'The Arsonists' City' by Hala Alyan is a multi-generational family saga that follows a Lebanese family as they navigate their relationships and secrets across countries like the United States, Lebanon, and Syria. The story revolves around the family patriarch, Idris, who decides to sell his childhood home in Beirut, leading to a gathering of the far-flung family members for a belated memorial. As the family reunites under one roof, the complexities of their relationships unfold, delving into themes of guilt, atonement, and unconditional love.
The novel is praised for its beautifully crafted storytelling that weaves together themes of generational trauma, sibling rivalry, family secrets, and the impact of war on individuals living in Lebanon and Syria. Through rich character development and intricate relationships, 'The Arsonists' City' explores the dynamics of a second-generation immigrant family, reflecting on themes of love, music, intrigue, and compassion, while delving into the characters' past and present struggles.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for the book include themes of family dysfunction, mental health issues, references to war trauma, and secrets that could be distressing to some readers.
Has Romance?
The book contains romantic elements, mostly explored through the characters' relationships, but romance is not the central focus.
From The Publisher:
"Feels revolutionary in its freshness." -Entertainment Weekly
"The Arsonists' City delivers all the pleasures of a good old-fashioned saga, but in Alyan's hands, one family's tale becomes the story of a nation-Lebanon and Syria, yes, but also the United States. It's the kind of book we are lucky to have."-Rumaan Alam
A rich family story, a personal look at the legacy of war in the Middle East, and an indelible rendering of how we hold on to the people and places we call home
The Nasr family is spread across the globe-Beirut, Brooklyn, Austin, the California desert. A Syrian mother, a Lebanese father, and three American children: all have lived a life of migration. Still, they've always had their ancestral home in Beirut-a constant touchstone-and the complicated, messy family love that binds them. But following his father's recent death, Idris, the family's new patriarch, has decided to sell.
The decision brings the family to Beirut, where everyone unites against Idris in a fight to save the house. They all have secrets-lost loves, bitter jealousies, abandoned passions, deep-set shame-that distance has helped smother. But in a city smoldering with the legacy of war, an ongoing flow of refugees, religious tension, and political protest, those secrets ignite, imperiling the fragile ties that hold this family together.
In a novel teeming with wisdom, warmth, and characters born of remarkable human insight, award-winning author Hala Alyan shows us again that "fiction is often the best filter for the real world around us" (NPR).
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