“Of those three women, I had to start with the first, the one who was barely twenty-five when she ran away, and the only one still alive today. That woman is me.”

When in 2021 Nathacha Appanah learned of the death of Chahinez Daoud, burned alive by her husband in broad daylight near Bordeaux, she had no choice but to confront her own buried story of violence and that of her cousin Emma, killed by her husband in Mauritius in 2000. Appanah recounts her own panicked escape, then sets out to reconstruct the gyre in which Chahinez and Emma were caught. She seeks the deeper truth of these women, beyond time and secrets, through the words of the living and the whispers of the dead. 

On the edge between strength and humility, Nathacha Appanah takes a hard look at the unbearable enigma of domestic violence, when darkness overshadows love.   

In the labyrinthine city of Jerusalem, poets woo their lovers with tales of jinns, lions, and warriors. Isaac, a night watchman, and Gabriel, an architect, pass each other in the streets, unaware, until a strange summer storm engulfs the country and their paths finally cross at Aunt Fatima's house. From that meeting desire blossoms, hesitates, withdraws, and returns, in a heady romance recounted by the sky itself, who cranes past rooftops and through windows to glimpse the soulful pair. Defying checkpoints and desert squalls, Gabriel and Isaac embark on a road trip to Jericho, Solomon's pools, and beyond—a daring act in this divided land.

Lyrical and languorous, Eden at Dawn is a fairytale in a war zone. With this second novel, lauded author Karim Kattan testifies that storytelling is the ultimate act of devotion.

A young girl is used to reminders about minutes, schedules, and being on time—especially from her mom. One night, she wishes to stop hearing about time forever, and the next day, her wish has come true. . . almost. Her mother turned into a big blue clock!

With her clock-mother ticking beside her, the girl sets off on her scooter to find help. The clock hospital is closed for vacation, but the clock sauna is open—a magical place where worn-out clocks can rest, relax, and be repaired. Thanks to a wise old woman and a little time to unwind, everything begins to make sense again.

“Of those three women, I had to start with the first, the one who was barely twenty-five when she ran away, and the only one still alive today. That woman is me.”

When in 2021 Nathacha Appanah learned of the death of Chahinez Daoud, burned alive by her husband in broad daylight near Bordeaux, she had no choice but to confront her own buried story of violence and that of her cousin Emma, killed by her husband in Mauritius in 2000. Appanah recounts her own panicked escape, then sets out to reconstruct the gyre in which Chahinez and Emma were caught. She seeks the deeper truth of these women, beyond time and secrets, through the words of the living and the whispers of the dead. 

On the edge between strength and humility, Nathacha Appanah takes a hard look at the unbearable enigma of domestic violence, when darkness overshadows love.   

In the labyrinthine city of Jerusalem, poets woo their lovers with tales of jinns, lions, and warriors. Isaac, a night watchman, and Gabriel, an architect, pass each other in the streets, unaware, until a strange summer storm engulfs the country and their paths finally cross at Aunt Fatima's house. From that meeting desire blossoms, hesitates, withdraws, and returns, in a heady romance recounted by the sky itself, who cranes past rooftops and through windows to glimpse the soulful pair. Defying checkpoints and desert squalls, Gabriel and Isaac embark on a road trip to Jericho, Solomon's pools, and beyond—a daring act in this divided land.

Lyrical and languorous, Eden at Dawn is a fairytale in a war zone. With this second novel, lauded author Karim Kattan testifies that storytelling is the ultimate act of devotion.