“Behind You Is the Sea fearlessly confronts stereotypes
about Palestinian culture, weaving a remarkable portrait of life's
intricate moments, from joyous weddings to heart-wrenching funerals,
from shattered hearts to hidden truths—I wept and grew alongside
this family. This is a story that challenges perceptions, offering a
heartfelt glimpse into the interior lives of those who call this
community home. A must read novel with unforgettable characters and
an unwavering, fresh voice—I couldn’t put it down until the very
last page! Darraj delivers an instant, necessary, and authentic
classic to the cannon of Arab-American literature.”—Etaf Rum,
author of Evil Eye and A Woman Is No Man
An exciting debut
novel that gives voice to the diverse residents of a Palestinian
American community in Baltimore—from young activists in conflict
with their traditional parents to the poor who clean for the
rich—lives which intersect across divides of class, generation, and
religion.
Funny and touching,
Behind You Is the Sea brings us into the homes and lives of
three main families—the Baladis, the Salamehs, and the
Ammars—Palestinian immigrants who’ve all found a different
welcome in America.
Their various fates
and struggles cause their community dynamic to sizzle and sometimes
explode: The wealthy Ammar family employs young Maysoon Baladi, whose
own family struggles financially, to clean up after their spoiled
teenagers. Meanwhile, Marcus Salameh confronts his father in an
effort to protect his younger sister for “dishonoring” their
name. Only a trip to Palestine, where Marcus experiences an
unexpected and dramatic transformation, can bridge this seemingly
unbridgeable divide between the two generations.
Behind You Is the
Sea faces stereotypes about Palestinian culture head-on and,
shifting perspectives to weave a complex social fabric replete with
weddings, funerals, broken hearts, and devastating secrets.