Dreams of Water

(Paperback)

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Description

Set during the 1980s civil war in Lebanon, Dreams of Water is complusively readable, deceptively simple and overwhelmingly moving.
'If you could tell me just one thing about yourself, what would it be'
She begins, 'I would say that I once lost a brother.'

As a young man disappears, his family is left wondering, hoping, fearing for what may have become of him. It is only through his loss that they begin to truly understand the deep bond of love that ties their family together.

Aneesa, his sister, feels the loss of her brother intensely and, unable to live in the vacuum left by his disappearance, she leaves her home and all she holds dear. She moves to London seeking a new life, new friends, and a release from her sorrow. There she meets an older man, another exile who reminds her of home. Brought together by their shared feeling for their homeland, they form an unlikely friendship. Yet, Aneesa finds she cannot mourn without knowing the truth about her brother's death, she cannot get on with her life without some certainty.

Meanwhile, back home, Aneesa's mother is grieving for her son. Unable to cope with his loss, she resorts to her community's traditional beliefs and imagines he has been reincarnated. Aneesa reluctantly returns home, determined to uncover the truth behind her brother's disappearance, and rekindle the sense of belonging that she left behind.

Dreams of Water is a moving story of love, loss and family. Set against a backdrop of upheaval and violence, it reminds us of the importance of hope, of love, and of the strength of family.

Reviews

Praise for 'Dreams of Water': 'The beauty of this novel lies in its images which are vivid and strange, sometimes even fantastical!There is comfort in reading about characters, all of whom are withdrawn and inhibited, yet who are shown as capable of great tenderness.' Times Literary Supplement 'A slow-burning, powerful story of loss and grief' Good Housekeeping 'Twenty years ago, when civil war broke out in Lebanon, Nada Awar Jarrar was forced to flee with her family. Her novel Dreams of Water recasts this experience in a tale about a family whose son goes missing in war-ravaged Beirut' Vogue 'This beautifully written book is powerfully evocative of the human cost of war and the longing for love, that despite the shooting and shelling, never fades.' Economist Praise for 'Dreams of Water': 'The characters are surrounded by loss and memory!Jarrar presents their stories as fragments, shifting us backwards and forwards in time, stressing the precarious nature of life for those trying to escape physical and emotional distress.' Metro 'An absorbing novel which beautifully navigates the themes of love and loss.' Easy Living Magazine 'The prizewinning author of 'Somewhere, Home', returns with a moving tale of love, loss, exile and hope, written in lucid, spare prose.' Sainsbury's Magazine 'Nada Awar Jarrar's second novel arrives as beautifully and temptingly wrapped as a box of Lebanese sweets.' Sharq Magazine 'This beautifully written book is powerfully evocative of the human cost of war and the longing for love.' The Economist 'A moving story about the love, hope and strong ties that bind families.' First 'The beauty of this novel lies in its images which are vivid and strange, sometimes even fantastical.' TLS 'A haunting paean to the confusion of grief, the damage of war, and trauma caused by faith.' Glasgow Evening Times Praise for 'Somewhere, Home': 'A picture of simplicity. Her style is subtle and not overbearing, which leaves the reader with an urge to find out more about the places and people she has created' Observer 'There is a gentle humour to be found in its characterisation; you will feel that Jarrar knows these people well' Daily Telegraph 'A moving novel written with great elegance and much compassion.' Publishing News, Special selection 'This is a beautiful book. Jarrar's prose is like a veil of poetry, threaded with the scents, sights and colours of the old house!The result is a seductive and hypnotic haven, and a powerful rebuke to the persistent brutality of war.' Sunday Herald Glasgow 'A stunning novel, beautifully written and almost poetic in style, it stayed with me long after I finished reading.' York Evening News

Author Bio

Nada Awar Jarrar was born in Lebanon to an Australian mother and Lebanese father. She now lives in Beirut with her husband and daughter.