Description
The unforgettable, haunting story of a young woman's perilous fight for freedom and justice for her brother, the first novel published in English by a female Kurdish writer
Set in Iran, this extraordinary debut novel takes readers into the everyday lives of the Kurds. Leila dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Leila's younger brother Chia, influenced by their father's past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother's whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when she publishes Chia's writings online, she finds herself in grave danger as well.
Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives and stakes faced by 40 million stateless Kurds and a powerful story that brilliantly illuminates the meaning of identity and the complex bonds of family, perfect for fans of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun.
About the Author
AVA HOMA is a writer, journalist, and activist specializing in women's issues and Middle Eastern affairs. She holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor in Canada. Her collection of short stories, Echoes from the Other Land, was longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Prize, and she is the inaugural recipient of the PEN Canada-Humber College Writers-In-Exile Scholarship. She was born and raised in the Kurdistan Province in Iran and now divides her time between Toronto and the Bay Area. Daughters of Smoke and Fire is her debut novel.
Reviews
"This haunting novel is unquestionably bleak, but it is seeded with positivity - mainly because of Leila's courageous fight for freedom and her indomitable quest to build a life elsewhere and 'reclaim the years stolen from me'. Above all, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives of millions of stateless Kurds." -The Independent
"A fiery, soul-nourishing debut novel . . . Daughters of Smoke and Fire is the relentless and tender story of how oppression steals a woman's agency twice." -Los Angeles Review of Books
"A literary event that merits attention . . . At once a feminist text, a story of survival in the face of adversity, and an exploration of cruelty through the eyes of those who are powerless, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a superb narrative that marks the arrival of a new voice in contemporary fiction." -San Francisco Chronicle
"A searing, heartrending, and heartbreaking tale . . . A book of sublime beauty that will engrave itself into your memory for years to come." -Seattle Post Intelligencer
"Daughters of Smoke and Fire unfurls the history of an oppressed people fighting for their right to live, love, thrive, and create. Homa peels back layers of sorrow and injustice to reveal the resilience and hope of so many Kurds living in the stateless nation." -Chicago Review of Books
"Stark and elucidating . . . Homa's remarkable novel serves as a potent and illuminating window into the persecution of the Kurds." -BookPage
Book Information
ISBN 9781419743092
Author Ava Homa
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Abrams
Publisher Abrams
Weight(grams) 550g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 162mm * 33mm
Set in Iran, this extraordinary debut novel takes readers into the everyday lives of the Kurds. Leila dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Leila's younger brother Chia, influenced by their father's past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother's whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when she publishes Chia's writings online, she finds herself in grave danger as well.
Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives and stakes faced by 40 million stateless Kurds and a powerful story that brilliantly illuminates the meaning of identity and the complex bonds of family, perfect for fans of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun.
About the Author
AVA HOMA is a writer, journalist, and activist specializing in women's issues and Middle Eastern affairs. She holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor in Canada. Her collection of short stories, Echoes from the Other Land, was longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Prize, and she is the inaugural recipient of the PEN Canada-Humber College Writers-In-Exile Scholarship. She was born and raised in the Kurdistan Province in Iran and now divides her time between Toronto and the Bay Area. Daughters of Smoke and Fire is her debut novel.
Reviews
"This haunting novel is unquestionably bleak, but it is seeded with positivity - mainly because of Leila's courageous fight for freedom and her indomitable quest to build a life elsewhere and 'reclaim the years stolen from me'. Above all, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives of millions of stateless Kurds." -The Independent
"A fiery, soul-nourishing debut novel . . . Daughters of Smoke and Fire is the relentless and tender story of how oppression steals a woman's agency twice." -Los Angeles Review of Books
"A literary event that merits attention . . . At once a feminist text, a story of survival in the face of adversity, and an exploration of cruelty through the eyes of those who are powerless, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a superb narrative that marks the arrival of a new voice in contemporary fiction." -San Francisco Chronicle
"A searing, heartrending, and heartbreaking tale . . . A book of sublime beauty that will engrave itself into your memory for years to come." -Seattle Post Intelligencer
"Daughters of Smoke and Fire unfurls the history of an oppressed people fighting for their right to live, love, thrive, and create. Homa peels back layers of sorrow and injustice to reveal the resilience and hope of so many Kurds living in the stateless nation." -Chicago Review of Books
"Stark and elucidating . . . Homa's remarkable novel serves as a potent and illuminating window into the persecution of the Kurds." -BookPage
Book Information
ISBN 9781419743092
Author Ava Homa
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Abrams
Publisher Abrams
Weight(grams) 550g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 162mm * 33mm
