About the Book

A Place For Us

A Place for Us

Author: Fatima Farheen Mirza
Pages: 385
ISBN: 1524763551
Genre: Contemporary, Cultural, Literary Fiction
Publisher: SJP for Hogarth
Released: June 12, 2018

Rating:

Goodreads

Synopsis

A Place for Us unfolds the lives of an Indian-American Muslim family, gathered together in their Californian hometown to celebrate the eldest daughter, Hadia's, wedding - a match of love rather than tradition. It is here, on this momentous day, that Amar, the youngest of the siblings, reunites with his family for the first time in three years. Rafiq and Layla must now contend with the choices and betrayals that lead to their son's estrangement - the reckoning of parents who strove to pass on their cultures and traditions to their children; and of children who in turn struggle to balance authenticity in themselves with loyalty to the home they came from.
In a narrative that spans decades and sees family life through the eyes of each member, A Place For Us charts the crucial moments in the family's past, from the bonds that bring them together to the differences that pull them apart. And as siblings Hadia, Huda, and Amar attempt to carve out a life for themselves, they must reconcile their present culture with their parent's faith, to tread a path between the old world and the new, and learn how the smallest decisions can lead to the deepest of betrayals.

A deeply affecting and resonant story, A Place for Us is truly a book for our times: a moving portrait of what it means to be an American family today, a novel of love, identity and belonging that eloquently examines what it means to be both American and Muslim -- and announces Fatima Farheen Mirza as a major new literary talent.


Buy the Book


Our Review


This is a beautifully written, character driven story about a Muslim Indian-American family dealing with personal struggles and family tensions.

Acceptance, rejection, heartache, forgiveness, and love are just a few things explored in this story. Although their family challenges are not exactly unique, the author does a fantastic job portraying the rawness behind it.  I even cried at the very end!

The pace is pretty slow though and longer than it needed to be. It started to drag about halfway through the book before grabbing my interest again.

I believe the story itself warrants 4 stars but the pacing and length overall drops it down to a 3 star average for me.