The Beauty of Your Face: A Novel

by Sahar Mustafah

Overview

One of the New York Times's 100 Notable Books of 2020

Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, The Beauty of Your Face is “a story of outsiders coming together in surprising and uplifting ways” (New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice).

The Beauty of Your Face tells a uniquely American story in powerful, evocative prose. Afaf Rahman, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is the principal of a Muslim school in the Chicago suburbs. One morning, a shooter—radicalized by the online alt-right—attacks the school. As Afaf listens to his terrifying progress, we are swept back through her memories, and into a profound and “moving” (Bustle) exploration of one woman’s life in a nation at odds with its ideals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393542042
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	72,756
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Sahar Mustafah is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants. Her short story collection Code of the West won the 2016 Willow Books Prize for Fiction. She lives and teaches high school students outside of Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

"At once vast and intimate. Mustafah’s vulnerable portrait of one of Chicago’s lesser-known immigrant communities showcases the diversity and resilience of survivors.… In the hands of a less-skilled storyteller, this charged political narrative could easily have become heavy-handed or navel-gazing—but Mustafah’s literary voice soared."

Third Coast Review - Terry Galvan

"Rich and complicated."

Los Angeles Times - Heather John Fogarty

"How each member of the family finds his or her footing is worthy of an entire series of books, but Afaf’s particular strain of determination and optimism is what propels you to the end of this one.… A story of survival and hope, forgiveness and connection."

Elisabeth Egan

"Rich with details of Islamic faith and Arab culture, The Beauty of Your Face is an insightful and beautifully drawn study of the complexity of being an American Muslim immigrant. This compelling novel brilliantly challenges the notion of a unified religious and ethnic narrative while laying bare the most universal of desires: for love, acceptance, and belonging."

Rajia Hassib

"The Beauty of Your Face explores faith, family, and hate with haunting precision."

Literary Hub - Emily Firetog

"A story of outsiders coming together in surprising and uplifting ways. "

Editors' Choice

"Sahar Mustafah writes with a grace and precision that shows a deep understanding for the ways trauma can distort a life. The Beauty of Your Face is a richly empathetic work about the power of faith, family, and love."

Maurice Carlos Ruffin

"Stunning... A timely family saga with faith and forgiveness at its core."

Marie Claire

"The indelible story of a Palestinian American woman whose life is torn apart by loss, finds solace in her faith, and faces a violent threat that tests how far she has come. Sahar Mustafah writes about family and community with compassion and sensitivity. The Beauty of Your Face is a gift to readers."

Laila Lalami

"Mustafah writes impressively and convincingly of her Palestinian American immigrant community... [A]n adept author well worth reading."

Booklist

"A masterpiece, a moving account of our community, and one of the best renderings of a devout Muslim woman’s inner life and aspiration. Mustafah’s descriptions and attention to detail are seamless and cinematic."

Khaled Mattawa

"The Beauty of Your Face is a striking and stirring debut, one that reaches its hands straight into the fire. Sahar Mustafah writes with wisdom and grace about the unthinkable, the unspeakable, and the unspoken."

Rebecca Makkai