I want to say that up-front. It IS a challenging read, for emotional and thought-provoking reasons. I highly recommend it IF you are in a place where you can read about the above mentioned content in a safe-manner.

The concept of the book is you are reading various first chapter drafts of this memoir, sometimes a fictional piece based off the author, Sarah's family. When I say "Author" assume I mean "Sarah" and not Rabih Alameddine, that will make this much easier.

Technically I didn't read all of it, because the author knows French, so some of the first drafts are in French. I Tried, I did! But my French is not up to the task.

Basically you can assemble a story by putting together these various first chapter drafts.

But like I said, it will not hold your hand.

You have to put together for example, that the author doesn't want to come back to Lebanon from the States because of a gang-rape, not just the war everyone endured.

I feel a little guilty about my rating, because I don't know what the French parts said, but I stand by the rest of the book.