Silence is a Sense
New York Review of Books ~ “Silence Is a Sense touches on many themes: Islamophobia, immigrant identity, women’s sexual freedom, and political engagement. One of its strongest elements is how it depicts the young woman’s mental distress and alienation.”
NEW YORK TIMES ~ “AlAmmar models how to relinquish tight narrative control for the sake of following language to its own, organic ends. This is not just good storytelling, but a blueprint for survival: Turn to language even when there appears to be no hope.”
LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS ~ “AlAmmar dismantles clichés by focusing in depth on her protagonist. Hers is a slow, arduous, yet heartwarming journey that is also at times stifling; we are only given glimpses into her former life, which are spaced out by long stretches of stream-of-consciousness narration.”
THE TLS ~ “AlAmmar shows how trauma can fragment memory and identity… [She] also explores the loneliness of exile and the hostility experienced by refugees.”
THE GUARDIAN ~ “AlAmmar is a writer who understands trauma, how it fragments the memory and turns people into startled animals.”
MIDDLE EAST EYE ~ “Silence is a Sense is a fearless novel that engages with topical issues head-on. The narrator’s refusal to participate in her community and her retreat into herself are artfully mirrored in the form of the novel and its quasi-claustrophobic quality.”
THE MARKAZ REVIEW ~ “AlAmmar masterfully depicts that silence is a refuge, too, for people affected by the unspeakable — a justifiable parenthesis. What was there to say to the Other? There were only pauses to convey.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ~ “… the conflicts over immigration and racism are brilliantly distilled, and they dovetail seamlessly with the narrator’s lyrical, increasingly defiant narration. Patient readers will find much to ponder.”
BAD FORM REVIEW ~ “AlAmmar’s language is lyrical, poetic, angry, philosophical and political.”
PAPERBACK PARIS ~ “AlAmmar delivers here a complex and fluid book about memory, revolution, loss, and safety. […] Silence is a Sense is harrowing, shocking, and possibly one of the most vital pieces of literature existing on the refugee experience.”
The Pact We Made
THE NEW ARAB ~ “In Dahlia and The Pact We Made, AlAmmar has created something strong and lasting, a book about a woman battling to exist on her own terms in a world which wants women to stay quiet.”
THE GUARDIAN ~ “The Pact We Made is a fascinating glimpse into the complex and contradictory life of a modern Kuwaiti woman. AlAmmar’s writing is full of personality, passion and touches of humour.”
EPOCH MAGAZINE ~ “The Pact We Made reaffirms the idea of agency and choice... AlAmmar offers her female protagonist and her readers a narrative built on hope and healing and finding one’s path amidst the darkness.”