Author: Silmy Abdullah
Publisher: Dundurn
Publication Date: 20 July 2021
Pages: 208
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Short Stories
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Caught between cultures, immigrant women from a Bangladeshi neighbourhood in Scarborough struggle to navigate their home, relationships, and happiness.
Set in both Canada and Bangladesh, Home of the Floating Lily follows the lives of immigrants as they try to navigate their connecting and colliding lives in a Bengali neighbourhood in Scarborough. A young woman moves to Toronto after getting married, but she soon discovers her husband is not who she believes him to be. A mother is left heartbroken when her sons defy her expectations and choose their own paths in life. A lonely international student returns to Bangladesh and forms an unexpected bond with her domestic helper. A mother, caught between her love for Bangladesh and her determination to raise her daughter in Canada, makes a decision after a dark secret from the past is revealed.
In each of these eight stories, characters embark on difficult, often heartbreaking, but powerful journeys in search of love, dignity, and a sense of belonging.
Home of the Floating Lily is a delightful and thoughtful short story collection that covers many themes but with a particular focus on immigration and romantic relationships. All the stories were well crafted with excellent pacing, and all featured characters that were well developed despite the short page count allotted to them. The Bangladesh culture is nicely portrayed and I learnt a few new things from reading these tales. That said, the themes in these stories are really universal and could apply to immigrants from any background, making them widely accessible. Recommended if you like perfectly crafted short stories with a focus on characters and relationships.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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