In The Language Of Miracles: A Novel

(Paperback)

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Writing with unflinchingly honest prose, Rajia Hassib tells the story of one family pushed to the brink by tragedy and mental illness, trying to salvage the life they worked so hard to achieve. From living the American dream with a happy, healthy family they soon find themselves in a devastating situation that leads to the death not just their son, but of a neighbour's daughter. In the Language of Miracles paints tender portraits of a family's struggle to move on in the wake of heartbreak, to stay true to its traditions, and above all else, to find acceptance.

Reviews

Assured and beautifully crafted. . . . Hassib is a natural, graceful writer with a keen eye for cultural difference. . . . [She] handles the anatomy of grief with great delicacy. . . .In the Language of Miraclesshould find a large and eager readership. For the beauty of the writing alone, Hassib deserves it.
Monica Ali,The New York Times Book Review

This powerful and moving story wrestles with family, tradition, mental illness, grief, love, shame and the realities of being a Muslim in America post 9/11. . . . Hassibs characters live and breathe with an honesty and vulnerability that makes them unforgettable.
The Herald-Dispatch

A riveting and important book. It drives home the fact that no matter what religion we practice or country we are from, we are more alike than we think. [In the Language of Miracles] narrows the gap between us and may make us a bit more tolerant, understanding, and accepting.
The Missourian

Impressive. . . . From [Hassibs] first page to her denouement we can be gripped and moved by a study of the fault-lines within an immigrant family.
The National

Hassib writes with an authority uncommon in debut writers; in this important book, she weaves the beauty of Arabic culture with the harsh realities of modern American life with exceptional insight and poetic ease.
Bustle.com

[A] sensitive, finely wrought debut . . . sharply observant of immigrants intricate relationships to their adopted homelands, this exciting novel announces the arrival of a psychologically and socially astute new writer.
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

[A] stellar debut. . . . Thoughtfully examining the role of religion and prayer, parents and grandparents, this rich novel offers complex characters, beautiful writing, and astute observations about the similarities and differences between the Egyptian and American outlooks on life. It would be difficult to find a better book for any discussion group; highly recommended.
Library Journal (starred review)

Topical both in its take on race relations and in its depiction of a trouble young man with ready access to firearms. . . . Hassib is a capable writer, especially when dealing with the interpersonal. Her natural use of language resembles that of Khaled Hosseini.
BookPage

A family reckons with tragedy amid a storm of suspicion in Egyptian author Hassibs debut novel. . . .[In the Language of Miracles] offers fascinating insight into the lives of American Muslims, and the prejudice with which they contended in the years after 9/11.
Publishers Weekly

[An] admirable debut . . . Hassib does fine work portraying a family divided by culturally and generationally divergent reactions to a harrowing situation, and the novel builds to a gratifying crescendo as the memorial nears and tensions rise.
Booklist

Spoken words are all powerful in Rajia Hassibs masterful book about thought vs. action. Whether the characters are explaining, questioning, or stating their deepest beliefs, though, conversation never creates anything; its the human response to the life that subsumes us, whether were active or passive. In the face of tragedy, and even great happiness, abstractions fall away; the personal and particular endure. Its a very moving book.
Ann Beattie

Smart, nuanced and culturally dazzling,In the Language of Miraclesis a heartrending story of Egyptians and Americans, of two families whose lives are intertwined and then unraveled by fate. Hassibs writing has an intoxicating quality that made this a page-turner, but by the end, her beautiful story surpasses its characters in its unflinching investigation of tragedy, mental illness, and healing across two cultures in conflict.
Zo Ferraris, author of Finding Nouf and City of Veils

Rajia Hassib's In the Language of Miracles is a tautly told story of one familys grief and the quiet but daunting burden of survivorship. She has deftly captured their individual struggles as they swim through the deep waters of loss and blame. We turn page after page and hope, as all bereaved do, that theres a chance for healing.
Nadia Hashimi, author of When the Moon is Low and The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Rajia Hassibs timely novel is a gripping, hold-your-breath expos about being Muslim in post-9/11 America where the heinous act of one can demonize all. But its also a universal, multi-generational, immigrant tale. The old-world, Egyptian grandmothers bungled English, her prayers and incense, rub against her American-born, tech-savvy grandchildrens bungled Arabic and Western music. Its an intelligent, beautifully rendered reminder that no matter our ethnicity or creed, we all long for acceptance and a place to call home.
Marie Manilla, author ofThe Patron Saint of Ugly

Rajia Hassib has a finger on the pulse of two languages and two cultures. She deftly spins an honest tale of a family reeling in the wake of tragedy, all the while exploring the subtle complexities embedded in communication, culture, and human relationships.
Laila Halaby, author of Once in a Promised Land

Author Bio

Rajia Hassib was born and raised in Egypt and moved to the United States when she was twenty-three. She holds an MA in creative writing from Marshall University and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker online, Upstreet, Steam Ticket, and Border Crossing magazines. She lives in West Virginia. From the Hardcover edition.