I think the story of Sama and Hadi is so important that it should be read by anyone who needs to see a personal story to understand how conflicts are affecting families worldwide.
Structurally beautiful, Yara Zgheib uses the concept of bird migrations as a metaphor for the dangerous journeys taken by refugees. Sometimes they make it to their destination, but sometimes they don't; and less and less birds are finding land to light on every year, owing to human interference such as hunting and loss of habitat.
The story moves through time, at times describing Hadi and Sama's time together, happy as they both live freely in the USA. At times describing their struggles in Syria. And also describing the events as they unfold, and Hadi's deportation. Despite seeming hopeless, the novel ultimately is a moving, powerful story about how family is more important than anything else.
Structurally beautiful, Yara Zgheib uses the concept of bird migrations as a metaphor for the dangerous journeys taken by refugees. Sometimes they make it to their destination, but sometimes they don't; and less and less birds are finding land to light on every year, owing to human interference such as hunting and loss of habitat.
The story moves through time, at times describing Hadi and Sama's time together, happy as they both live freely in the USA. At times describing their struggles in Syria. And also describing the events as they unfold, and Hadi's deportation. Despite seeming hopeless, the novel ultimately is a moving, powerful story about how family is more important than anything else.