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A review by snowmaiden
Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber
5.0
I think the last time I was this intoxicated by a novel was with [b: Mortal Love|102883|Mortal Love|Elizabeth Hand|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348335068s/102883.jpg|1716177], which I read almost exactly four years ago. Perhaps I was overdue to have all my senses blown out, but this one more than made up for the long wait. The first section is full of so much happiness (or actually, I’d say joy), with many luscious cooking scenes and also some delicious love scenes. I was thrilled, but also wary, because any book that starts out so happily has only one direction to go.
Eventually, the difficult times did come, as secrets from the past bred more secrets in the present and misunderstandings galore. Of course, as always, it was not the secrets themselves that caused the problems, but the power that people gave them. (If I was a novelist, my books would be about 10 pages long, because I’d have everybody tell all their secrets right away, and then all the drama would be gone.) Eventually, of course, all is revealed, and the ending was a satisfying one to me. I recommend this one to anyone who likes great food writing with a side of melodrama. (Bonus points if you’re interested in Middle Eastern culture.)
Eventually, the difficult times did come, as secrets from the past bred more secrets in the present and misunderstandings galore. Of course, as always, it was not the secrets themselves that caused the problems, but the power that people gave them. (If I was a novelist, my books would be about 10 pages long, because I’d have everybody tell all their secrets right away, and then all the drama would be gone.) Eventually, of course, all is revealed, and the ending was a satisfying one to me. I recommend this one to anyone who likes great food writing with a side of melodrama. (Bonus points if you’re interested in Middle Eastern culture.)