Alyan, Hala

Alyan’s audiobook is a solid companion to the print book, but the beauty and impact of her poetry are diminished in the presentation. Better as a listen-along than as a stand-alone.

This is coming-of-age poetry from a voice that resists categorization. It will appeal to a wide range of readers.

This timely historical does for the Palestinians what Khaled Hosseini did for the people of Afghanistan. By placing readers inside the hearts and minds of one Arab family scattered from Paris to Boston to Lebanon, she beautifully illustrates the resilience of the human spirit. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]