The Allspice Bath by Sonia Saikaley was a really beautiful story about the immigrant experience. Adele, the fourth daughter of a Lebanese family grew up being told that the should have been a boy. Despite family expectations, she wants more than anything to be an artist. She meets a handsome man in her family's homeland in Lebanon, and needs to make some very important decisions that might affect her family forever.
Beautifully written.

The Allspice Bath reads as a linear novel following Adele through her coming of age. While this book had the opportunity to be great, it missed the mark for me in a lot of ways.

I listened to this on audio, and the narrator keeps the tone of the book rather monotonous. Very rarely did I feel emotionally invested, and the conversations between characters felt stilted. Through Adele's lens, although she had many thoughts and opinions, I didn't see side characters as well developed at all. Her father had the most defined character but his was very one sided; his character was that of a concerned and strict father taking leadership of all his families decisions.

Adele's voice was often filled with anger and sorrow, and the character development was long and dragged out throughout the course of the book. There weren't distinct beginning middle or endings to this book. Instead, the tone remained very steady throughout, making it very hard to feel the tension or get otherwise emotionally invested.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book about a Canadian-Lebanese family 5 stars. The main character, Adele, who was born in 1970, is the final child and--unfortunatlely--the fourth daughter born to a traditional Lebanese couple. Although Adele's parents imigrated to Canada, they continue to live and to raise their daughters under the values of their old village. Adele's life journey is about finding her place amid the two worlds.

The author conveyed a picture of what it looked, felt, and even smelled like to grow up in a traditional Lebanese home. I came to understand not only what was expected of a traditional Lebanese woman, but also what it was like for Adele--or any human being--to grow up constantly being belittled just forbeing yourself.

At the beginning of the book, Adele's overly-critical, domineering father Youssef and her submissive, sheltered mother Samira were detestable, and I couldn't understand how she put up with them. As the story progressed and I came to understand the circumstances that shaped Youssef and Samira, I was able to understand how Adele was able not only to forgive them, but also to love them. By the end of the book, I felt hopeful for Adele because I think she found her own way to "be part of and yet separate from her family."

Sonia Saikaley is a gifted writer and I'm looking forward to her next book. I'm recommending this one for my book club.

I listened to the audible book. The narrator did an excellent job distinguishing the voices of the various characters.

This book was very special for me because as an immigrant myself, I don't often feel seen in general, and certainly not in literature. But Sonia Saikaley managed to write a novel which lets me see myself on its pages and actually relate to Adele, the young women who struggles with her own Canadian identity and her immigrant family's Arabic culture and values. And while I don't dome from an Arabic background myself, this book was very special to me emotionally.

Highly recommend.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4/5

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Allspice Bath by Sonia Saikaley opens on the day of Adele’s birth where her mother’s first words to her are “Why aren’t you a boy? You should’ve been a boy.” And so begins Adele’s life as a headstrong, smart female trapped in a family where she is taught to be anything but. The youngest of four daughters, she is constantly at odds with her domineering and verbally abusive father, Youssef.

Not only does Adele’s view of the world differ from her family, a tragic medical diagnosis also forces her life in a different direction. Will she find her own way in the world? Or be stuck to live a life that will never authentically belong to her?

Adele’s rise and many falls throughout The Allspice Bath will have you crying, laughing, cringing and cheering. I definitely recommend!

The Allspice Bath is a poetically written, compelling, and emotional journey that I found absolutely consuming. Saikaley’s eye opening novel sheds much needed light on immigration and hyphenated citizenship so often faced by first generation Canadians. As families transition from one country to another younger generations often find themselves torn between two cultures never truly knowing where they belong.

The Allspice Bath highlights the relationships, customs, and interactions of one Lebanon-Canadian family in such a masterful way you feel as though you to are sitting in the room feeling all the unsaid emotions charging through the air.

I love a book that can take me through a full range of emotions and open my eyes to another walk of life. Although I found one characters transition a bit far fetched I loved the rest of the book so much that I let it slide. Ha ha.

I have absolutely no idea why more people haven’t picked this one up yet?!? If you have yet to read it, what are you waiting for?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨4.5 stars for an eye opening family drama with a 14 A rating for some language and sexual content