You Exist Too Much is a debut novel by Zaina Arafat, published June 9, 2020 by Catapult. The book won the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction in 2021.[1]
 | |
| Author | Zaina Arafat |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Publisher | Catapult |
Publication date | June 9, 2020 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback), Audio |
| ISBN | 9781948226509 |
Reception
editYou Exist Too Much received positive reviews from the Los Angeles Review of Books,[2] The San Francisco Book Review,[3] Washington Independent Review of Books,[4] NPR,[5] The Irish Times,[6] and Publishers Weekly.[7]
NPR's Gabino Iglesias wrote that You Exist Too Much is "a perfect example of how culture and family can affect those whose lives span different realities."[5]
Sarah Mills, writing for the Los Angeles Review of Books, called it "[a]n unpretentious read," saying, "[W]hat the novel lacks in richness and layers, it makes up for in accessibility and honesty, steering clear of the stereotypes that so often plague characters from a Middle Eastern background."[2]
The Washington Independent Review's Antoaneta Tileva said it is "an engrossing character study of a young, bisexual Palestinian American woman. Much more than an exploration of intersecting lines and identities, the debut novel revels in their clouding."[4]
Kirkus,[8] The Washington Post,[9] New York Times Book Review,[10] and Booklist[11] provided mixed reviews.
Kirkus called the book "uneven,"[8] a sentiment echoed in Publishers Weekly's review,[7] though they agreed the novel was "intriguing."
Booklist's Terry Hong said, "Debuting novelist Arafat’s damaged cast might resonate with untethered millennials, but utmost patience is a must."[11]
In 2021, You Exist Too Much won the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Gentes, Brian (2021-06-02). "2021 Lambda Literary Award Winners Announced". Lambda Literary. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b Mills, Sarah (2020-06-15). "A Quest for a Mother: The Infinite Pursuit of Possibility in Zaina Arafat's "You Exist Too Much"". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Littell, Margo Orlando (2020-11-25). "You Exist Too Much: A Novel". San Francisco Book Review. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b Tileva, Antoaneta (2020-12-29). "You Exist Too Much: A Novel". Washington Independent Review of Books. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b Iglesias, Gabino (2020-06-11). "'You Exist Too Much' Exists In A Constant State Of Discontent". NPR. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Gilmartin, Sarah. "You Exist Too Much: A provocative and insightful debut". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b Arafat, Zaina (9 June 2020). Fiction Book Review: You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat. Catapult, $26 (272p). PublishersWeekly.com. ISBN 978-1-948226-50-9. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b "You Exist Too Much". Kirkus Reviews. March 29, 2020. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Parssinen, Keija (2020-06-08). "Review | In Zaina Arafat's 'You Exist Too Much,' a child of the Palestinian diaspora tries to heal the psychic wounds passed down by her mother". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Al-Shawaf, Rayyan (2020-11-24). "Queer Exile: Three Novels About Émigrés, Lovers and Family". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b You Exist Too Much. 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2022-01-10 – via Booklist.