You Exist Too Much

(Paperback)

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Description

'Deeply compelling... sexy.' Roxane Gay

'Takes you on a dizzying tour of love addiction, rehab, homophobia, betrayal, obsession and the aching need for a mother's unconditional love. At different times throughout, you'll find the protagonist needy, reckless and selfish but also smart, intuitive and trapped between two cultures - because as we all know, humans are nothing if not complicated. Roxane is right: this deserves five stars.' Stylist

Told in vignettes that flash between the US and the Middle East, Zaina Arafat's powerful debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to creative and confused adulthood.

In Brooklyn, she moves into an apartment with her first serious girlfriend and tries to content herself with their comfortable relationship. Soon, her longings, so deeply hidden during her teenage years, explode out into reckless romantic encounters and obsessions with other people, which results in her seeking unconventional help to face her past traumas and current demons.

As heard on Radio 2 Book Club, this captivating novel is perfect for readers who love Maggie Nelson and Garth Greenwell. Opening up the fantasies and desires of one young woman caught between cultural, religious and sexual identities, You Exist Too Much is a captivating story charting two of our most intense longings - for love, and a place to call home.

What people are saying about You Exist Too Much:

'Real and deliciously messy.' Attitude

'An elegantly written debut... A thought-provoking exploration of love and belonging, and how the two come together to create a sense of self.' New European

'Exquisitely written and crafted with a compelling lightness of touch.' Living Magazine

'A nuanced, sparky debut.' Observer

'A wonderfully written, queer, coming-of-age story.' i newapaper

'A novel of self-discovery following a Palestinian-American girl as she navigates queerness, love addiction and a series of tumultuous relationships.' The Millions, One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Year

'Powerful... With You Exist Too Much, Arafat announces herself as a provocative and insightful writer.' Irish Times

Reviews

A wonderfully written queer coming-of-age story * i newapaper *
Navigating queerness, bisexuality, love, and addiction, this captivating story takes readers on a journey to find two of the things we all long for the most: love, and a place we can call home. If you're looking for a captivating, first-person read, this really is one you don't to want to miss * Happiful *
Switching between New York, Beirut, Florence, Washington DC and the West Bank, You Exist Too Much takes you on a dizzying tour of love addiction, rehab, homophobia, betrayal, obsession and the aching need for a mother's unconditional love. At different times throughout, you'll find the protagonist needy, reckless and selfish but also smart, intuitive and trapped between two cultures - because as we all know, humans are nothing if not complicated. Roxane is right: this deserves five stars * Stylist *
The first-person narrator has a distinctive voice and is a magnetic presence on the page; the scenes with her mother are electric . . . A nuanced, sparky debut * Observer *
Powerful . . . With You Exist Too Much, Arafat announces herself as a provocative and insightful writer * Irish Times *
A wonderful illustration of how our most significant formative relationships can be simultaneously the most positive and negative force in our lives -- The Arts Desk
Real, non-fetishised bisexual characters can be few and far between in literature, but You Exist Too Much isn't just worth reading for its efforts in representation. It's a stunning debut . . . It's a devastating portrayal of what it's like to feel as though you never fit in - both in terms of the narrator's sexuality and racial identity. Arafat handles these weighty topics with real compassion * Press Association *
Arafat's writing is fresh, witty and packs a heavy punch * The Skinny *
An elegantly written debut . . . a thought-provoking exploration of love and belonging, and how the two come together to create a sense of self * New European *
A stunning debut . . . Arafat handles . . . weighty topics with real compassion * Scotsman *
You Exist Too Much is a first novel that is exquisitely written and crafted with a compelling lightness of touch * Living Magazine *

Author Bio

Zaina Arafat is a Palestinian-American author. Her debut novel, You Exist Too Much, won a 2021 Lambda Literary Award and was named Roxane Gay's favorite book of 2020. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, VICE, BuzzFeed, Granta, Guernica, The Believer, Harper's Bazaar and Virginia Quarterly Review. She holds an MA in international affairs from Columbia University and an MFA from the University of Iowa. In recognition of her work, Zaina was awarded the Arab Women/Migrants from the Middle East fellowship at Jack Jones Literary Arts and named a Champion of Pride by The Advocate. She is currently at work on a novel and an essay collection.