West of the Jordan
A Novel
Laila Halaby’s revelatory first novel, which won the prestigious PEN/Beyond Margins Award. Through the narratives of four cousins at the brink of maturity, West of the Jordan immerses readers in the lives, friendships, and loves of girls struggling with national, ethnic, and sexual identities.
"Halaby's writing carries the flavor of the lands she writes of, west of the Jordan—rich and imbued with sorrow."
—Gelareh Asayesh, author of Saffron Sky: A Life between Iran and America
“A tender exploration of the topographies of identity and gender, culture conflict and regeneration…Elegantly paced and written…”
—Rain Taxi Review of Books
“Contemplative and lush, this coming-of-age tale resonates with the challenges of cross-cultural life.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Laila Halaby is a deeply gifted writer. She describes complicated, culture-spanning lives in a poetic prose that is clean and compelling. There is no glossing over pain here, but the power of telling—richly human voices and the redemption of honesty.”
—Naomi Shihab Nye, author of 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East
