Book Review: "Three Parties" by Ziyad Saadi

I’m always fascinated by retellings and reimaginings. Ziyad Saadi’s debut novel is a reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, which was also reimagined in The Hours (one of my favorite books of all time), so I was very interested to read this.

Today is Firas’ 23rd birthday. He’s throwing himself a dinner party with a greater purpose than simply celebrating the day of his birth, however. He plans to officially come out to his family, friends, and coworkers. He’s trying to remain calm as the time of the party draws closer, but his stress level is rising.

While he wonders how his Palestinian parents will react to the news, Firas is also making sure every last detail of the party is perfect. He’s planned the menu, the decorations, even the floral arrangements. But you know what they say about the best-laid plans…

Firas is constantly worried about how he is perceived—by his family, his colleagues and friends, even the two men he is dating. The thought of falling short in anyone’s eyes appalls him, and of course, the more you worry about failing the greater the likelihood that you might fail. Meanwhile, crises within his family threaten to upend the party—and there’s even the possibility that his secret might get exposed before he’s ready to share it.

Much like Mrs. Dalloway, this book takes place over the course of one day. It’s a tremendously thought-provoking read with occasional bursts of humor.

I’m not certain if this book didn’t work for me as much as I’d hoped because I can’t imagine throwing a party to reveal a secret like this, or if the plot became overly complicated. Saadi’s talent is definitely evident and I look forward to seeing what’s next for his career.