Too Soon
Teeter-totters between overly simplistic and preachy at times. (And maybe that’s Shamieh’s point.) Some of Arabella’s inner monologues, for example, read like diatribes that aim to prove just how far and evolved the younger generations have come in matters of religion and national identity ... Shamieh’s debut is an astute, engaging portrayal of three generations of feisty, resilient women who are, each in their own way, forced to start over from the bottom and claw their way back to the top.
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Often funny ... The novel prompts the reader to ask what it means to participate in a larger story and still maintain a self, and like so much good character fiction, it examines the ways we are complicit in our own troubles. Too Soon is not only right on time, but evergreen.
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Uneven but vibrantly affecting ... In a story, it’s difficult to give depth to a character who has defaulted to a safe focus on material goods and financial competitiveness ... As all three timelines begin to merge, the pace quickens to the point of feeling rushed. But even with a shortened literary landing strip, Too Soon is rich in history, wit and heart. Shamieh’s assured voice tells a complicated story in nuanced and meaningful ways.
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