This was the first book I have read from this author and I was extremely impressed with the character development and the depth and layers of the relationships in the book. I do not have a lot of awareness of Arab culture and found this book to be educational learning about some of the norms and the way the people lived their lifes and the rules that they followed. I liked the unique stories and sections about the mother based in a different timeline. It made it easier to identify what she was like as a person, what their aspirations were, and how this played into the future as a mother and as a person. The family definitely had a lot of skeletons in the closet, however their secrets were not nearly as hidden as they would have thought. It was nice to see the reprieve from the strong emotion at the end and to see the family move into the future in a healthier manner. I definitely will be reading more from this author in the near future. She is sheer force as an author and has created something almost otherworldly with this book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.