Thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for making a copy of this title available for an honest review.

I struggled with this book. A large part of that was due to the subject matter which was disturbing at best. However, I was also confused with the struggle the book had between fiction and nonfiction, novel and retelling.

As a novel, it was weak in structure from inciting moment to climax. It would have have strengthened with a more clarified antagonist. I expected from the title and opening incident with the bird for a larger metaphor which didn't materialize. It flowed but seemed to lack direction.

However, the author, who writes under a pseudonym for protection of herself and her subjects, tells us that all these things happened to her protagonist. Is this, then, not a biography or personal history, an account of a section of a person's life? She says that it's real, and it feels like nonfiction. Coming from that direction, the book is a harrowing account of someone coming of age in horrific circumstances. It is a history not just of a person but of a place pulled apart, of a family and a society unraveled, of a country destroyed. We've heard the stories on the news for years, but looking extensively through one person's eyes makes it vividly real.

This is definitely a story that should be told, but in future editions, I recommend dropping the "novel" under the title on the cover and just telling it like it is.

Based on a true events, City of Sparrows is the story of Sami, a boy growing up in Homs, Syria, in the 1990s and early 2000s. His day-to-day life largely sheltered him from the horrors of the authoritarian government, until he founded a successful internet company—which landed him on the regime’s radar. Suddenly Sami finds himself in jail, then forcibly enlisted into the Syrian army during the early days of a fast-growing civil war. Sami yearns to simply serve his time and go home, even as he finds himself literally charting the course of the army’s response to the growing revolt. Over the course of events, Sami realizes that it is not enough to endure Assad's regime - he has to resist. He has to return home, to the city that will become known as the "capital of the revolution."

City of Sparrows is a modern war diary that feels personal and authentic. It is a compelling story written from the point of view of someone who experienced both sides of the Syrian civil war. However, while the story itself is compelling, the book is difficult to follow. There are few transitions which made it difficult to follow Sami’s journey and understand the history of the Syrian civil war. The recollections are strung together loosely as a lot of ground is covered over the course of this short book. I nearly DNF’d this book because I found the story disjointed and difficult to follow at times. However, I’m glad that I stuck with the story until the end because the ending was incredible and tied the entire story together. The ending is powerful and gave me chills. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a true story and are interested in the history of the Syrian civil war.

Thank you Eva Nour, Meville House, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing. Eva Bout paints pictures with words making you feel as if you're there a part of the story. Strong characters and a riveting plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Check it out. Happy reading!

Amazing that this is based on a true story. Nour's writing is absolutely stunning. She reveals the narrative beautifully.