Maia Tabet

Very interesting perspective on this modern-day story in that it portrays a Christian family in Baghdad -- an elderly Uncle, Youssef who is "living in the past" and his 20-something niece Maha and her husband who has only known war and turmoil. The present-day action takes place in one day, but there is a long sequence of memory from Youssef who remembers a peaceful and prosperous Iraq in its best years, despite the toll on his extended family, most of whom have fled the current conditions show more for life elsewhere. Youssef's faith is more in his country than in his religion, but there is a lot of excellent reflection on family and generational relationships and the cycle of politics over time. A little clunky in flashbacks to the past (could be the translation) but a lot of depth and thought for a small book in a small time-frame. show less