Author:
Genre: Fantasy, romance, romance elements, short story collection, BIPOC rep, literary fiction, erotic elements, science fiction
Publisher: Macmillian Audio
Format: Audiobook (NetGalley Copy)
Narrator: Rachel Elizabeth Smith
Release Date: March 24th, 2026
TW: spousal abuse, death, war, racism (Islamophobia and others), body horror, Alzheimer's disease, gaslighting
I encourage you to look at reviews by Arab/Lebanese//Middle Eastern reviewers, as I am a white American and have definitely missed the nuance in some of these stories.
I loved almost every story in this collection (even the ones I didn't understand, that were in Arabic) and several of them made me cry.
I aspire to craft prose like Amal El-Mohtar. El-Mohtar's language is so vivid and rich, which lends itself to both novels and short stories. Because of her language, each story was like a fig fresh from the tree, bursting with sweetness and sensation. Every time she described a place, it was like I was there. Every time she described a character, it was like I could see them. However, just as the sweetness is sharp, the sadness cuts just as much.
I love that from the outset, this collection is about women. Women with complicated histories with their families, women fighting back from abuse, women finding comfort in one another, both platonic and romantic. Women who are not good at all as well. And all different genres too!
El-Mohtar is Canadian but is of Lebanese decent, and a lot of these short stories have a theme of something not fitting in to society or it's expectations and having to carve out a path for themselves through tragedy. I relate to this, and it was interesting to see her perspective on that displacement. There are also themes of sexual assault and abuse and the trauma of war running through some of the stories, which are pretty explicit, so be aware.
There is one story here that is erotically explicit ('To Follow the Waves') so be warned. The erotic elements of this story were as well done as everything else, even if the main character was reprehensible in her actions.
I personally can't stop thinking about 'And Their Lips Rang With the Sun' and 'The Truth About Owls' and 'Florilegia, or, Some Lies About Flowers,' but every story was a joy to listen to.
I would be doing as great disservice if I didn't mention the fantastic narration by Rachel Elizabeth Smith. Her voice had this flowing quality, and she especially was good at speaking Arabic, making the language sing.
I'm so glad El-Mohtar gave us this anthology. I can't wait to read what she gives to us next!
Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Drink paring: Jasmine tea, for Damascus and women made of flowers
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