Syrian Brides by Anna Halabi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5⭐
This collection started with the weakest of Ms Halabi’s short stories – Nobody’s Bride– which if I was rating individually I would have at 2⭐ and was followed by the strongest – The Groom’s Miracle. I really didn’t predict where this slyly funny short story was going and for me it was an easy 5⭐.
Most of the other short stories would have come in at about 3 or 3.5⭐ (except for The Old Groom – that was predictable & silly. And I found The Counterfeit Bride 4⭐ worth of funny!)As another reviewer has pointed out, the tone is a lot like fables we read at school. They are good moral stories,but there is a certain “samey” tone to Ms Halabi’s work. I would recommend spacing the reads out.
This does sound quite critical,but i am envious of Anna Halabi’s ability to write in a language that is not her mother tongue. And the cover of my edition is gorgeous!
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author and she was happy for me to share my honest opinion of it.
Carol - She's So Novel! 