A Country You Can Leave is a story with complex characters managing challenging lives. The main character was a resilient young woman who takes the reader through the story in a way only she could.

There’s so much to say about this story, but put simply it’s a must read. This character driven story is one that will pull at your heartstrings, inform you of all the complexities in life, and show you a world that’s relevant and important.

Each sentence in this story is gorgeous! The writing is highly elevated. I kept reading for the characters and the beautiful language.

This is not a light read. This story handles serious matters, and you’ll feel everything the main character feels because it’s so well written.

A must read!

I listened to the audiobook, which had a fantastic narrator who captured the main character perfectly. I listened at 1.5x speed, which is a bit slower than my standard 1.75x speed. The slower speed was worth it so. I could savor the story and process each sentence.

Thank you Macmillan and NetGalley for this advanced audio copy.

Lara finds herself moving yet again, dragged along by her mother Yevgenia into a trailer park nestled in a West coast desert valley. She makes some unlikely friends at high school, one with artistic dreams and the other with a shoplifting habit, plus an even unlikelier eight-year-old boy that she babysits in the trailer next door. Yevgenia is a Russian immigrant and she's lived a hard life, one that includes strange rules she impresses upon Lara (mostly about sex and men). Mother-daughter relationships are hard, and this one especially so, complicated further by the fact that Lara's absent father is a Black Cuban and her skin color is starkly different than her mother's.

Wow, this book was an emotional ride. I've read a lot of coming-of-age fiction lately, and I found this particular story to be excellent. Lara is a character most of us can relate to, or at least empathize with in some way or another. Her mother is a hurricane — those of you that had a similar mom know exactly what that feels like. Sometimes you're buffeted by the storm, then there's an uneasy period of peace, then you're getting hammered again by high winds and flying debris.

I absolutely loved the ending of this book, and that's what set it apart for me from some of the similar books I've read recently. It was just perfect in my opinion! I listened to the audiobook version, and I thought the narrator was excellent as well. The only nitpick I have is that some of the Russian words were very clearly stitched in after the fact.

Thank you to Asale Angel-Ajani, MCD / FSG, and Macmillan Audio for my gifted audio copy!

Laura is a teenage girl and although she mainly takes after her father he is someone she is never met any man her mother doesn’t want to talk about. Her mother is from Russia and gives her motherly advice in the form of lectures and the type of man she should steer clear of. They have recently moved to the oasis trailer park a place that just depressed is Laura and although she is settling in and has friends she is old enough that she is in her mind shaping her future to see what feels best. She has a cantankerous relationship with her mother she feels like her mom‘s mascot and thinks her mother could care less if she’s around or not. I found this book very interesting and didn’t want to stop listening and although not much happens in the book for some reason it still kept my attention. I thought the narrator was brilliant in the story as I said didn’t have much happening but the way it is written it holds your attention and it was a definite four-star lesson. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A Country You Can Leave is a powerful tale of race, class and ethnicity at the turn of the 21st century. It is powerful and unapologetic in the examination of the relationship between Lara, half Afro-Cuban half Russian, and her mother Yevegenia. Lara’s coming of age story that pulls no punches. It is a equal parts empowering, cringe-worthy, and heartbreaking. I was rooting for Lara as she tries over and over to successfully navigate all the obstacles in front of her. This story will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
*Thanks to MCD and NetGalley for this advance audiobook copy for review

This story centers around the complicated mother/daughter relationship between a biracial Black teenage daughter and her Russian immigrant mother. Not an easy read, but I was drawn in.

The mom is a chaotic intellectual, constantly spouting quotes from Russian literature whilst also leading a promiscuous sex life and generally wreaking havoc. She’s done nothing to provide a stable, safe home for her daughter or give her a strong sense of identity. Though the daughter is our narrator, because she is so young and dependent, I feel like the story revolves around the mother and how her choices have affected her daughter. I felt like the plot was a little lacking but the character development was strong.

I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook, thanks to MacMillan Audio via Netgalley. Personally I would have loved if the narrator had used a Russian accent for the mom! Her American accent threw me, considering that her character’s disdain for the US comes through very strong throughout the book. Because of this I think I would recommend the traditional book format. Either way, a good novel.

This strong debut novel is a fresh coming-of-age story of Lara, a biracial teen, being raised by a spirited Russian immigrant mother Yevgenia. Much of the plot centers on their rocky mother/daughter relationship. Yevgenia is a forceful character and she depends using her body (and Russian vodka) to keep them financially afloat while Lara, tries to be responsible and stay away from sex. Threaded throughout the novel there is an exploration of themes including poverty, religion, equality, justice, power, and the “American dream.” I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook narration and would recommend this novel. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC.

Following the turbulent mother-daughter relationship of Lara a Black, biracial teenager struggling with her identity and Yevgenia, her alcoholic Russian mother, A Country You Can Leave is an incredible debut about generational trauma and forging your own identity. These characters are so original and complex, and the story was well-written, though difficult. I do recommend this read, but please check content warnings!

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

This is a heartbreaking story of a young girl trying to make it through a very difficult life with her mother and her mother's unfortunate lifestyle that hinders her in so many ways. The young girl battles racism, her mother's addictions, a brutal attack, etc.... as she grows and struggles to find her way into a more positive and rewarding life.
It is well written, with adult only content that is not appropriate for a child to pick up and read.

A Country You Can Leave is a beautiful story about sixteen-year-old Lara, a biracial girl that craves normalcy. Her mother, Yevgenia, is a Russian immigrant with an alcohol problem. This isn't your typical mother/daughter relationship in that Lara often acts as the responsible one. Yevgenia instead grows increasingly frustrated at men, the United States, and the unfair world she must survive in. She wears skimpy clothing but can quote the great Russian writers in a multitude of languages. When her daughter confronts something awful, she is forced to put aside all her quirks and jump into the motherly role.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not an easy read, but it showcases the unfairness of the world in a coming-of-age tale unlike any I've read before.

AGH, this one was so good!

I am so utterly gracious towards FSG, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Asale Angel-Ajani for granting me Advanced Listener Access to this beautiful coming-of-age literary work of art before it's set to hit shelves on February 21, 2023 (My Birthday!)

A Country You Can Leave details the upbringing of 16-year-old Lara and her Soviet-raised, Russian-born mother as they navigate the trailer parks of impoverished California, struggling to survive and get by. Her mother, Yevgenia, is a fiery woman whose love for booze and literature fuels her non-traditional, unemotional relationship with her daughter.

As days go by, we get an inside peek into Lara's struggles with friendship, culture, sexuality, and navigation as she enters a very emotional and growth-oriented portion of her life. The adventures she gets into and gets out of with her neighbors and close acquaintances help to shape her American-born life, and come-up is a joy to observe.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of A Country You Can Leave by Asale Angel-Ajani.

I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. I understand the need for it to be written, and what an interesting perspective, being black with a Russian mother in the states. And bouncing from home to home, with a precarious relationship with your explosive mother who often uses sex as a currency and teaches you to do the same. These are stories that help shape our understanding of those around us, and make the world a more compassionate place.

But the story itself? I just didn't get much of out it. It was missing the gooey center that a story like this desperately needs. I'm not saying that it's the author's job to make reality more palatable for it's reader, but for me it would have helped to invest me more in the story. However, I remain appreciative that I had the chance to listen to this incredibly unique book, and I still learned a lot.

I found this story so beautiful! A touching story of culture and family - fans of “American Dirt” will love this story.

Book Title: A Country You Can Leave
Author: Asale Angel-Ajani
Narrator: Amanda Cordner
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pub Date: February 21, 2023
My Rating: 2.5 rounded up

Better to live in a country where you can leave than one where you cannot!
Sixteen-year-old Lara and her Russian mother Yevgenia know what is like to move –often. They once again find themselves homeless and settle in ‘The Oasis Mobile Estates’ – which is not exactly an oasis nor an estate but it is all they can afford.
Young Lara finds she has to learn to live with this trailer community and knows it is going to be difficult since she is biracial.
Yevgenia is a strong woman and wants her daughter to be strong as well. We are sure there has been violence and trauma in Yevgenia’s life.

Story is told from Lara POV.
This was difficult for me to read however since this is an audiobook the narrator Amanda Cordner did a good job – much better than I would with reading it.
Sex is certainly a theme in this story. It appears it is the only way Yevgenia can survive and provide for Lara.

This is [author: Asale Angel-Ajani] first novel. She has lived in Millay, Djerassi, and Playa, and is an alum of VONA and Tin House. She is a professor at the City College of New York.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 21, 2023

4 stars

This is a quiet but gripping novel filled with characters who are constantly teetering on the brink of destruction.

Lara, the m.c., has a challenging upbringing as the multiracial daughter of a single mother (Yevgenia) who leaves a lot to be desired as both a caretaker and a human. These two live a fleeting live that is marked by constant moving, financial insecurity, and general personal instability. Yevgenia is an openly sexual individual, which is great but not so much when readers remember that it's her young daughter who relays this information. Yevgenia's apparent selfishness results - as expected - in Lara's constant sense of danger and ungroundedness. The latter recounts a number of experiences that will be challenging for some readers to encounter. As an unsupervised girl whose mother both treats her as an adult in some areas and gives her few tools to navigate that status, Lara is victimized in more ways than one.

While Lara's story feels centered throughout the beginning of the novel, Yevgenia migrates from fascinating (if infuriating) side character right into the middle with her daughter. The joy and heartbreak come from the same place: the relationship between these two.

This is a truly intriguing debut featuring developed characters and an emotionally provocative plot. The smooth flow of this piece juxtaposes the often gritty content, and Angel-Ajani demonstrates marked skill throughout. I am looking forward to reading more from this writer already.