First and foremost, Zgheib's writing is truly amazing. Her prose is often fragmented and reads like poetry, yet it is ALWAYS rich, comprehensive, descriptive, and painfully beautiful. I had such a strong sense of Syria and the past and present that I could hear and smell the many spices used in traditional foods, despite the fact that none of them were recognizable to me. THAT is the kind of writing that will whisk you away from this world and into another. This choppy writing style, with pieces of news stories to keep you up to date on the travel ban and a bouncing timeline to give you the backdrop of this relationship, takes a little getting used to, but trust me, it's worth it... You absolutely must read this novel - give it a try - Zgheib is simply marvellous at depicting the struggles immigrants go through, searching for a better life...