Paperback review: Brooklyn Heights, By Miral al-Tahawy (Trs by Samah Selim)
Highs and lows of a New York immigrant
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When Hend’s marriage breaks up, she emigrates to New York with her eight-year-old son. The novel is a lyrical exploration of the immigrant experience, weaving back and forth between Hend’s life in Brooklyn, and her memories of growing up in Cairo in a Bedouin family.
Hend remembers her schooldays, and the Arabic teacher ogling the girls’ developing bodies, and her Christian grandmother, “the Guest”, who had a chest full of gowns she never wore. In New York, she befriends other immigrants, haunts flea markets, drinks beer, tries to learn dancing, and gets a bit-part in a film. This isn’t a plot-driven novel, but one reads for the sense of place, and character, and the rich texture of the prose.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments