A mesmerising and poignant saga forms the basis of An Unlasting Home, the debut novel from Mai Al-Nakib. Set predominantly in Kuwait but journeying through America, India and Iraq, the story follows four generations of women, focusing on protagonist Sara, a Kuwait University philosophy professor awaiting trial for blasphemy. Throughout the narrative, we learn about the women who have shaped and influenced Sara during her life – grandmothers Lulwa and Yasmine, her mother Noura and carer Maria.

As the fine lines between freedom, religion and the turbulent political landscape showcase the effects of this on their individual lives, the inclusion of historical events through multiple strands guides the reader, providing a link to understand the different environments each character is faced with and some way to explain the changes that have impacted the journeys each member of the family have undertaken.

Ultimately, An Unlasting Home is a spellbinding book offering deep and insightful perspectives on the complicated lives of each character; a thought-provoking and intense drama that is poetically written and evokes a sense of place, providing an immersive reading experience. Deep research evidently went into An Unlasting Home, but it’s a crafted skill to be able to bring the story to life with such compassion.