Etaf Rum Books

Three generations of Palestinian-American women in Brooklyn navigate the clash between personal desires and the rigid expectations of Arab culture in this poignant tale of love, intrigue, and resilience. In 1990 Palestine, seventeen-year-old Isra prefers books over the suitors chosen by her father. Within a week, she finds herself betrothed and married, soon relocating to Brooklyn. There, she faces the oppressive demands of her mother-in-law, Fareeda, and her new husband, Adam, as pressure mounts with the birth of four daughters instead of the sons Fareeda insists she must bear. Fast forward to 2008, Deya, Isra's eldest daughter, is compelled to meet potential husbands at her grandmother's insistence, despite her desire to attend college. Haunted by the loss of her parents in a car crash when she was eight, Deya wonders if her life would have been different had they survived. Fareeda remains steadfast, believing marriage is the only path to a secure future for Deya. However, fate intervenes, leading Deya to uncover shocking truths about her family that challenge everything she thought she knew. This narrative offers an intimate look into a controlling cultural world while exploring themes of family, silence, and the destructive power of shame.

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Woman Is No Man delivers a powerful exploration of the expectations placed on Palestinian-American women, the quest for a fulfilling life, and the impact of unresolved pasts on the present. Yara, raised in a conservative Palestinian family in Brooklyn, believed marriage to a charming entrepreneur would bring her freedom. She achieves her dreams with a degree in Art and a good job at a local college while fulfilling her role as a traditional wife and mother to two daughters. Despite her seemingly rewarding life, Yara feels unfulfilled. When her dream of chaperoning a student trip to Europe falls through and she reacts to a colleague's racist remark, she faces probation at work and mandatory counseling. Her mother attributes Yara's troubles to a family curse, which unsettles Yara, despite her skepticism about superstitions. As her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, she realizes that the challenges of her childhood have lingering effects that threaten her future and her daughters' well-being. To reclaim her sense of self, Yara must confront the painful realities of her past and their implications for her family's future.