Status Updates From Alligator and Other Stories

This last story may have been my favorite in the entire collection thus far. Alzayat is crazy good at writing characters. I would gladly read an entire novel set in that call center.

Alligator was quite the achievement. I appreciate that Alzayat has so much to say about the immigrant experience in America and racism. The cycles of it, the patterns over the years. I'll be thinking about this book for a while.

Only those who struggle succeed was a rough read because it rang very familiar. When people discuss the minority experience in the workplace: this is what they're talking about. Let it all burn down.

Disappearance was a hell of a story. I'm not sure what it was trying to tell me though.

Story2: Daughters of Manat, who I've just learnt was a pre-Islamic goddess of fate. This entry is vignettes about Zaynab the aunt, the protagonist, and her grandmother at various milestones in their lives. A lot is centered on despair at their lot and relationships with men. On her grandmother: "She knew how to measure the value of her life and still rise."

Ghusl - a ceremonial bathing in Islam - was first. This was a really beautiful story. As we move through the methodical cleansing of the body, his sister considers her brother in life.
Confidently written, some interesting interjections of white-space poetry. A good start.