There are several stories in this book, and most of them deal with the Arab immigrant, the Arab culture, their feelings of anxiety about being separated from their own people in the Middle East, the injustice of their culture toward the behavior of women, the acceptance of abominable behavior by men, the rigidity of some parents and the leniency of others as they adjust to living in the United States. This story takes place in Baltimore, Maryland. It covers the stories of several characters, each of whom finds their own way, coupled with joy and disappointment, success and failures. The difference in the lifestyle, moral and ethical codes of the way of life in their place of ancestry and their place of residence now, combined with their hopes and dreams, often created conflicts that became crises and were hard to reconcile, one way or another. In some cases, estrangement with both family members and the Middle East, was the consequence, in some cases, the dream of returning superseded all other aspirations.
My wish was to read this book with an open heart and an open mind ready to be compassionate, hoping to understand and be enlightened about the plight of the Arab who believed that a place called Palestine was their homeland. I hoped the novel would gently air the issue we face today, the issue of the inability to ever find a peaceful solution to the Middle East question.
I realized that the stories highlighted the trials of immigrants as they tried to adjust to the American way of life where it was easy to feel excluded or misunderstood. The main characters in this book are not religious radicals, but they are radically Arab. I do not mean that in a negative way, but to explain that they cling to their customs, as many of all origins cling to their own customs. Dishonoring the family is forbidden. As each character comes of age, or influences other family members, or chooses a life path that leads to either fulfillment or disappointment, their stories inspire empathy and a desire to learn more about their efforts and why their efforts work out happily or unfortunately.
Until the very last pages, the book highlighted the feeling of disappointment many of the characters had for their lives, and also their lack of a sense of responsibility for their failure to succeed. Some, like Marcus, did climb the ladder. He became a police officer and assimilated; some like his father, never would adjust and would always harbor anger and resentment. The stories about Alma, Rania, Reema, et al, all seemed sympathetic, but when it came to burying the father of Marcus and Alma, my understanding of the book’s message became harder to accept.
From the beginning, the book seemed to condemn Americans and their lifestyle, albeit subtly, which made it palatable. However, when the story ended with the body of Marcus Salameh being returned for burial to his family home in the Middle East, the message began to change. The abuses of the country that he blamed for ruling his people, were almost casually suggested, but that country was indeed, Israel. The blame for their lives in exile was placed squarely, not on their own shoulders for declaring war as soon as the state of Israel was recognized, but on the shoulders of the Jewish people who merely wanted to live in peace after the Holocaust. There was no mention of the United Nations vote to approve the state of Israel and a state for the Palestinians or of the refusal of the Arabs to accept the declaration.
The caretaker of Marcus’ father’s home was Rita. She was scarred emotionally and physically, presumably by Israelis, when she was imprisoned for throwing stones in the Intifada, a rebellion against the state of Israel. The reason that they are kept isolated and carefully monitored was not discussed, although it is because of the need to provide safety and security for Israelis. Suicide bombers and their desire to remove Israel from the map, as well as to exterminate the Jews, was never mentioned.
Therefore, the book seemed designed to promote the Arabs and to explain their plight. I get that, however, to ignore the reason for their plight, to place blame elsewhere, seemed disingenuous. Hence, when I got to the end, I was disappointed. I felt betrayed by the author and the publisher for pretending the book was not a “hit job” on Israel and the Jews, however, subtly.
Still, I thought it was written well, but the message for me, was horrific, since on October 7th, the barbaric massacre of Jews in Israel has still not faded from the news. To believe that. that behavior was justified, when no civilized people behave that way, is the theme that the Arabs are presenting to the public, this very day, with great support for antisemitism which should be condemned like any other form of hate, but it is encouraged by the radical left-wing that has taken a prominent place in society. This book is a tool in that tool box.
Therefore, I could not give the book the number of stars the writing perhaps deserved, because the message, for me, was incomplete. When, at the end, Marcus, the policeman expected to uphold the law in America, teaches Rita how to fire an illegal weapon, the book sent me to the depths of despair. That was the wrong message to end with since it is the rebellion, since 1948, that has caused the constant violence. This book too, is part of the problem, not the solution, and can possibly inspire more hatred and violence since it promotes and accepts violence as a viable outcome. The author could not have known, at the time of the writing of this book, of the barbaric attack on Israel on October 7th, that took the lives of more than a thousand Israelis and resulted in the kidnapping of more than 200 hostages. Israelis were murdered in their beds as they slept, were stolen from their beds, babies were roasted in ovens, young and old, male and female, were raped, defiled and mutilated, as the Arabs celebrated and congratulated each other on the death and destruction they had wrought. Israelis and Jews, no matter how you condemn them, have never behaved that way. Only barbarians like NAZIS, ISIS and HAMAS are capable of such inhumanity. Yet the Arabs were proud of their cruelty, and it inspired some to march in support of a system and a people that would just as soon murder them too. I condemn them for their outright genocide, for which they accuse others.
Until this madness ends, there will be more death and destruction. I cannot review the book more than this because I am emotionally involved as a Jewish woman who cannot understand the violence or hate or the lack of the Arab world's acceptance of their own people. They will not allow the Palestinians into their own sphere, yet they want Israel and the Jews to absorb and support them, them… those who want to exterminate them and make them extinct. No, a resounding no, that will never be acceptable. If this review is condemned, so be it. The truth is often hard to swallow.

~ Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. ~

“Behind you is the sea. Before you, the enemy.”

Raw. Emotional. Gut wrenching. Comforting. Relatable. Funny.

With every story, there were characters that reminded me of real people in my daily life, for the better or worse, and the storytelling felt like a friend telling you about their relationships, challenges, etc. The difference social class makes with how your community views you, was an element of this book I really appreciated.

The many descriptions of Palestine, what grandparents tell their grandchildren from the memories of their expulsion, the desire of the new generation to connect, and so much more, are elements that deeply touched my heart.

While this book made me ponder, at one point made me cry, and sometimes made me angry, I laughed a lot too. From the chapter of the wedding, to sibling relationships, and much more, Behind You Is The Sea is never dull.

Behind You is the Sea came out TODAY! 💥

I read this book in one day and it was easy to devour. Let me get straight to it.

💥 Things I Liked:

I love reading about people and families that I know little about. Especially if they come from a different part of the world. It felt timely but also sad to learn a little more about Palestinians and Palestinian Americans. Someone in the book brought their father’s dead body from Baltimore to be buried in Palestine (per their father’s wish) but all I could think of was “there wouldn’t be much to go back to today.”

There was that rawness that I appreciate that reminded me a bit of A Woman is No Man and I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter both of which I highly recommend.

I appreciated the insight on the struggles that Palestinian Americans face as they are born and raised in America. They blend in and adapt to the western culture which is hard and can be perceived negatively by their parents and grandparents. Like they are betraying Palestine. It seems like a constant battle they fight as they’re growing up when it comes to their own identity. It can create rifts in families that can last a lifetime.

💥 Things I Disliked:

I wouldn’t say I disliked this but there were a lot of POVs. We’re talking every chapter was a different person. The chapters were long and you learned a whole lot about the situation but then that was it. You did not get to go back and find out what happened next except maybe with couple of the people. I wondered why did we have to learn about so many different people. I had to think back and make sure I knew who I was reading about. However, I ended up wondering if this was done on purpose. Maybe it was to show that the Palestinian community is small but they stay together and when they are together, it’s a very complex group of people.

Rating: 4/5

Would I recommend? Yes

An excellent collection of interconnected stories set in a Palestinian American community in Baltimore. This book is described as a novel but I think a novel-in-stories is more accurate. Although the stories are strongly linked through the characters, each story also holds up on its own (IMHO). Highly recommend for your 2024 reading list!

If you are looking for stories set in Palestine, I recommend the author's previous collection A CURIOUS LAND. I also enjoyed that book, but I think this one was better. :) Why not read both?

I selected this book to read as I am trying to read more by Arab authors. This is a collection of stories with Palestinian characters living in the US. The characters are all connected to the same community but their stories are their own. As you read the stories, you experience the passage of time as characters from one story appear in others. The stories deal with loss/heartbreak, assimilation (or lack of) from an immigrant point of view, and specifically from the Palestinian perspective. My only criticism of this novel is that it is mainly from a non-Muslim perspective. Palestinians are comprised of several religious backgrounds and I would have liked to see that in this collection.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for a digital review copy of this book. It is set to be published on 1/16/2024

Wow I absolutely loved this interwoven short story collection. It was beautifully written and I was fully drawn into each character’s life and story as they faced challenges/turning points - some unique to their identity as Palestinian Americans and others universally human. Highly recommend!

This was such a beautifully written, enthralling story. The multitude of characters was layered so beautifully. It was not difficult to keep up with all the characters. It was a gorgeous tapestry of stories, all woven together.

Behind You Is The Sea follows a few different Palestinian immigrant families over time as they grow and change and weaves them together in a way that feels seamless in which many authors would fail to do so. I really appreciated how beautifully it is written and that the prose mirrors the lyrical, poetic Arabic language. Language is of course brought up many times in the book and serves as a lovely reminder that at their core, the Arab people find beauty and hope in the things that are usually looked past for their mundanity. I was excited to read this book and it could not have come at a better time. It was a quick, pleasing book to read. It has been noted by other reviewers that there are harmful sentiments and stereotypes portrayed in this book, obviously I can not ignore that. I believe Behind You Is The Sea has some beautiful writing and hope it serves to continue to help amplify the voices of Palestinians, as we all know how necessary that is now. 🍉 Thank you HarperVia and NetGalley for this ARC!!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Susan Muaddi Darraj, and HarperVia for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was an absolutely beautiful read. I'm shocked to learn that Behind You is the Sea is Darraj's debut because it reads like a seasoned artist. One of my goals for this year is to diversify my reading even more than I have been, and I found it important to intentionally read a book by a Palestinian author to start the new year. I'm so glad that I did because this book will stick with me for a while to come. It is written in a lovely format with each chapter serving as a short story from the perspective of a different character, yet the book is overarchingly connected, as each character is related to each other through 3 different families that it follows. I hesitate to even specify a favorite chapter/character/story, but I really enjoyed getting to see Samira in a couple of different stories. I learned a lot about different aspects of Palestinian American culture through this book, and I enjoyed that Darraj didn't shy away from complicated family dynamics. I would rate this book a 4.5 but ended up rounding down simply because it was so short. I think the book would have benefitted from being a little bit longer and having things tied together a bit more to make it more of a cohesive story rather than a short story collection. However, it didn't detract from the read whatsoever, and I look forward to explore Darraj's work in the future.

pretty great! i liked the writing though felt it should have been a little bit longer. thanks for the arc!

Behind You is the Sea is a book about three Palestinian families residing in Baltimore. While reading this book, I learned about the vast size of Palestinian families and how every member is related to one another.

I read this book so quickly that I finished it in less than 24 hours. As I mentioned before, there are three large families involved, so there are many characters to keep track of. However, what sets this book apart is that each chapter focuses on different characters from different families. It’s not confusing because I don't need to remember all the names; I can connect the dots as I read the stories.

Compared to A Woman is No Man and Evil Eye - the two books I have read and liked, which also talk about the Palestinian family saga - this book is less intense, probably because the story changes in every chapter. It feels more like a collection of short stories. Nonetheless, it still discusses Palestinian culture (weddings, funerals, day-to-day habits), their past and trauma due to occupation, and their lives after moving to America. Therefore, it can be a good choice for people learning about Palestine.

(TLDR, if you’re serious about understanding the Palestinian struggle but find a whole book too daunting, this book is packaged into smaller, easily digestible themes. There’s no excuse for avoiding it because “the book is too heavy” or “too political”. It’s time to step up and read about marginalized family stories, which is no different).

I feel a bit silly for mentioning this because they don’t need to prove anything, but I want to share that this book offers a perspective from Christian Palestinians. I’ve noticed that some people try to erase their existence, so it’s important to acknowledge the spaces where they can tell their stories. They attend Church and celebrate Christmas, just as you do.

this was an interesting collection of people’s stories based on living in baltimore as a palestinian. i think it was cool how much connection there was between all the different characters and it was really cool to learn about a culture i admit that i am not well-read in. thank you so much for the ARC of this book!

This is a collection of heartwarming and at times heart-wrenching interconnected stories. The stories revolve around three Palestinian families living in modern day Baltimore America - the Baladis, the Ammars and the Salemahs. The patriarchs of the families emigrated several decades ago and their children have been born and raised in America albeit with a strong Palestinian norms and cultural influences. They struggle to reconcile the stark contrasts between the two cultures. While the adults seem bent on enforcing conservative attitudes and lifestyle, the children have naturally grown up with liberated American views. While the Ammars come from a position of wealth, the Salemahs are relatively middle class and the Baladis struggle to make ends meet. The stories deal with a host of contemporary adolescent issues like teen-pregnancy, eating disorders, racial typecasting and also marital ones like domestic violence. This one is for you if you are a fan of short stories with a multicultural flair. It is a beautiful exploration of the immigrant experience and the constant struggle to fit in. The characters are pretty well developed despite the shortness of the narrative and I wish it had been one long tale. This is a debut novel by the author and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from her.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Via and Susan Muaddi Darraj for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Harpevia for the arch e-copy!

This is a very quick and explorative fiction read about Palestinian peoples living in America. Set in an American town all the characters live very different lives from each other. We see the way the community sees and reacts with each one. I did really enjoy this year. If you like reading fiction and love drama this is the book for you. Each chapter is about the different people and that left me confused at times trying to remember who each person was in relation to another when jumping into their daily lives. I wish this book would have been longer and the reader could have read a bit about each person's background as well as after their "chapter". I do not mind the amount of characters in books, but personally when it comes to trying to understand a story and overall meaning of a story, I need to understand who each character is and how they play an important part to the story. I love reading books with character's background and character development and how they play an important part to the plot.
I do recommend this story and I hope it is read by lots of people this year!

Behind You is the Sea is an interesting narrative that follows a Palestinian community living in Baltimore using short vignettes. The stories weave together to form a timeline. I found myself rooting for the characters and looking forward to catching glimpses of them though others' perspectives. The author does a good job of describing some of the feelings that characters have living in a small community within a big city where everyone knows your business. I appreciated the (fictionalized) look into being a first generation American with a strong Arab cultural identity and how the characters navigate those two perspectives. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Compelling, interconnected stories about Palestinian exiles living in Baltimore. Each character was so fascinating that I wanted the book to keep going and exploring their connections.

thank you @netgalley and @harpervia for the early review copy!

there were parts of this book that were really beautiful. i loved how the author wove together interconnected stories of the members of 3 different families. how each felt like a short story, but also a continuation. how the reader is exposed to various ways that Palestinian immigrants might experience america. the beautiful storytelling.

but there were also some problematic components that made my experience with this book difficult, including Arab stereotypes, misogyny and the glorification of policing

An intimate look at a Palestinian community in Baltimore.Each story is interconnected we meet friends family lovers friends.We brought into their daily lives traditions issues,I was totally involved from story to story.#netgalley #harpervia

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Story premise: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Behind you is the sea, before you, the enemy. You have left now only the hope of your courage and your constancy."

While this was said hundreds of years ago by an Islamic General invading Spain, the characters in Susan Muaddi Darraj's debut novel draw from it in times of struggle, in search of hope.

We're introduced to an array of characters from three interconnected Palestinian families, spanning multiple generations -- each impacted by the complicated history of their ancestral homeland. Every chapter finds its own narrator and sheds light on the complicated journey through life in the United States as an immigrant or the children of immigrants. The characters meet and turn on their head many common stereotypes of Arab immigrants as they live through love, loss and generational trauma.

Throughout each story, Palestine looms large, a silent but ever present character in the background. It's clear each person has a different relationship to where they've come from as well as where they've ended up. This is particularly true as we navigate the difficult relationships between the elder generations, who lived through the Nakba or left their home in Palestine, and the younger generations who were born abroad and for whom "home" is a story, a shadow.

The power of this novel lies in the author's ability to paint each character with a depth that many other authors only find in hundreds of pages. I fell in love, had my heart broken and pieced it all back together in every chapter. And while I would sincerely love to read an entire book about every character (particularly Samira, oh my gosh), I never felt cheated by the brevity of their stories. Each character was complete, whole and so unique in how their experiences colored who they turned out to be. Muaddi Darraj makes it so very clear what Arab-Americans (and Palestinians in particular) have been trying to tell us for a long time; they may share many things but they cannot be painted as one. They contain multitudes.

While this book was penned before the most recent atrocities (read: Genocide) in Palestine, it's voice remains the same. I imagine the complexities have only deepened, as has the pain and trauma. While we watch the bombs fall on Gaza in real time, it's sometimes hard to imagine what our Palestinian-American brothers and sisters may be experiencing as they watch from afar. I'm grateful for storytellers in these moments to help people like me gain some insight, some new empathy.

After all, sometimes all we have left is the hope of courage and constancy.

Beautifully written and an eye opener on the Palestinian diaspora.
It's like getting an intimate look at what is going on in a family, though in this case there are multiple families and characters that are loosely tied together. I found the format a little confusing at first and I wanted to know more about what happened to each character. But all in all there was a lot of detail and description and the writing really was exquisite. It is the kind of book that you finish reading and immediately want to go back and read it again to make sure you caught everything and to make even more connections.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I look forward to more from this author.