"Urgently thought-provoking and powerful, this multi-layered beautifully eloquent novel of societal expectations and issues hits with pin-point precision. "
Clever, pointed, and thoroughly provocative, yet full of compassion, this very modern tale of identity, community, and culture soars onto our LoveReading Star Books list. Afghan refugees find success in Virginia, but tragedy strikes when their daughter dies and questions are raised. This stunning novel will sit within my favourite books of the year, as debut author Patmeena Sabit writes with a beautifully nuanced eloquence. Short sharp chapters contain viewpoints of the people surrounding the death, from neighbours to friends, newspaper reports and legal statements, yet we never hear from the family themselves. The multiple perspectives create an intricately layered tale that is incredibly powerful as it never quite settles, instead it always challenges and provokes. The author is able, in just a few words, to flesh out the individual even though they are never directly described. As I moved through each perspective I was fascinated to observe my own thoughts altering and changing. While incredibly hard-hitting, I felt this story was told with love and empathy and so I have chosen it to feature as a Liz Pick of the Month as well as Star Book. Direct and challenging, yet subtle and compassionate, Good People is a memorable and compelling debut novel.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
| Other Genres: | |
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Closing date: 04/07/2026
Zorah Sharaf could do no wrong. Zorah Sharaf brought shame upon her family.
What's the truth? Depends on who you ask.
The Sharaf family live in an exclusive neighbourhood in Virginia, where the father is a successful businessman and the children attend the most prestigious schools. Zorah, the eldest daughter, is the apple of her father's eye. The family's arrival in America, as refugees from war-torn Afghanistan, feels far behind them.
But when Zorah dies in an unthinkable tragedy, everyone is left reeling and the family is thrust into the court of public opinion. There is talk that behind closed doors the Sharafs' happy household was anything but, and soon the veneer of the model immigrant family starts to crumble.
Those who knew her best - and those who didn't know her at all - all have an opinion on who Zorah really was, and what really happened to her . . .
A kaleidoscopic, urgent narrative, told through the chorus of voices surrounding the Sharafs, Good People is a riveting, provocative and unforgettable story of community, family and identity.
Good People features in the following genres: Book Club Recommendations, Liz Robinson's Picks of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, General Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Sharing Diverse Voices, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Narrative theme: Social issues, Narrative theme: Diversity, equality, inclusion, Narrative theme: Displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging
Good People is available in Paperback, Hardback
Good People was written by Patmeena Sabit and published by Virago an imprint of Little, Brown
Good People has 400 pages
£15.29
