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The Private Apartments
Moving, insightful, linked stories about the determination of Somali immigrants — despite duty, discrimination, and an ever-dissolving link to a war-torn homeland.
In the insular rooms of The Private Apartments, a cleaning lady marries her employer’s nephew and then abandons him. A woman accepts an opulent gold bangle from one man yet weds another. A depressed young mother finds unlikely support in her community housing complex. A new bride attends weddings to escape her abusive marriage. A failed nurse is sent to relatives in Dubai after a nervous breakdown.
Beginning in 1991, the year the Somali Civil War started, these eight articulate stories dwell in the domestic sphere — marriages, friendships, families — in high-rises and low-income neighbourhoods from Rome to Toronto. Resilient, resolved women do what it takes to thrive in new cities, while feeling estranged from a conflict-ridden homeland and grappling with the privilege of having the resources to facilitate such an escape. Recurring characters are delicate threads that eloquently showcase the intricate linkages of human experience and the ways in which Somalis, even as a diaspora, are indelibly connected.
In the insular rooms of The Private Apartments, a cleaning lady marries her employer’s nephew and then abandons him. A woman accepts an opulent gold bangle from one man yet weds another. A depressed young mother finds unlikely support in her community housing complex. A new bride attends weddings to escape her abusive marriage. A failed nurse is sent to relatives in Dubai after a nervous breakdown.
Beginning in 1991, the year the Somali Civil War started, these eight articulate stories dwell in the domestic sphere — marriages, friendships, families — in high-rises and low-income neighbourhoods from Rome to Toronto. Resilient, resolved women do what it takes to thrive in new cities, while feeling estranged from a conflict-ridden homeland and grappling with the privilege of having the resources to facilitate such an escape. Recurring characters are delicate threads that eloquently showcase the intricate linkages of human experience and the ways in which Somalis, even as a diaspora, are indelibly connected.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2023
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285 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 25, 2023
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley.
Trigger warning: Physical abuse and sometimes verbal abuse.
This was very very good. Omar tells us intertwining stories about Somali refugees living in a variety of apartments over the years in places like London, Rome, and Toronto. Some of the stories are linked to each other and some are not. I do have to say the last story's ending got into the fantasy realm (which I liked). The other stories were very rooted in the here and now for the characters. I would usually give you a star rating on each story, but all of them were honestly five stars. I will just break down each story and how it links to prior characters. The book starts off in 1991, the year the Somali Civil War began.
Rome 1991-This story follows an Italian young man named Raffel. He feels harassed by his aunt to visit her though she's done a lot for him. While there he meets his aunt's newest housekeeper, Ladan. Ladan is a Somali refugee that is dealing with living in Italy and having her brother take all of her money. She feels very sturdy as a character. You can feel why Raffel finds himself growing attracted to her. Of course there are some issues, foremost is the color of her skin.
London 1998-We follow a woman named Warda who we find out is hiding a secret from her husband (Daud) and others. Once upon a time, a man, not her husband, gave her gold. This story fascinated me a lot. Warda just wants a little something for herself, but realizes the repercussions of what she did and did not say to a man named Yusuf and how he just won't go away the way she needs him to.
Welland 2000-We follow a woman named Jija Hussein who is living with four other Somali families in a a co-op. Her cousin Mulki helped her find the place, but the two other women she meets, Sofia and Zainab are who brings her back to herself in a way that she hasn't felt in a long time. I felt sad reading this one because it seems all of the women in this story are trapped either by circumstance or men into a life they really don't know how to get out of. In this story, a married couple named Yasmin and Samir are discussed, they come up in another story.
Toronto 2005-We follow Samir and Yasmin in this story who came up in the other story. The married couple seem to be at odds and Samir doesn't know what to do in order to not only keep Yasmin, but "put her in her place." He finds himself trying to control her via not allowing her money or providing her rides to the many weddings that she wants to go to. The ending of this story leaves a lot unsaid, but you can guess what happens next. Heck, even Samir seems to have seen this coming which may account for his anger and resentment. The two of them have a young son named Bilal who will come into play in another story.
Amsterdam 2008-We follow a young girl and her mother (who she refers to as Hooya) and her brother named Faisal. We quickly find out that the characters are linked back to the first story taking place in Rome in 1991. I liked this one where we find out what happened to Ladan. I wish we got more details about her. The story told through her daughter's eyes leaves so many questions. I was curious why Ladan got hyper focused on taking care of an older Somali refugee named Rashid Barre.
Toronto 2011-We follow Amira who despite the opportunity to marry, turns it down to be "something more." Working at an attorney's office gave her a feeling of self-satisfaction, but she moves on later to another attorney named Brock who seems to be hiding a lot. I loved this story, and loved how Amira is wondering more and more about her ex who she starts to think reminds her of Brock. But it quickly becomes apparent, everything is not what it seems with Amira's ex or Brock.
Dubai 2016-A woman of 27, named Rabiya, is foisted on her aunt and her family in Dubai. We don't know what went on, but we slowly realize the incident that caused her to be sent away. Very interesting story and I liked how everything unspools.
Toronto 2020-We follow a young woman named Jihan who goes to the hospital with a pain in her stomach. While there she runs into a boy from her neighborhood (Bilal) who she could have sworn was murdered. The story goes back and forth about the incident, the funeral, and Jihan who can't stay away from the hospital where Bilal seems to be hiding from something.
Trigger warning: Physical abuse and sometimes verbal abuse.
This was very very good. Omar tells us intertwining stories about Somali refugees living in a variety of apartments over the years in places like London, Rome, and Toronto. Some of the stories are linked to each other and some are not. I do have to say the last story's ending got into the fantasy realm (which I liked). The other stories were very rooted in the here and now for the characters. I would usually give you a star rating on each story, but all of them were honestly five stars. I will just break down each story and how it links to prior characters. The book starts off in 1991, the year the Somali Civil War began.
Rome 1991-This story follows an Italian young man named Raffel. He feels harassed by his aunt to visit her though she's done a lot for him. While there he meets his aunt's newest housekeeper, Ladan. Ladan is a Somali refugee that is dealing with living in Italy and having her brother take all of her money. She feels very sturdy as a character. You can feel why Raffel finds himself growing attracted to her. Of course there are some issues, foremost is the color of her skin.
London 1998-We follow a woman named Warda who we find out is hiding a secret from her husband (Daud) and others. Once upon a time, a man, not her husband, gave her gold. This story fascinated me a lot. Warda just wants a little something for herself, but realizes the repercussions of what she did and did not say to a man named Yusuf and how he just won't go away the way she needs him to.
Welland 2000-We follow a woman named Jija Hussein who is living with four other Somali families in a a co-op. Her cousin Mulki helped her find the place, but the two other women she meets, Sofia and Zainab are who brings her back to herself in a way that she hasn't felt in a long time. I felt sad reading this one because it seems all of the women in this story are trapped either by circumstance or men into a life they really don't know how to get out of. In this story, a married couple named Yasmin and Samir are discussed, they come up in another story.
Toronto 2005-We follow Samir and Yasmin in this story who came up in the other story. The married couple seem to be at odds and Samir doesn't know what to do in order to not only keep Yasmin, but "put her in her place." He finds himself trying to control her via not allowing her money or providing her rides to the many weddings that she wants to go to. The ending of this story leaves a lot unsaid, but you can guess what happens next. Heck, even Samir seems to have seen this coming which may account for his anger and resentment. The two of them have a young son named Bilal who will come into play in another story.
Amsterdam 2008-We follow a young girl and her mother (who she refers to as Hooya) and her brother named Faisal. We quickly find out that the characters are linked back to the first story taking place in Rome in 1991. I liked this one where we find out what happened to Ladan. I wish we got more details about her. The story told through her daughter's eyes leaves so many questions. I was curious why Ladan got hyper focused on taking care of an older Somali refugee named Rashid Barre.
Toronto 2011-We follow Amira who despite the opportunity to marry, turns it down to be "something more." Working at an attorney's office gave her a feeling of self-satisfaction, but she moves on later to another attorney named Brock who seems to be hiding a lot. I loved this story, and loved how Amira is wondering more and more about her ex who she starts to think reminds her of Brock. But it quickly becomes apparent, everything is not what it seems with Amira's ex or Brock.
Dubai 2016-A woman of 27, named Rabiya, is foisted on her aunt and her family in Dubai. We don't know what went on, but we slowly realize the incident that caused her to be sent away. Very interesting story and I liked how everything unspools.
Toronto 2020-We follow a young woman named Jihan who goes to the hospital with a pain in her stomach. While there she runs into a boy from her neighborhood (Bilal) who she could have sworn was murdered. The story goes back and forth about the incident, the funeral, and Jihan who can't stay away from the hospital where Bilal seems to be hiding from something.
February 5, 2025
Somali rep is rare to find in traditional publishing, so I was excited to pick up this short story collection by Idman Nur Omar.
The 8 stories in this book feature snapshots of Somali lives across the world, with some of them overlapping.
From women who find themselves in countries that should have given them something better than what they left behind, single mothers and sorrowful daughters and angry wives and young women with complicated backstories - the author taps into themes of family, community, diaspora, and more.
As always with short story collections, there are some stories that resonate with me more than others, and some which make me stare blankly. I am happy to report that the writing was good, there was obviously an editor involved, and I did not regret reading this book!
The 8 stories in this book feature snapshots of Somali lives across the world, with some of them overlapping.
From women who find themselves in countries that should have given them something better than what they left behind, single mothers and sorrowful daughters and angry wives and young women with complicated backstories - the author taps into themes of family, community, diaspora, and more.
As always with short story collections, there are some stories that resonate with me more than others, and some which make me stare blankly. I am happy to report that the writing was good, there was obviously an editor involved, and I did not regret reading this book!
December 25, 2023
I loved this collection of stories and resonated with so much of it. I could see myself standing in most of the settings and this is partly due to my being a Somali in the North American diaspora and partly due to the authors deft ability to craft words into imagery.
It was super cool how the some of the stories were linked to each other and the oh! moment when you realized this was a previously mentioned character was always so satisfying.
I appreciate the author’s distinct yet clear voice. Each of her characters was unique with their own ambitions, background, tone and values. She manages to carve all of this out in such a short space, with some of the stories even having dual timelines.
Every moment of this collection was enjoyable and my personal favorite story was Dubai, 2016 which is a nod to Omar’s craft because the main character of this entry couldn’t have been more different than myself.
The Private Apartments has definitely made it to my favorite books list and I cannot wait to read more of Idman Nur Omar’s work!!
It was super cool how the some of the stories were linked to each other and the oh! moment when you realized this was a previously mentioned character was always so satisfying.
I appreciate the author’s distinct yet clear voice. Each of her characters was unique with their own ambitions, background, tone and values. She manages to carve all of this out in such a short space, with some of the stories even having dual timelines.
Every moment of this collection was enjoyable and my personal favorite story was Dubai, 2016 which is a nod to Omar’s craft because the main character of this entry couldn’t have been more different than myself.
The Private Apartments has definitely made it to my favorite books list and I cannot wait to read more of Idman Nur Omar’s work!!
July 8, 2023
This collection of stories is exceptional. What a joy to read and so fascinating. The author consistently writes with tremendous confidence and a great deal of understanding about the subjects of her stories. This is the strongest collection of short stories I have read in a long time. There is so much frustration and regret in these stories but I never felt the author was leading me on or that she lost her great amount of sympathy for her characters. Her writing technique,subtle,suggestive reminded me of the greatest short story writers of all time. This book will be appreciated and celebrated for a long time. I have already told all of my reading friends that they must read this book. There is so much wisdom and compassion in the book. I feel very strongly that this book will be long-listed for the Giller prize this fall. I feel like I could read all of the stories a second time because they brought me to such evocative places. This collection will land on Canada reads one day because it is a brilliant introduction to a community we don’t know enough about. I can’t wait to see what will come next from this author. I am sure she has even greater works to write ahead of her. Magnificent-the type of writing that makes me want to never stop writing.
Truly a great gift to the reader.
Truly a great gift to the reader.
February 22, 2024
I rather liked this! Read it for a book club that I can longer attend, sadly, as I probably wouldn't have come across it otherwise and would be keen to discuss it. Short, compelling stories that are interconnected somewhat subtly and are both Canadian and international in scope/setting/focus. Definitely laced with sadness but not as much of a downer as my friend who read the book jacket at the library with me had projected.
May 2, 2023
3.5 rounded up
The Private Apartments follows a diverse array of Somali immigrants, and children of immigrants, living in different parts of the world. The eight stories take place between 1991 and 2020, during which time the Somali Civil War has been ongoing. Some characters were refugees; others left Somalia before the war fully broke out. Some moved to Europe, others to North America. Moving forward chronologically, readers get a look at how similar yet different these Somali immigrants’ experiences are. These are simple slices of life, yet they make for a nice tapestry of the characters’ day-to-day emotions and situations.
One of the strongest recurring themes across The Private Apartments is the depiction of mental health. In Welland, Ontario in 2000, we meet a mother who is depressed and experiences suicidal ideation. Later, in 2016, a young woman has had a mental breakdown (something her family thinks may have been a possession by a djinn); she visits family in Dubai during her recovery.
This relates to another thread running through these stories: Most of them highlight women who are self-reliant and are stronger when they can support each other. Several men here are shown in a negative light (cheaters, deadbeats, liars, and so on), though not all. However, even the “good” men seem to benefit from the strength of the women around them. Consider the elderly man in Amsterdam in 2008: He’s much better off after a mother and daughter take it upon themselves to help him out around his home. Even so, many characters (women included!) are morally gray or even just unlikeable. I usually preferred the stories with kinder or more relatable characters.
Some characters reemerge between stories, or their children may show up in a later story, but it’s done in a fairly loose way. You’ll have to pay close attention to see how these stories connect with the others! The only character who features prominently in two stories is Ladan. She stars in Rome, 1991 as the new immigrant and love interest for Raffael. Then in Amsterdam, 2008, she is a single mother to two kids, and her latest project is helping the elderly Somali refugee who’s all alone.
Among the eight stories offered here, my four favorites were Rome, 1991; Amsterdam, 2008; Toronto, 2011; and Dubai, 2016. Each was engaging, and I enjoyed the characters as well as their story arcs.
The Private Apartments is an interesting if somewhat distant look at ordinary people living their complicated lives. As different as they all are, they share their heritage and culture, whether living in Canada or Italy or the United Arab Emirates. It’s a thoughtful collection, and I look forward to reading more from Idman Nur Omar.
Special thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
The Private Apartments follows a diverse array of Somali immigrants, and children of immigrants, living in different parts of the world. The eight stories take place between 1991 and 2020, during which time the Somali Civil War has been ongoing. Some characters were refugees; others left Somalia before the war fully broke out. Some moved to Europe, others to North America. Moving forward chronologically, readers get a look at how similar yet different these Somali immigrants’ experiences are. These are simple slices of life, yet they make for a nice tapestry of the characters’ day-to-day emotions and situations.
One of the strongest recurring themes across The Private Apartments is the depiction of mental health. In Welland, Ontario in 2000, we meet a mother who is depressed and experiences suicidal ideation. Later, in 2016, a young woman has had a mental breakdown (something her family thinks may have been a possession by a djinn); she visits family in Dubai during her recovery.
This relates to another thread running through these stories: Most of them highlight women who are self-reliant and are stronger when they can support each other. Several men here are shown in a negative light (cheaters, deadbeats, liars, and so on), though not all. However, even the “good” men seem to benefit from the strength of the women around them. Consider the elderly man in Amsterdam in 2008: He’s much better off after a mother and daughter take it upon themselves to help him out around his home. Even so, many characters (women included!) are morally gray or even just unlikeable. I usually preferred the stories with kinder or more relatable characters.
Some characters reemerge between stories, or their children may show up in a later story, but it’s done in a fairly loose way. You’ll have to pay close attention to see how these stories connect with the others! The only character who features prominently in two stories is Ladan. She stars in Rome, 1991 as the new immigrant and love interest for Raffael. Then in Amsterdam, 2008, she is a single mother to two kids, and her latest project is helping the elderly Somali refugee who’s all alone.
Among the eight stories offered here, my four favorites were Rome, 1991; Amsterdam, 2008; Toronto, 2011; and Dubai, 2016. Each was engaging, and I enjoyed the characters as well as their story arcs.
The Private Apartments is an interesting if somewhat distant look at ordinary people living their complicated lives. As different as they all are, they share their heritage and culture, whether living in Canada or Italy or the United Arab Emirates. It’s a thoughtful collection, and I look forward to reading more from Idman Nur Omar.
Special thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
August 4, 2023
Thank you to House of Anansi Press & NetGalley for the advanced copy of this one! I received a physical advanced copy quite some time ago when I was doing the Anansi subscription (which is so worth the money if you're interested at all!!!) I read it but completely forgot to come back and update my review. I promise I'll get better at reviewing someday!
Anyways! I have to start by saying: I have never read a short story collection so beautifully interconnected. I feel like I should have written down some sort of chart to remember the connections between different individuals; every time I realized a connection, I had a little moment of "oh, wait!" The only small thing for me is that my memory isn't the best, so since I didn't read the book in one sitting I forgot some of these connections.
To be transparent, I have never read a work before that centered on the experience of Somali individuals. I hadn't thought of it, but I learned from the reading experience simply from all of the new things I was reading about (and all the terms I ended up looking up). It makes you consider the importance of storytelling and reading outside of what you are used to, which seems obvious in theory but is so much more powerful in action.
If you love short stories, try this collection. Whether you connect the connections for yourself or not it is so worth the read.
Anyways! I have to start by saying: I have never read a short story collection so beautifully interconnected. I feel like I should have written down some sort of chart to remember the connections between different individuals; every time I realized a connection, I had a little moment of "oh, wait!" The only small thing for me is that my memory isn't the best, so since I didn't read the book in one sitting I forgot some of these connections.
To be transparent, I have never read a work before that centered on the experience of Somali individuals. I hadn't thought of it, but I learned from the reading experience simply from all of the new things I was reading about (and all the terms I ended up looking up). It makes you consider the importance of storytelling and reading outside of what you are used to, which seems obvious in theory but is so much more powerful in action.
If you love short stories, try this collection. Whether you connect the connections for yourself or not it is so worth the read.
March 7, 2023
United States Publication: May 2, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Astoria for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
Following several Somalis between 1991 and 2020 and crisscrossing the world this collection of stories attempts to show the interconnections between not just humans but cultures. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. The characters and storylines felt very undeveloped and unfinished. And I didn't feel the stories had any real purpose or message, if there were then the messages were too subtle, too vague, too shrouded to convey whatever Omar wanted to. The majority of the characters were largely unlikeable in my opinion. According to other reviews, I'm an outlier in my thoughts about this collection. I'm glad for Omar and her efforts that others liked this collection, it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astoria for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
Following several Somalis between 1991 and 2020 and crisscrossing the world this collection of stories attempts to show the interconnections between not just humans but cultures. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. The characters and storylines felt very undeveloped and unfinished. And I didn't feel the stories had any real purpose or message, if there were then the messages were too subtle, too vague, too shrouded to convey whatever Omar wanted to. The majority of the characters were largely unlikeable in my opinion. According to other reviews, I'm an outlier in my thoughts about this collection. I'm glad for Omar and her efforts that others liked this collection, it just wasn't for me.
December 20, 2022
First to rate and review this one. Even had toast for the listing to be created, which is something the publisher or the author should really take care of themselves. Anyway...
I’m interested in immigrant experience stories, and I realized I don’t think I’ve ever read a Somalian (well, Rome-born Canadian but still…) author, so I figured I’d check this book out.
It’s a collection of slightly interconnected short stories that span about three decades and showcases lives of various Somalian immigrants living in various countries, though always (true to title) in apartments.
The narrative style is plain but effective, the stories themselves though are seldom more that slices of life, occasionally unfinished, and often speak more to the state of things than the states of mind. Not as much inner life reflections as a title with the word Private in it might lead one to expect. As such the collection isn’t especially emotionally engaging, though that’s the sort of thing that usually varies from reader to reader. Though they were a few stories toward the end that were stronger than others. Overall, a decent though not especially memorable, and it did read very quickly. Thanks Netgalley.
I’m interested in immigrant experience stories, and I realized I don’t think I’ve ever read a Somalian (well, Rome-born Canadian but still…) author, so I figured I’d check this book out.
It’s a collection of slightly interconnected short stories that span about three decades and showcases lives of various Somalian immigrants living in various countries, though always (true to title) in apartments.
The narrative style is plain but effective, the stories themselves though are seldom more that slices of life, occasionally unfinished, and often speak more to the state of things than the states of mind. Not as much inner life reflections as a title with the word Private in it might lead one to expect. As such the collection isn’t especially emotionally engaging, though that’s the sort of thing that usually varies from reader to reader. Though they were a few stories toward the end that were stronger than others. Overall, a decent though not especially memorable, and it did read very quickly. Thanks Netgalley.
February 10, 2023
This short story collection was so unique and interesting! Though each of the eight stories was set in a different year and location, they were all connected in some way.
Each section has a narrator voice unique to specific story being told. I felt the author did a great job of choosing when to use first person and when to use third person. I noticed this especially in the story of Jija, Sofia, and Zainab. Though that section was focused on Jija, the more important story there was the community and the friendship of the three women, and third person was so effective in impressing that on the reader.
I particularly loved the way the last section ended. Ending an essay collection of immigrant stories steeped in longing for returning to Somalia has such emotional impact.
I did have a difficult time picking up on the relationships between stories, as they are all loosely connected but not tightly intertwined. Still liked the book though; would recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Each section has a narrator voice unique to specific story being told. I felt the author did a great job of choosing when to use first person and when to use third person. I noticed this especially in the story of Jija, Sofia, and Zainab. Though that section was focused on Jija, the more important story there was the community and the friendship of the three women, and third person was so effective in impressing that on the reader.
I particularly loved the way the last section ended. Ending an essay collection of immigrant stories steeped in longing for returning to Somalia has such emotional impact.
I did have a difficult time picking up on the relationships between stories, as they are all loosely connected but not tightly intertwined. Still liked the book though; would recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
May 18, 2023
4.5
Clean, sparse, deceptively simple prose. The last three stories were solid 5s. I liked how the collection linked together (slice-of-life vignettes were presented in the lives of interconnected characters in different eras and settings - nicely done).
However, there was an "energy" or "electricity" lacking in the first few stories - they were a bit too slow/restrained ? for me. Can't quite put my finger on it.
However, I really enjoyed the first story and the last three stories (Rome 1991, Toronto 2011, Dubai 2016 and Toronto 2020) and these are well worth anyone's time - they had that special something-something that made the characters come alive and dance on the page.
Also noting that it was refreshing to read "quotidian" stories of "ordinary" diaspora immigrants - no-one had to be a professional, rich or a "success" to be relatable and/or worthy of representation.
Clean, sparse, deceptively simple prose. The last three stories were solid 5s. I liked how the collection linked together (slice-of-life vignettes were presented in the lives of interconnected characters in different eras and settings - nicely done).
However, there was an "energy" or "electricity" lacking in the first few stories - they were a bit too slow/restrained ? for me. Can't quite put my finger on it.
However, I really enjoyed the first story and the last three stories (Rome 1991, Toronto 2011, Dubai 2016 and Toronto 2020) and these are well worth anyone's time - they had that special something-something that made the characters come alive and dance on the page.
Also noting that it was refreshing to read "quotidian" stories of "ordinary" diaspora immigrants - no-one had to be a professional, rich or a "success" to be relatable and/or worthy of representation.
May 4, 2023
This is a fine collection of slice-of-life short stories about Somali refugees in Europe and Canada. Life is insular - there are practically no characters who are non-Somali - and thus somewhat confined. Most of the main characters are woman struggling to find an identity somewhere between traditional Somali/Muslim society (mostly represented by the men around them) and a western society allowing a larger range of choices. All seem to suffer a degree of alienation and a sort of emotional flatness; this comes to a surprising climax in the final story through a 12 year old girl.
Recommended reading for real insight into a group of people who are usually invisible in our literature.
Recommended reading for real insight into a group of people who are usually invisible in our literature.
May 10, 2023
The writing is good, and I can see potential in this author. These are eight stories about Somali refugees/immigrants. Mostly they are fun, interesting stories. The last one was a complete change of tone from the rest of the book – about a drug dealer and gang violence. Not a good note to end on. To call this a novel is a stretch – even to say that the stories are interconnected is a stretch. There are a few recurring minor characters, but there are so many characters, and many names are so similar, that it was confusing trying to find the connecting threads. The stories are very loosely connected.
I received a DRC via NetGalley
I received a DRC via NetGalley
May 24, 2023
I was riveted by these stories, which reminded me a bit of David Bezmozgis' first story collection, *Natasha and Other Stories*. Like Bezmozgis' book, Nur Omar's sentences are precise and straightforward, and the sensibility is curious and compassionate. Her stories encompass a broad range of characters in a small space. For readers complaining that there's no message or that the ending is a downer, I'd respond that these stories feel Chekhovian to me. If you dig Chekhov, you'll dig these stories.
January 19, 2023
Rating: 3.5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really fast read and I think some stories were maybe too short for me to get invested. However there were definitely some I really enjoyed reading! I’m not usually one for pieces like these but the writing was overall engaging which I appreciated.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really fast read and I think some stories were maybe too short for me to get invested. However there were definitely some I really enjoyed reading! I’m not usually one for pieces like these but the writing was overall engaging which I appreciated.
December 30, 2022
The premise of this book was very interesting to me, and I liked how it was divided into short stories. Some, more than others, caught my attention. I did like the writing style and got caught up in the relationships jn the stories.
August 13, 2023
A really interesting series of stories. The plight of Somali refugees is highlighted in individual stories. They are all somehow connected which is a true understanding of what happens when one is forced to leave home and disperse throughout the world. Beautiful
November 4, 2023
The short stories in The Private Apartments are about people of Somali background living in Toronto, Rome, Amsterdam, London, and Dubai. Unfortunately, all of the stories felt incomplete, so two stars for me.
April 27, 2023
Interconnected stories about Somali immigrants.
May 10, 2023
Really well written interesting collection of stories.An intimate look at the lives of Somali immigrants in different locations. their private moments.#netgalley #house of anasi
June 19, 2023
I did not finish this book of short stories. It just didn't hold my interest.
August 27, 2023
One of my favourite books of this year.
December 18, 2023
The author has written an interesting collection of stories; they provide insights in the lives of various newcomers and delve into their challenges. The stories take place from Rome in 1991, London in 1998, Welland in 2000, Toronto in 2005 . . . and finally Toronto in 2020.
January 18, 2024
3.5 stars
A good read but as with most short story collections some of the weaker chapters seemed to weigh it down.
A good read but as with most short story collections some of the weaker chapters seemed to weigh it down.
February 26, 2024
A great, quick read, that would be great for showcasing diaspora stories for students.
April 9, 2024
This book took me completely by surprise.
November 29, 2025
Incredible book of 8 short stories. Idman Nur Omar writes beautiful characters that I connected with almost instantly. The end of each story left me wanting to read more.
December 31, 2025
Only a few books have touched me, and this was one of them
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