Description

An explosive feminist and anti-racist novel about the importance of friendship.

We don’t exist in this world. Here, we are neither Germans nor refugees, we don’t report the news and we aren’t the experts. We’re some sort of wildcard.

Hani, Kasih, and Saya have shared a deep friendship ever since they were kids. After years apart, the three young women meet again for a few days, to pick up where they left off. But regardless of what they have achieved, it becomes clear, again and again, that they can’t escape the racism that accompanies their daily lives: the glances, the chatter, the hatred, and the outright rightwing terror. But their friendship gives them stability. Until one dramatic night shakes everything up.

Sisters in Arms is a provocative, uncompromising, and moving novel about the extraordinary alliance between three young women and the only thing that makes a self-determined life possible in a society that doesn’t tolerate otherness: unconditional friendship.

Publisher Review

'[W]ill appeal to fans of Elena Ferrante, Zadie Smith, and Kamila Shamsie ... An immersive and thought-provoking read with a strong plot and relatable characters, and which explores urgent contemporary questions around racism and sexism in society.' * New Books in German * 'Sends us on a journey of exploration, right into the abyss of German identity politics - a magnificent book.' * Suddeutsche Zeitung * 'A smart, important novel that gives you a caress on the cheek and a punch in the jaw as you read it. The amazing thing is that in the end you want more of both.' -- Pierre Jarawan author of Song for the Missing 'Shida Bazyar tells us - uncompromisingly, powerfully, and accusingly - what it means to have one's origins constantly questioned.' -- Judges' comments for The German Book Prize 'It tackles the pressing issues of our time, and yet it is timeless. This is a story of friendship, marginalisation and society's blindness to its own deep-seated problems ... A triumph. It has all the makings of great literature, literature that will endure ... Sisters in Arms demonstrates that all the talk about the lack of social relevance of art and literature is a fatal mistake.' -- Gerrit Wustmann * Qantara * 'An explosive feminist and anti-racist novel about the importance of friendship ... Sisters ini Arms is a provocative, uncompromising, and moving novel about the extraordinary alliance between three young women and the only thing that makes a self-determined life possible in a society that doesn't tolerate otherness: unconditional friendship.' * Female *