Originally, I wanted this week’s recs to feature books by Arab authors in honor of Arab Heritage Month. But since I only found out about the occasion late in April, I didn’t have time to find and read as many books as I would’ve liked—which was really disappointing. I don’t recommend books I haven’t personally read, and I only finished one book by an Arab Author, so I had to pivot. Fortunately, the one book I did finish was a coming-of-age novel by a Sudanese author. And since coming-of-age is a genre I love and have plenty of recs for, that’ll be this week’s theme. It’s not quite the list I had planned, but I hope y’all enjoy it all the same.
(In no particular order)
- Turtles All The Way Down by John Green: Aza, a teenage girl who struggles with OCD, finds herself in a whirlwind of mystery when a local billionaire suddenly goes missing, setting in a possible $100,000 reward for information on his whereabouts. Aza’s best friend, Daisy, recruits her to try to hunt down information about the rich fugitive and hopefully secure the reward. In their search, Aza becomes quite close with the fugitive’s left-behind son, Davis. As outlandish as the plot may sound, this book manages to be deeply human and relatable—covering mental health, romance, growing up, family turmoil, parental loss, and more. Truly a quintessential coming-of-age novel with a twist.
- Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo: This book, written by a Sudanese author, is the one I originally picked up in hopes of doing a list for Arab Heritage Month. Written in verse and told through the lense of the myth of Persephone, this book is beautifully unique. Samira has lived her whole life surrounded by rumors, rumors that she is a “bad girl”—her mother and aunties, who never give her the benefit of the doubt, keep her under lock and key. Under this intense surveillance, Samira finds herself feeling lonely, controlled, and judged; she turns to poetry, her beloved hobby. On a poetry forum, she meets Horus, an older poet who makes her feel seen. Under Horus’ spell, she finds herself doing things she wouldn’t normally do, just to please him. Samira navigates family, culture, friendship, and an abusive relationship. In the myth, Persephone is an unspoken party—controlled by her mother and coveted by a man—in this book, Persephone gets a voice.
- Lie With Me by Philippe Besson: This is a book told from lenses, the view of the present, and the memory of the past. An acclaimed author is dumbstruck in a hotel lobby when he sees a young man who bears an uncanny, striking resemblance to his first love—a relationship he has never forgotten. We flashback to his high school when two young boys, himself and his classmate Thomas, begin a secret affair. The two boys grow into men—following separate yet parallel paths—but eventually, they each go their own way. This is a book that explores young love, young heartbreak, self-acceptance, and nostalgia—a simple and beautiful novel that reads like a memoir.
I love the coming-of-age genre so I’m still pretty satisfied with this week’s list. I probably won’t have time with the few remaining weeks in the year, but next year I’ll definitely have to set aside a week to recommend books by Arab authors—if not just to make myself read the books that are now on my TBR since my recent search for Arab literature.
