the pressure of the connection between our hero and heroine.
I learned a lot from Taha’s writing. She can express these obscure emotions so well, so deeply, and I was very inspired and learned a lot as I studied her sentence constructions and expressions.
I love the Arab-ness of it all. The sexual restraint. The innocence. The centrality of marriage. The focus on honor and family lineage. The community-centered romance - Arab romance is not a union between two people, it’s a union between families, and I think that Taha hit the nail right on the head in this story, making us feel how the pressure of the connection between our hero and heroine.
I learned a lot from Taha’s writing. She can express these obscure emotions so well, so deeply, and I was very inspired and learned a lot as I studied her sentence constructions and expressions.
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May 9, 2021A good book with a beautiful story
The whole book was good and the story coherence was acceptable. But it was halfway through the story, and it was as if the author was trying to fill in the pages. The whole book was mediocre and good
اصل کتاب با نام زیبای بادام های تلخ منتشر شده ، اشاره به باغ های بادام فلسطین
مترجم کتاب صلاح دونستند که کتاب رو با نام تو بالاتر از عشقی !! منتشر کنند
و روی جلد کتاب عکس قلب و چشم زخم بچسبانند !
کتاب ویراستاری ندارد و در جواب چرایی ، نشر تندیس پاسخ داد که کتاب فروش چندانی نداره و اصلا نمی صرفه براش ویراستار بگیریم !! به همین تلخی
داستان خوبه ، از یه جایی به بعد نویسنده عمدا یا سهوا ماجرا رو کش میده ولی باز هم به دل می شینه
ترجمه افتضاحه
The whole book was good and the story coherence was acceptable. But it was halfway through the story, and it was as if the author was trying to fill in the pages. The whole book was mediocre and good
اصل کتاب با نام زیبای بادام های تلخ منتشر شده ، اشاره به باغ های بادام فلسطین
مترجم کتاب صلاح دونستند که کتاب رو با نام تو بالاتر از عشقی !! منتشر کنند
و روی جلد کتاب عکس قلب و چشم زخم بچسبانند !
کتاب ویراستاری ندارد و در جواب چرایی ، نشر تندیس پاسخ داد که کتاب فروش چندانی نداره و اصلا نمی صرفه براش ویراستار بگیریم !! به همین تلخی
داستان خوبه ، از یه جایی به بعد نویسنده عمدا یا سهوا ماجرا رو کش میده ولی باز هم به دل می شینه
ترجمه افتضاحه
December 6, 2020
I enjoyed reading Bitter Almonds, I found it true to the time period it was written in. I liked the details of a typical Palestinian family where the family's reputation means a lot, education comes next while the love for Palestine remains in everyone's heart. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in knowing what the Palestinian diaspora means and how hard it was for everyone.
Thank you Lilas Taha for documenting some of the Palestinian oral histories.
Thank you Lilas Taha for documenting some of the Palestinian oral histories.
August 19, 2019
It gave me a massive Khaled Hosseini vibe. The riveting and tragic turn of events, extreme details on culture and history keep me hooked. What’s more is that I read it while living in a Middle Eastern country, so I get to connect to it on a deeper level.
April 24, 2018
Very intriguing story about a region and time I did not know much about. Check it out!
November 20, 2021
Family honor and appearances dictate each character’s move in this family drama
January 13, 2022
Literally the female version of Khaled Hosseni. The way she has weaved her characters and plot together, makes you so engrossed in the story. Definitely a must read!!
April 24, 2023
Lovely and gripping.
October 29, 2023
Although not a true story, it gives a glance of after war and what a refugee might pass through. Beautiful book and amazing writing
July 17, 2024
I expected more details of life as a refugee Palestinian and a little bit historical, but it turned out to be a romantic novel. Disappointed.
November 17, 2024
No just no
September 22, 2025
به غیر از مادر چه کسی میتوانست خالق تابلوی شگرفی از احساسات باشد؟
February 5, 2017
Palestinian refugees, Damascus, love, etc.
February 20, 2021
Not particularly enamoured with this story. I thought it was going to be an insightful look into Arab culture and the Palestinian problem, but I was wrong. I think it must have surely been an outdated look at roles of men and women, mothers and fathers in Palestinian society even though it was set in the 60s. It ended up just being a love story with little substance.
August 30, 2021
It's a reasonable story-line and I found it difficult to put down in the final 200 pages. Though the narrative lacks atmosphere of the place - with almost full focus on the characters. It was perhaps more like a film script at times in feel rather than literary fiction, though the characters were well formed and I felt for them.
December 6, 2016
'Even the moon had lost hope.' Bitter Almonds is a love story amidst the palestinian nakbeh, naksa and the exodus.
I liked it. I liked Omar's complexity and depth of character. The character development of Nadia is very real and consumes the reader in her drama. Interesting fact, both are based on traits of real people in the authors life.
There was quite a bit that I didn't like. The love story is cliche. Lilas later told us the reason for this was to celebrate hope. I wanted more politics, she wanted to limit politics. I wanted more details, Lilas agreed. Some memories the reader comes very close to taste the almonds and Lilas pulled away.
I liked it. I liked Omar's complexity and depth of character. The character development of Nadia is very real and consumes the reader in her drama. Interesting fact, both are based on traits of real people in the authors life.
There was quite a bit that I didn't like. The love story is cliche. Lilas later told us the reason for this was to celebrate hope. I wanted more politics, she wanted to limit politics. I wanted more details, Lilas agreed. Some memories the reader comes very close to taste the almonds and Lilas pulled away.
January 11, 2026
Engaging enough. I would have liked to see more historical references to the events surrounding the Palestinian refugees in Syria, but I understand there are history books for that. Omar was a bit too violent or macho type to be a hero (certainly not my kind of hero), the unsang hero was Marwan. I feel the character of Huda was unexplored at the end, she was crying one time and her crying was never explained. She was described as horrible all throughout the book, even when she was behaving more fairly and humanely. The end felt incomplete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2017
AAAAAH SOOO GOODD
I KNEW NADIA AND OMAR WERE GOING TO BE TOGETHER.
I JUST KNEW IT !!! *dancing*
I'm so happy no one major died, that's a first!i
Btw this marks my 300th read book. *celebrating by reading a new book*
I KNEW NADIA AND OMAR WERE GOING TO BE TOGETHER.
I JUST KNEW IT !!! *dancing*
I'm so happy no one major died, that's a first!i
Btw this marks my 300th read book. *celebrating by reading a new book*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews