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Book Review: Mother Country- Etaf Rum
A story of a Palestinian American navigating life and womanhood and the way that as women, the many roles and responsibilities we play, can sometimes translate into us living simply on autopilot, and not actually living at all.
The story follows our main character, who is from the Palestinian diaspora in the US.
Throughout the book, she is writing to her mother who, as an immigrant to the US, knew only survival. Any hopes and dreams of her own thrown to the wayside, a common tale of first generation immigrant women trying to build a home away from home in foreign lands. Unlike her mother though, she is determined to have a different story, one of choice and opportunities, determined to not fall into the same trajectory of previous generations.
Overall, a heartfelt exploration into what living as diaspora looks like, particularly as a woman.
Here are some quotes that resonated with me:
Being a woman is the greatest curse, you told me once.
If you accept your place as a woman, learn not to expect too much.
I opened my mouth to tell you that I was afraid. That I wanted a better marriage than yours. But in an instant your life…
