Rabeea Saleem

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Rabeea Saleem

Can a name shape one’s destiny? Knapp’s high-concept debut ponders this question with remarkable psychological nuance. The story begins in 1987 with Cora on her way to register her infant son’s name, with her daughter Maia in tow. Cora’s real concern is that she will “formalise who he will become” based on what she names him. Her husband Gordon has instructed her to name the baby after him, to carry on the family’s tradition.

Jan 31, 2025 | irishtimes.com | Rabeea Saleem

The Book of George Author: Kate GreatheadISBN-13: 978-1805463245 Publisher: Atlantic BooksGuideline Price: £16.99The Book of George is a mordantly humorous exploration of the arrested development of the modern man. George embodies the archetypal traits of the Peter Pan syndrome, depicted by his emotional unavailability, fear of commitment and avoidance of adult responsibilities.

Aug 16, 2024 | irishtimes.com | Rabeea Saleem

Author: Susan Muaddi Darraj The prologue begins with a quotation – ”You have to be loyal to your exile as much as you are loyal to your homeland” – which aptly describes the central conflict of the protagonists of this debut, comprising three families belonging to the Palestinian immigrant community in Baltimore, US. Featuring a novel-in-stories structure, each chapter belongs to a different character depicted as a microcosm of the social identity issues affecting them.

Aug 9, 2024 | irishtimes.com | Rabeea Saleem

ISBN-13: 978-0349013725On the cusp of turning 30, photographer Jin Han finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Professionally, she feels uninspired at work and is unable to find any of her recent work worth keeping. Personally, her marriage is falling apart. Jin’s husband of 11 years is unable to fulfill her masochist’s sexual desires. She is also feeling betrayed by his sudden change of heart – his desire to embrace parenthood, a feeling that Jin does not share.

May 17, 2024 | irishtimes.com | Rabeea Saleem

Help WantedAuthor: Adelle WaldmanISBN-13: 978-1805221654Publisher: Serpent's TailGuideline Price: £16.99Waldman’s much-awaited follow-up to The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P could not be set in a more different world. The literary milieu of Brooklyn gives way to the world of a big-box store in gentrified Potterstown, two hours north of New York, a popular destination for “the kind who eschewed – or was priced out of – the Hamptons”.