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An Unlasting Home
The debut novel from an award-winning short story writer: a multigenerational saga spanning Lebanon, Iraq, India, the United States, and Kuwait that brings to life the triumphs and failures of three generations of Arab women.
In 2013, Sara is a philosophy professor at Kuwait University, having returned to Kuwait from Berkeley in the wake of her mother's sudden death eleven years earlier. Her main companions are her grandmother's talking parrot, Bebe Mitu; the family cook, Aasif; and Maria, her childhood ayah and the one person who has always been there for her. Sara's relationship with Kuwait is complicated; it is a country she always thought she would leave, and a country she recognizes less and less, and yet a certain inertia keeps her there. But when teaching Nietzsche in her Intro to Philosophy course leads to an accusation of blasphemy, which carries with it the threat of execution, Sara realizes she must reconcile her feelings and her place in the world once and for all.
Interspersed with Sara's narrative are the stories of her grandmothers: beautiful and stubborn Yasmine, who marries the son of the Pasha of Basra and lives to regret it, and Lulwa, born poor in the old city of Kuwait, swept off her feet to an estate in India by the son of a successful merchant family; and her two mothers: Noura, who dreams of building a life in America and helping to shape its Mid-East policies, and Maria, who leaves her own children behind in Pune to raise Sara and her brother Karim and, in so doing, transforms many lives.
Ranging from the 1920s to the near present, An Unlasting Home traces Kuwait's rise from a pearl-diving backwater to its reign as a thriving cosmopolitan city to the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion. At once intimate and sweeping, personal and political, it is an unforgettable epic and a spellbinding family saga.
In 2013, Sara is a philosophy professor at Kuwait University, having returned to Kuwait from Berkeley in the wake of her mother's sudden death eleven years earlier. Her main companions are her grandmother's talking parrot, Bebe Mitu; the family cook, Aasif; and Maria, her childhood ayah and the one person who has always been there for her. Sara's relationship with Kuwait is complicated; it is a country she always thought she would leave, and a country she recognizes less and less, and yet a certain inertia keeps her there. But when teaching Nietzsche in her Intro to Philosophy course leads to an accusation of blasphemy, which carries with it the threat of execution, Sara realizes she must reconcile her feelings and her place in the world once and for all.
Interspersed with Sara's narrative are the stories of her grandmothers: beautiful and stubborn Yasmine, who marries the son of the Pasha of Basra and lives to regret it, and Lulwa, born poor in the old city of Kuwait, swept off her feet to an estate in India by the son of a successful merchant family; and her two mothers: Noura, who dreams of building a life in America and helping to shape its Mid-East policies, and Maria, who leaves her own children behind in Pune to raise Sara and her brother Karim and, in so doing, transforms many lives.
Ranging from the 1920s to the near present, An Unlasting Home traces Kuwait's rise from a pearl-diving backwater to its reign as a thriving cosmopolitan city to the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion. At once intimate and sweeping, personal and political, it is an unforgettable epic and a spellbinding family saga.
380 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2022
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11862 people want to read
About the author
Mai Al-Nakib
5 books154 followersMai Al-Nakib is the author of An Unlasting Home, a novel published by Mariner Books/HarperCollins in 2022. Her collection of short stories, The Hidden Light of Objects, published by Bloomsbury, won the Edinburgh International Book Festival's First Book Award in 2014. Her short stories have appeared in various publications, including, Ninth Letter, The First Line, After the Pause, and World Literature Today. She holds a PhD in English from Brown University and teaches English and comparative literature at Kuwait University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
May 9, 2022
4.5⭐️
“Once upon a time, I dreamed of being unbound. I wanted to be free but couldn’t manage it. My brother could. My mother could not. My father could. My grandmothers could not.”
In 2013 forty-one-year-old Sara Tarek Al-Ameed, a professor of Philosophy at Kuwait University is accused of blasphemy and arrested. A female student had recorded one of her lectures on Nietzsche and reported her - a part of said lecture perceived as offensive and blasphemous. A recent amendment to existing law has branded blasphemy a capital crime that is punishable by execution. Eleven years ago, following her mother's death in Kuwait , Sara had returned from Berkeley after resigning from a tenure-track position. She lives with Lola her cat, her grandmother's pet parrot Bebe Mitu, her childhood ayah Maria who she considers her second mother and has been with the family since before she was born, and Aasif her Indian cook. Her brother Karim lives and works in the United States. After Sara is released from prison pending trial her lawyer informs her that formally retracting her statement could lead to an exoneration but as her petitions for relaxing imposed travel restrictions and dismissal of her case are rejected and the date of trial is delayed, her concerns over her fate are compounded.
“To proceed forward requires periodic turns back, even if those turns are denied, even if they hurt like hell.”
An Unlasting Home By Mai Al-Nakib is a powerful, moving and insightful novel that revolves around a cast of strong and resilient women and their acts of kindness, sacrifice, compromise and survival in a society that has not been partial to their will or choices. The narrative switches between the current timeline of Sara’s arrest and preparation for defense as she awaits trial and the past that covers the history of her family through chapters devoted to the lives of the women of Sara’s family who preceded her – her grandmothers- Mama Yasmine and Mama Lulwa, her mother Noura and her ayah, Maria. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but the family trees provided at the beginning of this novel are a great help. Their stories, ranging from the 1920s to the current track traverses countries and continents - from Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, India, and the U.S. and not only give us an in-depth look into Sara's family history but also paint a picture of the changing political and societal landscape of Kuwait and the surrounding region through the years. The author’s characterizations of the women in this novel are superb. The prose is elegant and though the pace does waver in places, the narrative hooked me in from the very first page. A running theme in this novel is how the definition of home changes over time. Our characters move across countries and continents for reasons varying from political unrest to personal reasons such as marriage, academic and professional pursuits and/or familial obligations. These migrations often result in a feeling of detachment and we see our characters questioning themselves, their life choices, their triumphs and failures and struggles with reconciling with their feelings of regret, guilt or discontent that often rise to the surface in the face of adverse situations. As Sarah contemplates her life and how her education and experiences in the West and Kuwait have shaped her, she feels “bifurcated” – having to balance the values, beliefs and behaviors that are often conflicting in nature, motivation and intent. I am aware that the detailed descriptive writing might not appeal to everyone but the author does a wonderful job of depicting the historical, political and societal factors that shaped the generations of women in Sarah’s periphery and how these influences leave their mark over time - the similarities and dissimilarities among these women and the legacy that Sara carries with her irrespective of where she may be – a fact that Sara realizes and acknowledges. Overall this novel is an absorbing read and a brilliant debut. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
“If they knew my story, the women who made me, they wouldn’t be disappointed. They would gather me into their generous arms, and then they would release me.”
I won an ARC of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and would like to thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review the same. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 5, 2023
"An Unlasting Home" is a sweeping saga about four generations of a family originally from Kuwait. The focus is on the women in the family, although the men are not ignored. The time frame spans the early 1900's to 2013. Throughout this time, family members travel to and live in: Kuwait, India, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and the United States. There is a family tree in the beginning of the novel as well as a map to help guide the reader, as the multiple narratives can be confusing. At times, I was confused about which character I was reading about.
The youngest woman of the family is 41 year old Sara, who is a Philosophy professor at Kuwait University. Educated in U.S. universities, Sara has returned to a Kuwait she doesn't recognise. Kuwait has embraced conservative Islamist policies. It is no longer the freer society she remembers from her childhood. When the book opens, Sara is charged with blasphemy for teaching her students the athieist philosophy of Nietzsche. She is forced to hire a lawyer and prepare for a trial.
Sara's story is interspersed with the stories of her mother Noura, her grandmothers Lulwa and Yasmin, and their mothers - Sheikha and Yeliz. Each woman has an unique personality and challenging life course. In addition, Maria (Sara's live-in nanny who is Catholic and from India) has her own narrative.
What the author is able to do so skillfully is to tie in the historical events, politics and cultures of the countries with the personal stories of her characters. As someone with little knowledge of this part of the world, I thought this was the novel's strength. A glossary with definitions of the Arabic and Hindu words used throughout the book would have been helpful.
I came away with an appreciation for the book and will be interested to see what the author writes next.
3.8 stars rounded to 4
The youngest woman of the family is 41 year old Sara, who is a Philosophy professor at Kuwait University. Educated in U.S. universities, Sara has returned to a Kuwait she doesn't recognise. Kuwait has embraced conservative Islamist policies. It is no longer the freer society she remembers from her childhood. When the book opens, Sara is charged with blasphemy for teaching her students the athieist philosophy of Nietzsche. She is forced to hire a lawyer and prepare for a trial.
Sara's story is interspersed with the stories of her mother Noura, her grandmothers Lulwa and Yasmin, and their mothers - Sheikha and Yeliz. Each woman has an unique personality and challenging life course. In addition, Maria (Sara's live-in nanny who is Catholic and from India) has her own narrative.
What the author is able to do so skillfully is to tie in the historical events, politics and cultures of the countries with the personal stories of her characters. As someone with little knowledge of this part of the world, I thought this was the novel's strength. A glossary with definitions of the Arabic and Hindu words used throughout the book would have been helpful.
I came away with an appreciation for the book and will be interested to see what the author writes next.
3.8 stars rounded to 4
December 11, 2022
An Unlasting Home is a superb family history of generations of women. Traversing time and continents, it could have toppled over with its complicated structure and multiple characters. But Al-Nakib skillfully pulled it off - each family member gradually comes into clear focus. I became invested in all of them. This debut novel deserves more attention!
March 19, 2025
A family saga set primarily in Kuwait, yes please!
It's a bit daunting when you open a book and immediately see five family trees. You know you are in for a ride with many characters. However, I didn't need to refer back to them at all. This is so well crafted, the characters so firmly developed and solid, I found it super easy to know who was who and who belonged where.
I love this book! I love a family saga generally, but there's always extra points when they are set in the Middle East. I love the array of nationalities, which is so common here, the unique histories, the displacements, the found family. The complicated love of a country.
I will read whatever this author writes. The weaving of fact and fiction was seamless.
Five stars.
It's a bit daunting when you open a book and immediately see five family trees. You know you are in for a ride with many characters. However, I didn't need to refer back to them at all. This is so well crafted, the characters so firmly developed and solid, I found it super easy to know who was who and who belonged where.
I love this book! I love a family saga generally, but there's always extra points when they are set in the Middle East. I love the array of nationalities, which is so common here, the unique histories, the displacements, the found family. The complicated love of a country.
I will read whatever this author writes. The weaving of fact and fiction was seamless.
Five stars.
May 26, 2022
This book has a good concept, and I’m generally interested in multigenerational family sagas, especially set in lesser-known countries. Unfortunately, while Al-Nakib is a perfectly adequate writer, from this book I don’t think she’s a good storyteller: it feels like a whole lot of backstory summary interspersed with modern-day chapters in which nothing happens, which left me thoroughly bored by the halfway point only to see it end with a whimper.
An Unlasting Home centers a Kuwaiti philosophy professor, Sara, who is charged with blasphemy after a lecture, under a law that in real life was vetoed—making the book slightly dystopian/speculative fiction, though those coming to it for that reason would likely be disappointed. However, much of the book traces the backstories of Sara and her female relatives: Part 1 rotates chapters between Sara and her two grandmothers, Part 2 between Sara and her two mothers (her actual mother, and the Indian nanny who did most of the childrearing), and Part 3, the shortest, is just Sara, though still bouncing between backstory and the present day (or rather, slightly-dystopian 2013).
Unfortunately, despite taking up a lot of pages, Sara’s plotline never gets off the ground. She’s arrested and released on bond in Chapter 1. In the final chapter, she goes to trial (at which, ). In between, she spends the entire book receiving uneventful visits from her lawyer and otherwise just moping about her house. Which is understandable under the circumstances, but far from riveting as a novel. She actually states, on page 346 of 377, “I’ve been coasting along when, in fact, I should have been plotting a dramatic getaway or garnering a more international defense, anything other than passively twiddling my thumbs.” To which I can only say, how did writing a passage accurately describing the primary plotline of her own novel as passively twiddling my thumbs not make the author reconsider??
Of course, much of the book is spent in backstory, but it feels very much like backstory rather than an alternate, more lively plotline: the women’s lives are more summarized than brought to life. There’s no narrative tension to them. I was somewhat engaged with the grandmothers’ stories, perhaps just because it was new, but bored by the time it reached the mothers, and Sara has such a mundane life that I have no idea why anyone would want to read a novel about it. (Unless perhaps that novel were a far more in-depth, psychologically astute character study than this book is.) Even elements that seem built up as mysteries ultimately fizzle out: I was expecting drama around what seemed to be the mysterious deaths of several characters, only to be told as an afterthought “he died of a heart attack back in 1995” or to learn that what I had assumed would be a politically-motivated murder really was just a car accident.
And unlikely narrative choices serve only to make the characters even blander. For instance, we’re told that Sara didn’t know about the blasphemy law under which she was charged, because she pays little attention to the news. Okay… Sara is a professor at Kuwait University! You’re telling me a university did not notify its professors about a new law under which they could be criminally charged, even executed? There were no bulletins, no mandatory meetings? The philosophy department made no attempt to communicate about this or come up with a plan? None of Sara’s colleagues spoke to her about how they intended to handle it? None of her like-minded friends wanted to talk about where their country was headed? None of her family or friends in the diaspora heard the news and were concerned? No email alerts or petitions were circulated? No one in Sara’s personal or professional life at any point thought this merited a conversation, or simply had it on their mind? Despite the fact that a law prescribing death by hanging for religious opposition would be a huge step in a country that has traditionally been more tolerant? And not only is Sara’s ignorance bizarrely unlikely, but…. why? She could only have been a more interesting character had she known about the law and run afoul of it anyway.
And that isn’t the only unlikely bit. Sara’s discussions of philosophy feel very shallow. It seems odd, for instance, that her charge rests on discussing Nietzsche’s “God is dead” quotation with her class, but she has no thoughts about that quote being taken out of context despite supposedly being a Nietzsche fan. Meanwhile Maria, the nanny, is hired because… Sara’s dad’s aunt meets her on the street in India, and the family then decides to fly her to Kuwait as domestic help despite the fact that she has no relevant work experience or references? Isn’t this what employment agencies and personal referrals are for? Maria’s son’s human-trafficking concerns seem more likely than what actually happens.
On the positive side, the book is very readable, with sections usually just a couple of pages long, so even though I was underwhelmed, the pages turned quickly. It certainly educates the reader about Kuwaiti society and the diversity of experiences it contains: those originally from there and those migrating from other parts of the Arab world, the wealthy who call more than one country home and the guest workers, are all featured. And the writing itself is fine. It’s a better choice than the last Kuwait book I read, written by an American expat whose knowledge seemed limited to American expats.
I suspect readers who typically enjoy books alternating between past and present-day storylines will like this novel better than I did: to me all the plotlines winding up half-baked is the usual result for this type of novel. I was expecting this to read more like a regular family saga, but obviously past/present books do have their fans. Personally though, I suspect I would have enjoyed it more had Al-Nakib written a family memoir, which would have different standards for narrative momentum and would probably have allowed more individuality to shine through.
An Unlasting Home centers a Kuwaiti philosophy professor, Sara, who is charged with blasphemy after a lecture, under a law that in real life was vetoed—making the book slightly dystopian/speculative fiction, though those coming to it for that reason would likely be disappointed. However, much of the book traces the backstories of Sara and her female relatives: Part 1 rotates chapters between Sara and her two grandmothers, Part 2 between Sara and her two mothers (her actual mother, and the Indian nanny who did most of the childrearing), and Part 3, the shortest, is just Sara, though still bouncing between backstory and the present day (or rather, slightly-dystopian 2013).
Unfortunately, despite taking up a lot of pages, Sara’s plotline never gets off the ground. She’s arrested and released on bond in Chapter 1. In the final chapter, she goes to trial (at which, ). In between, she spends the entire book receiving uneventful visits from her lawyer and otherwise just moping about her house. Which is understandable under the circumstances, but far from riveting as a novel. She actually states, on page 346 of 377, “I’ve been coasting along when, in fact, I should have been plotting a dramatic getaway or garnering a more international defense, anything other than passively twiddling my thumbs.” To which I can only say, how did writing a passage accurately describing the primary plotline of her own novel as passively twiddling my thumbs not make the author reconsider??
Of course, much of the book is spent in backstory, but it feels very much like backstory rather than an alternate, more lively plotline: the women’s lives are more summarized than brought to life. There’s no narrative tension to them. I was somewhat engaged with the grandmothers’ stories, perhaps just because it was new, but bored by the time it reached the mothers, and Sara has such a mundane life that I have no idea why anyone would want to read a novel about it. (Unless perhaps that novel were a far more in-depth, psychologically astute character study than this book is.) Even elements that seem built up as mysteries ultimately fizzle out: I was expecting drama around what seemed to be the mysterious deaths of several characters, only to be told as an afterthought “he died of a heart attack back in 1995” or to learn that what I had assumed would be a politically-motivated murder really was just a car accident.
And unlikely narrative choices serve only to make the characters even blander. For instance, we’re told that Sara didn’t know about the blasphemy law under which she was charged, because she pays little attention to the news. Okay… Sara is a professor at Kuwait University! You’re telling me a university did not notify its professors about a new law under which they could be criminally charged, even executed? There were no bulletins, no mandatory meetings? The philosophy department made no attempt to communicate about this or come up with a plan? None of Sara’s colleagues spoke to her about how they intended to handle it? None of her like-minded friends wanted to talk about where their country was headed? None of her family or friends in the diaspora heard the news and were concerned? No email alerts or petitions were circulated? No one in Sara’s personal or professional life at any point thought this merited a conversation, or simply had it on their mind? Despite the fact that a law prescribing death by hanging for religious opposition would be a huge step in a country that has traditionally been more tolerant? And not only is Sara’s ignorance bizarrely unlikely, but…. why? She could only have been a more interesting character had she known about the law and run afoul of it anyway.
And that isn’t the only unlikely bit. Sara’s discussions of philosophy feel very shallow. It seems odd, for instance, that her charge rests on discussing Nietzsche’s “God is dead” quotation with her class, but she has no thoughts about that quote being taken out of context despite supposedly being a Nietzsche fan. Meanwhile Maria, the nanny, is hired because… Sara’s dad’s aunt meets her on the street in India, and the family then decides to fly her to Kuwait as domestic help despite the fact that she has no relevant work experience or references? Isn’t this what employment agencies and personal referrals are for? Maria’s son’s human-trafficking concerns seem more likely than what actually happens.
On the positive side, the book is very readable, with sections usually just a couple of pages long, so even though I was underwhelmed, the pages turned quickly. It certainly educates the reader about Kuwaiti society and the diversity of experiences it contains: those originally from there and those migrating from other parts of the Arab world, the wealthy who call more than one country home and the guest workers, are all featured. And the writing itself is fine. It’s a better choice than the last Kuwait book I read, written by an American expat whose knowledge seemed limited to American expats.
I suspect readers who typically enjoy books alternating between past and present-day storylines will like this novel better than I did: to me all the plotlines winding up half-baked is the usual result for this type of novel. I was expecting this to read more like a regular family saga, but obviously past/present books do have their fans. Personally though, I suspect I would have enjoyed it more had Al-Nakib written a family memoir, which would have different standards for narrative momentum and would probably have allowed more individuality to shine through.
May 2, 2022
"To proceed forward requires periodic turns back, even if those turns are denied, even if they hurt like hell. The past persists like a wound. If it isn't locked in place, it knocks around endlessly..." This insight from Sara, the main character in An Unlasting Home, seems to encapsulate the timeless human struggle to reconcile the past with the present before we can move on. Expressed in actions, felt as longing, we must do what we need to do (return home, reopen a lost connection, listen to the life stories of our loved ones) before we can pick up our own pieces and arrange them in a meaningful way.
These were some of my reflections as I closed Mai Al-Nakib's immersive debut historical fiction novel. This is the story of Sara, a modern day professor of philosophy at Kuwait University who is charged with blasphemy when one of her fundamentalist students records her lecture on Nietzsche. A new law that carries with it a possible sentence of execution, we sit with Sara in the accompanying months and witness her worry, indignation and alienation to the country of her childhood. She finds herself without her family, due to either death or distance, and she cocoons herself in memories and reflections on the past. We travel back in time to take in the life stories of the complex and nuanced lives of her family, focusing mainly on her grandmothers (Yasmine and Lulwa), mother (Noura) and Maria, the ayah that was her second mom. Their stories are filled with sacrifice and fierce love, and beautifully depict the challenges of being a woman in a time and place where your voice and ambition must continually be stifled. Sara also tells her own story; a story of living both in Kuwait and the United States and struggles with finding her identity and place in both worlds as well as her passivity in her romantic relationships.
The other presence in this novel is Kuwait and its complicated history paired against Sara's complicated relationship with it. This country holds her childhood memories and is steeped in feelings she is not ready to let go, yet the modern-day fundamentalism is a heavy robe that is slowly suffocating her. While this is a work of fiction, the Author's Note explained that the elected parliament in Kuwait did pass an amendment in 2013 (by a wide margin) making blasphemy a capital crime, but the amir of Kuwait rejected the decision.
With all of this going on, the reader is transported seamlessly between countries (Kuwait, India, the United States, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey) and immersed in the culture and history through the descriptive and exotic details. I could feel the heat and dust, smell the burning oil, see the humid Indian forests, taste the Middle Eastern fare. I loved reading this multi-layered story because I was simultaneously learning about cultures I don't know enough about.
I look forward to more works by the gifted Al-Nakib and plan to read her collection of short stories, The Hidden Light of Objects.
I received an ARC of this novel through a Goodreads Giveaway and want to thank the author and Custom House for the opportunity to read and review this book.
These were some of my reflections as I closed Mai Al-Nakib's immersive debut historical fiction novel. This is the story of Sara, a modern day professor of philosophy at Kuwait University who is charged with blasphemy when one of her fundamentalist students records her lecture on Nietzsche. A new law that carries with it a possible sentence of execution, we sit with Sara in the accompanying months and witness her worry, indignation and alienation to the country of her childhood. She finds herself without her family, due to either death or distance, and she cocoons herself in memories and reflections on the past. We travel back in time to take in the life stories of the complex and nuanced lives of her family, focusing mainly on her grandmothers (Yasmine and Lulwa), mother (Noura) and Maria, the ayah that was her second mom. Their stories are filled with sacrifice and fierce love, and beautifully depict the challenges of being a woman in a time and place where your voice and ambition must continually be stifled. Sara also tells her own story; a story of living both in Kuwait and the United States and struggles with finding her identity and place in both worlds as well as her passivity in her romantic relationships.
The other presence in this novel is Kuwait and its complicated history paired against Sara's complicated relationship with it. This country holds her childhood memories and is steeped in feelings she is not ready to let go, yet the modern-day fundamentalism is a heavy robe that is slowly suffocating her. While this is a work of fiction, the Author's Note explained that the elected parliament in Kuwait did pass an amendment in 2013 (by a wide margin) making blasphemy a capital crime, but the amir of Kuwait rejected the decision.
With all of this going on, the reader is transported seamlessly between countries (Kuwait, India, the United States, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey) and immersed in the culture and history through the descriptive and exotic details. I could feel the heat and dust, smell the burning oil, see the humid Indian forests, taste the Middle Eastern fare. I loved reading this multi-layered story because I was simultaneously learning about cultures I don't know enough about.
I look forward to more works by the gifted Al-Nakib and plan to read her collection of short stories, The Hidden Light of Objects.
I received an ARC of this novel through a Goodreads Giveaway and want to thank the author and Custom House for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 11, 2023
This has got to be one of the best books I’ve ever read in my entire life. there is something to be said about the way that you can read about your own culture in a work of fiction and truly understand everything. The author is trying to show and I don’t think I have ever felt so seen in a work of literature before.
The way I was able to transport between pre-oil, Kuwait in the mud homes to air conditioned classrooms in almost 100 years into the future was some thing that really helped me stay engaged and focused throughout the entire process of reading the book and I never felt as if it was hard to follow as it all just seeped into each other stories.
as a kuwaiti woman, I have often wondered about my own maternal lineage, and the stories of my mother and my great grandmother’s, and my great great grandmother’s, and the lives and dreams they must’ve had especially existing in the patriarchal society that we often find ourselves.
Mai Al Naqeeb has done what all great books are meant to do they give words to your anguish and your feelings, in ways that you may otherwise would never know to explain.
As a kuwaiti woman, I have often wondered what is it that holds me back and anchors me back to Kuwait and I recognize that it is not family or history or heritage, but it is the love that I have for my country and everlasting desire for it to get better, and that is some thing that is so difficult to find explained so thoroughly and so thoughtfully
100 stars ⭐️
The way I was able to transport between pre-oil, Kuwait in the mud homes to air conditioned classrooms in almost 100 years into the future was some thing that really helped me stay engaged and focused throughout the entire process of reading the book and I never felt as if it was hard to follow as it all just seeped into each other stories.
as a kuwaiti woman, I have often wondered about my own maternal lineage, and the stories of my mother and my great grandmother’s, and my great great grandmother’s, and the lives and dreams they must’ve had especially existing in the patriarchal society that we often find ourselves.
Mai Al Naqeeb has done what all great books are meant to do they give words to your anguish and your feelings, in ways that you may otherwise would never know to explain.
As a kuwaiti woman, I have often wondered what is it that holds me back and anchors me back to Kuwait and I recognize that it is not family or history or heritage, but it is the love that I have for my country and everlasting desire for it to get better, and that is some thing that is so difficult to find explained so thoroughly and so thoughtfully
100 stars ⭐️
June 11, 2022
This book is probably deserving of more than 2 stars but it was not as enjoyable as I was expecting. I love multigenerational stories of this nature but found this writing and story line a bit overwhelming due to the many, many characters (too many IMO) that it became difficult to keep them all straight in their relationships to each other. The author did a good job of describing the history but I was distracted but the use of so many Middle Eastern words and vocabulary that I had no idea as to the meaning of. Foot notes or some explanation would have been nice and extremely helpful.
June 1, 2024
Mai Al-Nakib's An Unlasting Home is a debut novel that weaves together the lives of five women from different generations. This beautifully written novel captures the essence of Kuwaiti society and broader themes of identity, displacement, and resilience.
The central character is Sara, a philosophy professor in modern-day Kuwait who faces the possibility of execution due to a controversial law. Her situation causes her to ponder the lives of her grandmothers, mother, and friends, from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day Kuwait. The narrative switches between these varied timelines and perspectives to tell the tales of these different women.
"An Unlasting Home" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that explores the connection between personal and political histories. It showcases Mai Al-Nakib's talent as a storyteller and her deep understanding of the complexities of identity and belonging. This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction that delves into the human experience.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The central character is Sara, a philosophy professor in modern-day Kuwait who faces the possibility of execution due to a controversial law. Her situation causes her to ponder the lives of her grandmothers, mother, and friends, from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day Kuwait. The narrative switches between these varied timelines and perspectives to tell the tales of these different women.
"An Unlasting Home" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that explores the connection between personal and political histories. It showcases Mai Al-Nakib's talent as a storyteller and her deep understanding of the complexities of identity and belonging. This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction that delves into the human experience.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
April 26, 2022
I’ve been a reader for what seems like my whole life. Always to be found with my nose in a book, I traveled in my imagination from Narnia to Anytown, USA - and everywhere in between. As a teenager, my reading experiences changed in both depth and perception as I tackled more serious topics and expanded the range of authors I read from.
But there was always something missing. And that was my own narrative. Where were the English-language books about Arabs? Written by Arabs? Set in the Arabian Gulf? I don’t think I was really aware of this gaping hole until I went to the US for college only to discover that the vast majority of people, including students attending the most elite of educational institutions, had no idea what my part of the world was like. Stereotypes about sand and camels and oil wells were the norm and post 9/11, you can imagine how much worse the assumptions got.
So, perhaps my review of this book is tinged with bias, but I feel profoundly grateful to Mai Al Nakib for writing this book because FINALLY. When you so rarely see an authentic depiction of yourself or your community in books or movies or music, it is overwhelming when it happens at last. And it’s my sincere belief that books are one of the most important ways in which we learn about other people and places. It’s how we build tolerance and compassion and understanding for others. At least it is for those of us who are readers. And for those who aren’t, that’s why representation in other media is equally important -whether that is film or TV or music. I could go on about this topic forever, but I’ll stop here. Back to the book.
It goes without saying that none of the characters in in An Unlasting Home mirror my own lived experience, but I know and understand them on a visceral level. I’ve known a few Saras, I’ve heard of many Lulwas and Yasmines, and I had my own version of Maria (from Goa too!) I didn’t need to keep referring to the family tree because the names and the places - and the foods and the expressions - were second-nature to me. Despite the sadness of the stories, I found myself smiling anyway because the story felt like home.
You can read the plot synopsis yourself. In brief, Mai Al Nakib shares the stories of 3 generations of Arab women. Through them, she deftly traces Kuwait’s evolution from the earlier part of the 20th century to the present time. The first-person narration is provided by Sara, a Professor of Philosophy at the local university. Things go wrong when she is accused of blasphemy after teaching Nietzsche to a class of conservative female students. She is facing a serious court case and a potential death sentence as she grapples with the changes that have transformed her country of birth into a place she no longer recognizes or identifies with. This feeling of disassociation springs from the existential battle between reactionary and progressive forces taking place in the country. Which of the two will triumph is still uncertain, but the truth of the matter is that some form of this battle is playing itself out everywhere and Sara’s story in this book is a microcosm of this greater phenomenon. Her bewilderment as she wonders where the Kuwait of her childhood has gone is moving. She struggles to reconcile her memories with the grim reality she faces at the hands of conservatives whose ascent post-invasion of Kuwait has almost eradicated the sense of openness and migration that once prevailed.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, and how seamlessly she traveled between timelines. It takes a great deal of talent to do that without losing the reader. She created her characters thoughtfully and intentionally, representing a cross-section of Arab women in a nuanced way. At its core, the book explores the idea of homeland, identity and belonging. Each of the women in the book experience displacement of some sort. Some of them move against their will, others to create opportunities their countries cannot give them, and still others eagerly move to seek new adventures. The common thread is a yearning to belong that remains just out of reach. I loved the fact that Maria’s story was included in this context, and that she was portrayed as a member of the family. It’s the first time I’ve seen that perspective in print, and it warmed my heart. I also appreciated the way the author weaved in the lack of concern over environmental issues and how this reflects the wider degradation the protagonist feels all around her.
I’ll be honest - some parts of the various storylines felt a tad far-fetched or unlikely, but who cares? I don’t want to nitpick. In the overall scheme of things, it didn’t really detract from my general reading experience.
I will end here by saying I am so happy this book exists. My hope is that it will fly off the bookshelves and into your hands, and that it will encourage other Khaleeji writers to put pen to paper and write their stories so that by the time my nieces grow up, they will have an abundance of books to choose from in which they recognize and see parts of themselves. And as a bonus - perhaps this will herald a time when they will study abroad without being treated like exotic beings hailing from the land of sand, camels, and oil wells.
But there was always something missing. And that was my own narrative. Where were the English-language books about Arabs? Written by Arabs? Set in the Arabian Gulf? I don’t think I was really aware of this gaping hole until I went to the US for college only to discover that the vast majority of people, including students attending the most elite of educational institutions, had no idea what my part of the world was like. Stereotypes about sand and camels and oil wells were the norm and post 9/11, you can imagine how much worse the assumptions got.
So, perhaps my review of this book is tinged with bias, but I feel profoundly grateful to Mai Al Nakib for writing this book because FINALLY. When you so rarely see an authentic depiction of yourself or your community in books or movies or music, it is overwhelming when it happens at last. And it’s my sincere belief that books are one of the most important ways in which we learn about other people and places. It’s how we build tolerance and compassion and understanding for others. At least it is for those of us who are readers. And for those who aren’t, that’s why representation in other media is equally important -whether that is film or TV or music. I could go on about this topic forever, but I’ll stop here. Back to the book.
It goes without saying that none of the characters in in An Unlasting Home mirror my own lived experience, but I know and understand them on a visceral level. I’ve known a few Saras, I’ve heard of many Lulwas and Yasmines, and I had my own version of Maria (from Goa too!) I didn’t need to keep referring to the family tree because the names and the places - and the foods and the expressions - were second-nature to me. Despite the sadness of the stories, I found myself smiling anyway because the story felt like home.
You can read the plot synopsis yourself. In brief, Mai Al Nakib shares the stories of 3 generations of Arab women. Through them, she deftly traces Kuwait’s evolution from the earlier part of the 20th century to the present time. The first-person narration is provided by Sara, a Professor of Philosophy at the local university. Things go wrong when she is accused of blasphemy after teaching Nietzsche to a class of conservative female students. She is facing a serious court case and a potential death sentence as she grapples with the changes that have transformed her country of birth into a place she no longer recognizes or identifies with. This feeling of disassociation springs from the existential battle between reactionary and progressive forces taking place in the country. Which of the two will triumph is still uncertain, but the truth of the matter is that some form of this battle is playing itself out everywhere and Sara’s story in this book is a microcosm of this greater phenomenon. Her bewilderment as she wonders where the Kuwait of her childhood has gone is moving. She struggles to reconcile her memories with the grim reality she faces at the hands of conservatives whose ascent post-invasion of Kuwait has almost eradicated the sense of openness and migration that once prevailed.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, and how seamlessly she traveled between timelines. It takes a great deal of talent to do that without losing the reader. She created her characters thoughtfully and intentionally, representing a cross-section of Arab women in a nuanced way. At its core, the book explores the idea of homeland, identity and belonging. Each of the women in the book experience displacement of some sort. Some of them move against their will, others to create opportunities their countries cannot give them, and still others eagerly move to seek new adventures. The common thread is a yearning to belong that remains just out of reach. I loved the fact that Maria’s story was included in this context, and that she was portrayed as a member of the family. It’s the first time I’ve seen that perspective in print, and it warmed my heart. I also appreciated the way the author weaved in the lack of concern over environmental issues and how this reflects the wider degradation the protagonist feels all around her.
I’ll be honest - some parts of the various storylines felt a tad far-fetched or unlikely, but who cares? I don’t want to nitpick. In the overall scheme of things, it didn’t really detract from my general reading experience.
I will end here by saying I am so happy this book exists. My hope is that it will fly off the bookshelves and into your hands, and that it will encourage other Khaleeji writers to put pen to paper and write their stories so that by the time my nieces grow up, they will have an abundance of books to choose from in which they recognize and see parts of themselves. And as a bonus - perhaps this will herald a time when they will study abroad without being treated like exotic beings hailing from the land of sand, camels, and oil wells.
June 24, 2022
AN UNLASTING HOME by Mai Al-Nakib is an epic, multigenerational family saga that spans the globe, with a focus on Kuwait but also touching upon India, Iraq, Lebanon, and the U.S. The modern-day narrative follows Sara, a philosophy professor in Kuwait who has been accused of blasphemy, punishable by execution. As she awaits trial, she wrestles with her relationship to Kuwait and why she’s stayed despite warning signs, remembering Kuwait’s glory days as the cosmopolitan city of her childhood up through its invasion by Iraq.
Interwoven with Sara’s narrative are the stories of her grandmothers, mother, and live-in nanny/housekeeper/second mother. Through their tales, a picture of a 20th century Arab (and Indian) world interconnected through trade emerges, one whose borders are fluid and whose cultural exchanges are plentiful. But it is also a world in which women’s options are constrained, and the limited choices they do make can reverberate for lifetimes.
Al-Nakib’s flowing prose drew me in from the first pages, and each of these five women’s stories equally captivated me. I especially appreciated her inclusion of Maria’s story, who left behind her own children in India to care for Sara and her brother. So often, characters viewed as “house help” are not given their own backstories and voices, but Maria’s narrative added so much to the book and I’m grateful for it. I’m also thankful for the five family trees and the map, which I referenced frequently!
Overall, this is a book that makes intimate large-scale forces of history, geography, gender, religion, and politics. The sense of place and time it evoked will linger with me. It’s a masterpiece!
If you liked Susan Abulhawa’s AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD or Hala Alyan’s THE ARSONISTS’ CITY, try this one, too! All three rank as some of my top reads this year, and I’m so grateful to have been immersed in their worlds.
Interwoven with Sara’s narrative are the stories of her grandmothers, mother, and live-in nanny/housekeeper/second mother. Through their tales, a picture of a 20th century Arab (and Indian) world interconnected through trade emerges, one whose borders are fluid and whose cultural exchanges are plentiful. But it is also a world in which women’s options are constrained, and the limited choices they do make can reverberate for lifetimes.
Al-Nakib’s flowing prose drew me in from the first pages, and each of these five women’s stories equally captivated me. I especially appreciated her inclusion of Maria’s story, who left behind her own children in India to care for Sara and her brother. So often, characters viewed as “house help” are not given their own backstories and voices, but Maria’s narrative added so much to the book and I’m grateful for it. I’m also thankful for the five family trees and the map, which I referenced frequently!
Overall, this is a book that makes intimate large-scale forces of history, geography, gender, religion, and politics. The sense of place and time it evoked will linger with me. It’s a masterpiece!
If you liked Susan Abulhawa’s AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD or Hala Alyan’s THE ARSONISTS’ CITY, try this one, too! All three rank as some of my top reads this year, and I’m so grateful to have been immersed in their worlds.
April 29, 2022
The first half of the book was a struggle to read. There were many characters to follow and many relationships to note. But I really enjoyed reading Sara's story. Readers living in Kuwait or the middle east could relate to the "gravitational pull" that kept Sara living in her hometown while having the option to live anywhere else.
It was also interesting to read about Kuwait's transformation from the 80's through the perspective of a Kuwaiti girl that was brought up in a liberal society then subconsciously "forces" herself to live her adult life in a transformed conservative society.
Also note that usually its difficult to skip chapters in a novel but in this case I skipped most of the chapters that weren't about Sara. And it worked great for me :D
It was also interesting to read about Kuwait's transformation from the 80's through the perspective of a Kuwaiti girl that was brought up in a liberal society then subconsciously "forces" herself to live her adult life in a transformed conservative society.
Also note that usually its difficult to skip chapters in a novel but in this case I skipped most of the chapters that weren't about Sara. And it worked great for me :D
July 11, 2022
3/5
The first half of this book was very confusing trying to unravel all of the characters and parallel storylines. Once I (sort of) figured out who was who, it got a lot more interesting.
Good: learned how Kuwait changed over several decades and was impacted by the war in the 90s, read perspectives that are majorly underrepresented in modern literature
Less so: I felt like the main character wasn't that likeable so was sort of disengaged from her story the whole time, which made it hard to keep reading.
The first half of this book was very confusing trying to unravel all of the characters and parallel storylines. Once I (sort of) figured out who was who, it got a lot more interesting.
Good: learned how Kuwait changed over several decades and was impacted by the war in the 90s, read perspectives that are majorly underrepresented in modern literature
Less so: I felt like the main character wasn't that likeable so was sort of disengaged from her story the whole time, which made it hard to keep reading.
July 17, 2022
But I hear the affirmation in that negation, one that I, like my mother, have long delayed acting on. A yes to creativity, a yes to life now, not in some future heaven, not in eternity. An affirmation of my earned capacity to think, despite every effort to stifle it. That “No!” may be damning, but it’s so damn good.
This was absolutely gorgeously written, weaving stories of multiple generations of women, each not afraid to express their own wants in their narrative voices. What more could you ask for?
Each different POV chapter outside of Sara’s were like tales, I don’t know how to describe it, but I loved it. For a book that felt right up my specific alley, this was more so than I anticipated. So good.
This was absolutely gorgeously written, weaving stories of multiple generations of women, each not afraid to express their own wants in their narrative voices. What more could you ask for?
Each different POV chapter outside of Sara’s were like tales, I don’t know how to describe it, but I loved it. For a book that felt right up my specific alley, this was more so than I anticipated. So good.
July 14, 2025
3.75 stars. This book started off SO strong. I was sure it was going to be a 5 star! This was a story throughout the past 60+ years, following strong women, takes us to Kuwait, India, Lebanon and beyond. Sounds written for me!
And I loved so much of it. I think I wanted just a tingle more plot. I got a bit bogged down in the reading and when I put it down it wasn’t calling to me to be picked up again.
And I loved so much of it. I think I wanted just a tingle more plot. I got a bit bogged down in the reading and when I put it down it wasn’t calling to me to be picked up again.
June 7, 2025
Wow.. Mai Al-Nakib is a new favorite writer, I love how she tells the story of a generation and how that made her personality, as she says it” the women who made me” .. we hardly think of our ancestors that way.
Will be looking for more books.
Will be looking for more books.
May 10, 2023
this book is truly unlike anything i’ve ever read. seeing myself in every single character was an indescribable experience while going through the storyline. so so so much love 🤍
March 17, 2022
This book did what my favorite books since I first became a reader have done- took me to a different place, showed me how others live, how different they are, but still how similar. This is a multigenerational story of Sara, living in modern day Kuwait, and her mother, grandmothers and ayah; the paths they took and struggles they faced so that she could be where she is, a modern woman with freedom to drive, own property, dress as she chooses. But that freedom is under threat- as fundamentalists gain political power, blasphemy has been made a capital crime, one that philosophy professor Sara has now been accused of after one of her students recorded her lecture on Nietzsche in which she stated "God is dead." As the first person charged under the law, some forces want to make an example of her, her lawyer isn't certain of the outcome, and she is wrestling with choices- if she recants, charges might be dropped, but is she compromising her values? Should she reach out to her brother, who has vowed never to return to Kuwait, but would surely do so for her? As she struggles with her choices and fears we travel back through generations, and see Mid-East events from the perspective of people who lived through it. I couldn't help but also reflect on current events here, as states undo progress made over decades in order to disenfranchise some citizens.
This is fiction, and the author notes that while a bill similar to the one Sara was charged under was passed, the president refused to sign it; it is not currently the law in Kuwait.
This is fiction, and the author notes that while a bill similar to the one Sara was charged under was passed, the president refused to sign it; it is not currently the law in Kuwait.
March 1, 2022
great book check it on amazon https://amzn.to/3vtoqZ2
November 24, 2025
It seems I have gone back to the spring where I had the trend of books making me feel like a pinball. In this instance it was with the characters. There were too many characters and not enough time to develop them. At least that’s what I think happened here. Sure, I like most of them. Sara was my least favorite and the only chapter where I really felt an emotional connection was the first chapter where we have Maria as a point of view. Later on we even see Maria tell the children the stories of her childhood but making them more like a fairytale, and I absolutely loved that she was a real gem of a character. As for Sara, she was who I would consider our main character. The one we consistently get through every part of the book, and all the other characters are ancestors of her, but to be honest, she really felt like a brat to me. I think she would be better if there was more depth added to her.
This is a debut novel, and there is so much potential here. The writing was good and there were some really beautiful instances of describing scenes and how it all wraps up and comes together very nicely.
In my reviews, I often speak of how reading is a way to travel. I will most likely never travel to Kuwait, Iraq , or India. This book was a gateway to those places and throughout all different parts of history. I loved getting to experience this culture. I almost feel like this book is a love letter to Arab culture. It doesn't glamorize it, but shows what it is really like. It was interesting to see how this place evolved over the last century.
I do believe the plot was diluted because there were too many points of views. It was all too much. The book was trying to do too much. I honestly believe it would be better if it was doubled in size than it actually is. That is so rare for me to say.I also believe that some of the plot points got repetitive. In almost every single one of our plots we would see a death, or there would be a man struggling, and the woman would have to go back and save the day. That’s fine to happen once or twice, but to happen to every single character that got annoying. I love the idea of the story, but not how it was executed.
One of the big themes is how the Middle East is viewed by Americans or the West in general and the author shows what it is actually like there rather than the stereotypes put on by the West. It also depicts how women have been viewed in the Middle East and how that has developed or undeveloped over time.
I did not really care for what would happen in the coming pages. That is to say I wasn’t intrigued. However, I do believe everything in the story did make sense and was logical. If you liked this one, I would recommend the book ‘Disoriental’ by Négar Djavadi. This was a good book and I would recommend it, but it does have its flaws and it is a debut. I do see a lot of potential in the author.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
This is a debut novel, and there is so much potential here. The writing was good and there were some really beautiful instances of describing scenes and how it all wraps up and comes together very nicely.
In my reviews, I often speak of how reading is a way to travel. I will most likely never travel to Kuwait, Iraq , or India. This book was a gateway to those places and throughout all different parts of history. I loved getting to experience this culture. I almost feel like this book is a love letter to Arab culture. It doesn't glamorize it, but shows what it is really like. It was interesting to see how this place evolved over the last century.
I do believe the plot was diluted because there were too many points of views. It was all too much. The book was trying to do too much. I honestly believe it would be better if it was doubled in size than it actually is. That is so rare for me to say.I also believe that some of the plot points got repetitive. In almost every single one of our plots we would see a death, or there would be a man struggling, and the woman would have to go back and save the day. That’s fine to happen once or twice, but to happen to every single character that got annoying. I love the idea of the story, but not how it was executed.
One of the big themes is how the Middle East is viewed by Americans or the West in general and the author shows what it is actually like there rather than the stereotypes put on by the West. It also depicts how women have been viewed in the Middle East and how that has developed or undeveloped over time.
I did not really care for what would happen in the coming pages. That is to say I wasn’t intrigued. However, I do believe everything in the story did make sense and was logical. If you liked this one, I would recommend the book ‘Disoriental’ by Négar Djavadi. This was a good book and I would recommend it, but it does have its flaws and it is a debut. I do see a lot of potential in the author.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
July 3, 2022
It's a strange delight to read fiction set close to home, especially as an Indian local of Kuwait with new and very lose connections to Pune. An Unlasting Home welcomes the reader to a luxurious and languid start but is oddly unputdownable for the most part. I love that the Hindi and Arabic words aren't italicized, naturalizing them to both the dialogue and narrative about the lives of a Kuwaiti family across borders and time. The switch between first person narrative for Sara and third person for Yasmine, Lulwa, Noura, and Maria feels jarring and inconsistent at times. Yet it does contribute to the overall sense of this being Sara's story, of how she understands the lives of the women who raised her, how they bleed into her own even after their end, assumptions and all. I do wish we'd have got more insight into Asif, a character so ubiquitous in the narrative but rather vaguely sketched-- not unlike how male South Asians' lives in Kuwait are brushed over in monochrome anyway.
On Kuwait, the novel is laced with a pessimism I cannot refute, even if the central point of tension-- the blasphemy law-- is fictional. It is a lament that resonates so well, that I almost despise Sara for feeling it.
All in all, Mai Al Nakib's first novel is a must read.
On Kuwait, the novel is laced with a pessimism I cannot refute, even if the central point of tension-- the blasphemy law-- is fictional. It is a lament that resonates so well, that I almost despise Sara for feeling it.
All in all, Mai Al Nakib's first novel is a must read.
May 7, 2022
AlNakib is a story teller. That’s what I got when I read her short stories collection, and that’s what I’m getting here, but with a more intricate labyrinth and more historical details that make it all the more thrilling. The stories are familiar, at least to people in my generation, but the captivating narrative brings to them this emotional attachment that is inescapable. Tears were shed, I’m not too shy to admit.
It’s interesting and quite coincidental (thought not surprising) that the novel came out at the same time when there is an actual controversy in Kuwait about a professor in the humanities who showed the students what was deemed “inappropriate material.” AlNakib’s imaginative foretelling of what would’ve happened had the amendment to Article 111 gone through is not too far from reality at all.
But Sara’s story, the professor under interrogation, though most paramount to our time, is only a flicker in the myriads of stories drawn of women whose fate pulls them home and away from home. A story about the difficulty of defining a home, and the near impossibility of giving it up even when it kills you.
It’s interesting and quite coincidental (thought not surprising) that the novel came out at the same time when there is an actual controversy in Kuwait about a professor in the humanities who showed the students what was deemed “inappropriate material.” AlNakib’s imaginative foretelling of what would’ve happened had the amendment to Article 111 gone through is not too far from reality at all.
But Sara’s story, the professor under interrogation, though most paramount to our time, is only a flicker in the myriads of stories drawn of women whose fate pulls them home and away from home. A story about the difficulty of defining a home, and the near impossibility of giving it up even when it kills you.
August 8, 2022
The settings (i.e., Kuwait, India, Iraq, and Lebanon) and each individual character's background stories are intriguing. I liked the cultural and historical references throughout the 4 generations of characters.
The structure, however, was confusing and messy. Each chapter read more like a short story. This format was made confusing by having too many extraneous characters. And then the writing style reads as stiff and robotic--it didn't flow.
By the end of the book, I saw little reason to include many of the characters to lead us to such a dull climax.
The structure, however, was confusing and messy. Each chapter read more like a short story. This format was made confusing by having too many extraneous characters. And then the writing style reads as stiff and robotic--it didn't flow.
By the end of the book, I saw little reason to include many of the characters to lead us to such a dull climax.
April 13, 2022
A multigenerational story of women in Kuwait, India, the United States, and more. This started with Sara, a forty-one-year-old professor charged with blasphemy in Kuwait. From here the book goes back and forth in time, constantly changing perspectives, beginning with Sara's grandmother, and Yasmine, who would eventually be her very close friend.
Upon reading the premise, this sounded like my kind of story and it was to some extent. I think the author did a job of depicting people's daily lives in a specific period, and the history of the countries the story took place in. The writing was eloquent and very real. Although, I found it overwhelming at first. There were so many characters being introduced, that I could no longer keep track of their relations to each other. Sara's connection to the other women in the story wasn't made clear in the first parts but would be made so eventually, as it was for every character. Before that, I read her chapters in mild confusion. Aside from that, it took so long for things to take off. If you want a book that would have you worried or tense or just at the edge of your seat, I don't think this is it. There was tension in the latter parts but since this was told nonlinearly and there were chapters in the present, you'd come to anticipate things. There was an air of inevitability. And for me, detachment. I finished this book not having felt very close to these characters. I found their personalities to be somewhat similar to each other.
This novel was a bit difficult to start and get acquainted with for me, but once things got clearer, I got more familiar with who's who, and things started happening, it became a breeze to get through. I enjoyed learning about the history - of Kuwait, mostly - and cultures I am not very familiar with. This served as an eye-opener and was also strong thematically.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Upon reading the premise, this sounded like my kind of story and it was to some extent. I think the author did a job of depicting people's daily lives in a specific period, and the history of the countries the story took place in. The writing was eloquent and very real. Although, I found it overwhelming at first. There were so many characters being introduced, that I could no longer keep track of their relations to each other. Sara's connection to the other women in the story wasn't made clear in the first parts but would be made so eventually, as it was for every character. Before that, I read her chapters in mild confusion. Aside from that, it took so long for things to take off. If you want a book that would have you worried or tense or just at the edge of your seat, I don't think this is it. There was tension in the latter parts but since this was told nonlinearly and there were chapters in the present, you'd come to anticipate things. There was an air of inevitability. And for me, detachment. I finished this book not having felt very close to these characters. I found their personalities to be somewhat similar to each other.
This novel was a bit difficult to start and get acquainted with for me, but once things got clearer, I got more familiar with who's who, and things started happening, it became a breeze to get through. I enjoyed learning about the history - of Kuwait, mostly - and cultures I am not very familiar with. This served as an eye-opener and was also strong thematically.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
September 29, 2022
An Unlasting Home is a multigenerational saga that traces the lives of five formidable women from the early twentieth century to 2013 and across the Middle East from Turkey to Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, India, and the United States. The novel opens with the protagonist, Sara, a professor of philosophy at Kuwait University, who is accused of blasphemy under a new rule designating it a capital crime. As she awaits trial, she begins to look back, realizing that she has to reckon with her past, her family's past, and the history of her country. She begins to untangle the generational lines of the women who've shaped her: her grandmothers, Yasmine and Lulwa; her mother, Noura; and her beloved ayah, Maria, who helped raise her. Through this process, Sara comes to terms with why her life's been stalled and why she returned to Kuwait from the United States, and she figures out who she wants to become. In many ways, the novel is about inherited trauma and migratory passage, loss, resilience, but also how women can overcome these political, personal, and historical burdens to survive.
The author writes with such vivid prose that you feel as if you are there. When she goes to prison and sees all of the women's stories on the wall, it's heartbreaking and eye-opening. Sara becomes the pivot holding all of these women's stories together. The first part is Lulwa and Yasmine with Sara interspersed. The second part is about Noura, her mother, and Maria, her caregiver. And the third part belongs to Sara. There was this sense that there is movement, Sara moves through all of their stories and then comes out at the end, so the reader moves with her as she collects old stories and comes to terms with her current situation.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
The author writes with such vivid prose that you feel as if you are there. When she goes to prison and sees all of the women's stories on the wall, it's heartbreaking and eye-opening. Sara becomes the pivot holding all of these women's stories together. The first part is Lulwa and Yasmine with Sara interspersed. The second part is about Noura, her mother, and Maria, her caregiver. And the third part belongs to Sara. There was this sense that there is movement, Sara moves through all of their stories and then comes out at the end, so the reader moves with her as she collects old stories and comes to terms with her current situation.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
October 2, 2022
The way I LOVED this book. Be prepared for a very hefty, overly elaborate and detailed book review. Basically, this is a story of three generations of women with links to Kuwait. Mama Sheikha, Mama Yasmine, Mama Lulwa, Noura, Maria and Sara. The plot was so well thought through; it's the story of Sara's ancestors, against the story of Sara facing a blasphemy accusation in Kuwaiti court, super creative. One thing I appreciated about the book was timing; the way the stories parallel one another, the timeline of when different plots unravelled, and even the cliffhangers which I usually despise, were all so well executed. The book has so many intersectional themes that would resonate with each reader differently in a way that perfectly captures its universality in spite of its particularity. For me, I loved the themes of bifurcated identities, national transformation, migration and feminism. Moving onto my favorite parts of the book, I loved the sections on Poona, the mental image coming to mind so easily as I imagined my mother's mystical treasured home in Tanzania. I also loved how every historical event [the Iraq invasion, 9/11 and the 2013 penal code on blasphemy in Kuwait] came to life through the author's entanglement of at least one character in them. Overall, this was a brilliantly executed piece of intergenerational, cross-cultural, intersectional historical fiction. For either of those elements to be achieved in isolation is challenging, so their gentle interspersion and seamless interaction renders this book a beautiful art piece to be applauded, in my humble opinion.
June 26, 2025
This month I read AN UNLASTING HOME by Mai Al-Nakib. I believe it has been sitting on my shelf since 2022. The description of this family saga appealed to me immediately:
“𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 1920𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘈𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘒𝘶𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭-𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘳𝘢𝘲𝘪 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘢.”
The first half of this novel was a major struggle for me, unfortunately. It flipped between three different timelines, POVs, and settings—which is generally not an issue for me—it’s just that each POV had SO many side characters introduced right off the bat, and it was difficult to keep track of everyone. Thankfully, I kept at it and eventually everything came full circle for me around the halfway point, and it was obvious how the women were all connected. Details clicked and the roles of all of the characters became clear.
I was quickly immersed in the history and politics of Kuwait, then pulled in and eventually hooked by the strong themes of motherhood, marriage, religion, culture, and belonging. Family is the heartbeat of this story, and the author does a phenomenal job of blending family dynamics with historical events in order to tell the family’s tale.
So, because of the rocky start and my frustration with the immediate influx of characters, I have to knock my overall rating down a few pegs. I believe that 3.5/5 stars is fair for AN UNLASTING HOME.
“𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 1920𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘈𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘒𝘶𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭-𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘳𝘢𝘲𝘪 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘢.”
The first half of this novel was a major struggle for me, unfortunately. It flipped between three different timelines, POVs, and settings—which is generally not an issue for me—it’s just that each POV had SO many side characters introduced right off the bat, and it was difficult to keep track of everyone. Thankfully, I kept at it and eventually everything came full circle for me around the halfway point, and it was obvious how the women were all connected. Details clicked and the roles of all of the characters became clear.
I was quickly immersed in the history and politics of Kuwait, then pulled in and eventually hooked by the strong themes of motherhood, marriage, religion, culture, and belonging. Family is the heartbeat of this story, and the author does a phenomenal job of blending family dynamics with historical events in order to tell the family’s tale.
So, because of the rocky start and my frustration with the immediate influx of characters, I have to knock my overall rating down a few pegs. I believe that 3.5/5 stars is fair for AN UNLASTING HOME.
January 3, 2025
2013, Sara is a philosophy professor at Kuwait University who has returned from Berkeley after her mother's sudden death. When she is accused of blasphemy, she must reconcile her feelings with the people and her country.
Told from multiple POVs - Sara and her grandmothers - from Kuwait to India to America, the story is about three generations of Arab women who defy gender roles. The characters are fearless and independent, while vulnerable - one follows them navigate through challenges of womanhood, religion, belonging and social obligations; and amidst sacrifices and broken family, they find in each other strength and solace. Al-Nakib invites one to ruminate on our homeland and questions (more validates) the cost of freedom and dreams.
With immersive prose, the story is anchored by pockets of sorrow, a sense of urgency and despair in the pages that feels palpable and makes one sympathize with the characters. The author takes her time to tie up the loose ends and while this is my favorite type of resolution, I found the process quite lengthy. In short, AN UNLASTING HOME is a beautiful multigenerational family saga, the kind of Kuwaiti story that everyone needs to read.
ps: this title pairs well with THE ARSONISTS’ CITY by Hala Alyan
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Mariner books . All opinions are my own ]
Told from multiple POVs - Sara and her grandmothers - from Kuwait to India to America, the story is about three generations of Arab women who defy gender roles. The characters are fearless and independent, while vulnerable - one follows them navigate through challenges of womanhood, religion, belonging and social obligations; and amidst sacrifices and broken family, they find in each other strength and solace. Al-Nakib invites one to ruminate on our homeland and questions (more validates) the cost of freedom and dreams.
With immersive prose, the story is anchored by pockets of sorrow, a sense of urgency and despair in the pages that feels palpable and makes one sympathize with the characters. The author takes her time to tie up the loose ends and while this is my favorite type of resolution, I found the process quite lengthy. In short, AN UNLASTING HOME is a beautiful multigenerational family saga, the kind of Kuwaiti story that everyone needs to read.
ps: this title pairs well with THE ARSONISTS’ CITY by Hala Alyan
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Mariner books . All opinions are my own ]
March 5, 2024
Sara is a professor of philosophy in Kuwait who has been charged with blasphemy. While Kuwait has recently proposed a law criminalizing blasphemy, it never passed into actual law, but the author is imagining a world in which it did and blasphemy is now a capital offense. Sara’s story is interwoven with that of her grandmothers - a Lebanese woman who ends up trapped in a marriage to a man who takes a second wife, and a woman who travels to and lived for a long period in India with her husband - her mother, who sacrificed her own ambitions in submission to her husband, and her nanny, a poor Indian woman who travels to Kuwait, leaving her children behind in a bid to get them out of poverty.
There are a lot of characters in this novel and at first the constant shifts in perspective and time make it rather confusing and difficult to engage with. But I stuck with it and am glad I did: I learned a lot about the intertwining of lives of Arabs from different countries and their connection to India. The author does a good job of showing the limitations faced by women in highly patriarchal societies and how poverty can disrupt family life. The patient reader will be rewarded.
There are a lot of characters in this novel and at first the constant shifts in perspective and time make it rather confusing and difficult to engage with. But I stuck with it and am glad I did: I learned a lot about the intertwining of lives of Arabs from different countries and their connection to India. The author does a good job of showing the limitations faced by women in highly patriarchal societies and how poverty can disrupt family life. The patient reader will be rewarded.
April 30, 2022
Multigenerational and set across continents, this is a story of Arab women and their choices.
Sara, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kuwait, is arrested on the charge of blasphemy when a student records her lecture quoting Nietzsche's “god is dead.” It makes Sara question why she came back to this place after she and her family lived in the United States for many years. The Kuwait of her childhood is gone.
The chapters shift from Sara to her grandmothers’ and her mother’s stories. We also hear from Maria, the woman who would sacrifice so much to raise Sara and her brother. There is a lot to wrestle with in each woman’s life - family dynamics, political turmoil, cultural customs, religion, and more. Each woman has moved from their home, some forced and some by choice, but all yearned to belong.
It surprised me that this penetrating story was a debut! I’ll be watching for what Mai Al-Nakib writes next.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for this gifted copy.
Sara, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kuwait, is arrested on the charge of blasphemy when a student records her lecture quoting Nietzsche's “god is dead.” It makes Sara question why she came back to this place after she and her family lived in the United States for many years. The Kuwait of her childhood is gone.
The chapters shift from Sara to her grandmothers’ and her mother’s stories. We also hear from Maria, the woman who would sacrifice so much to raise Sara and her brother. There is a lot to wrestle with in each woman’s life - family dynamics, political turmoil, cultural customs, religion, and more. Each woman has moved from their home, some forced and some by choice, but all yearned to belong.
It surprised me that this penetrating story was a debut! I’ll be watching for what Mai Al-Nakib writes next.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for this gifted copy.
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