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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
A hate incident against a mosque is the inciting event; some physical confrontation
Language
Some
Moderate language; adult New York and Maine registers
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief adult relationship referenced
Substance Use
Barely any
Moderate social drinking throughout
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Sibling guilt and loyalty, Islamophobia in a small American town, the families we build to replace the ones we escaped
What this book is about
Bob and Jim Burgess escaped their small Maine town for New York City decades ago — one became a legal aid lawyer, the other a corporate star. When their nephew Zach commits a disturbing act against the local Somali Muslim community, both brothers have to return. Elizabeth Strout's novel about brothers, their shared past, and the Somali refugee community in Shirley Falls is sharp, uncomfortable, and deeply compassionate about everyone caught in the middle.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
hate incident against a Muslim community as central event
complex sibling dynamics
Somali refugee experience in Maine as important subplot
Reader Verification
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