Written in lyrical prose with features of blackout poetry, this a debut that plays with form to tell the story of three orphaned siblings as they navigate their way through grief and growing up. Asghar's style reflects the fractures of sisterhood and the tenderness of the bond they share as they each find their place in the world as young Muslim American girls left to their own devices.
There's so much to unpack in this cleverly woven piece of literature that it feels like a piece of art, delicately put together to discuss themes of gender, family dynamics and grief. Noreen, the eldest sister, was the most captivating for me. She feels trapped between acting as a mother to her younger siblings and finding her own identity. This is a really moving tale of sisterhood and how even in the face of losing everything, these siblings manage to build a home between themselves.
Review by Abi.
When We Were Sisters was published on 01/06/23 by Little Brown.
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